Here's the issue.
i let it run for 48 hours with nothing in it but the decorations
This is not cycling. There are some good articles on cycling in the Article section. But the run down is this: Fish produce Ammonia. When you start a new tank it doesn't have ammonia in it. By adding the fish, you are adding ammonia. The ammonia will then convert to Nitrites. The Nitrites then convert to Nitrates. The cycling process can take about 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the ammonia (or Bio-load) that is in the tank. If you are cycling with fish, you need to test your water on a daily basis and do water changes every day or every other day, depending on the bio-load. Your ammonia should not be over 1. If it is, you need to do an immediate water change. A level of 1 seems to produce a quicker cycle. Having Ammonia levels too high will kill your fish. Having Nitrites too high will also kill your fish in an instant. In a completly cycled tank your levels will read: Ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 0, Nitrates <40. 40 is a high number, realistically it should be around 20 to 30. This is why it is important to get a Master Test Kit.
when i cleaned it, i vacuumed the bottom and cleaned the filter
This is a no no. At this stage in the cycle, do not clean the filter or vac the gravel. Bacterial colonies are forming in the gravel, on the glass, decor, and in the filter. By cleaning them, you are throwing away the bacteria. Do not change your filter cartridges. They don't need to be changed unless your filter starts to back up or run slowly. Even then, just rinse them in used tank water. Do not ever rinse them in tap water. By rinsing in tap water you are killing the bacteria that has formed. When you clean the gravel, only do about 50% at a time. This way you aren't taking up too much bacteria. The gunky nasty stuff that is in the filter is normal, and it's what you want. Your tank will never be spotlessly clean. If it is, it is too clean. The filter instructions and the people at the
lfs will tell you that you need to change your filter cartridges every 2 to 4 weeks. Don't believe them. Everytime you change them, you are giving them more money. But to your tank, you are tossing out benificial bacteria. I am still using the original filter pad on the 29
gal and we've had it set up for about 7 months.
This is most likely the reason why they hide. The African's can tolerate questionable water quality, but not alot. They shouldn't really be used to cycle a tank. But, since they are already there and you are cycling with fish, do water changes every day or every other day. African's are VERY messy fish. The Ammonia level can spike drastically in a short period of time. A test kit is VERY important. When doing the water changes, only suck out water, do not clean any of the gravel or filter. You need to build up that bacteria in the tank.
This sounds like a lot of information right now I'm sure. But right now (before adding any more fish) you need to get that tank cycled. This is why I asked so many questions, I had a feeling that the tank wasn't cycled. African's going into hiding can be trigered by bad water conditions or an uncycled tank. Just keep up with the water changes and if you can get the readings on your water, post them. If you don't have a test kit (I don't remember if you said you did or not) take water to the
lfs and have them test it. Those numbers are VERY important at this stage.
My nannacara anomala has barely come out of hiding since I got it about a month ago, and the tank is planted, has caves, and is overfiltered. My rummynose tetras hid constantly for a month or so, and are still very skittish when people approach the tank. I think different fish just take a really long time to adjust, and they will become more sociable with time.
