I find from time to time that I have the opportunity to purchase adult cichlids. Generally, when I get them home, it takes a long time for them to act "normal" compared to juvenile fish. Has anyone else had this experience? The adult fish have grown accustomed to living in certain conditions, with certain tankmates, eating certain foods, and seeing the same stuff everyday for a long time. Does it really take that long for a CA cichlid to adjust to knew conditions? If so, I must say that supports the claims that CAs tend to be very intelligent compared to other fish and even some other groups of cichlids. That guy that got the big beani from Rapps last year had a time before that fish ever got used to his new home. I wish he'd chime in here. Share your experiences with purchasing or obtaining adult fish.
buying adult fish
- Thread starter darthodo
- Start date
I recently bought a breeding adult pair of green severums from a friend who was closing a few of his tanks. They went from his 40g (uk) to my 75g(uk). The tank housed my lepidota pike, who has now been shifted to the 50g. Since they arrived they have been very stressed and spooked (very dark colours) and are reluctant to come out when i am near the tank. At other times they panic and make a mad dash to the darkest corners when i come close to the tank. They have been there for a month now with little change, i am undecided as to sell them on or persevere?!
I have had kept green severums in the past (from young) and they were very personable and interactive and not in the least bit shy, this particular pair were not shy or stressed in my friends tank, mine has more plants/floating plants/cover/bogwood and they seem more stressed
Maybe they were just very settled in their old tank?!
Any advise or thoughts on what to do would be greatly appreciated.
I have had kept green severums in the past (from young) and they were very personable and interactive and not in the least bit shy, this particular pair were not shy or stressed in my friends tank, mine has more plants/floating plants/cover/bogwood and they seem more stressed
Maybe they were just very settled in their old tank?!
Any advise or thoughts on what to do would be greatly appreciated.
i used to have a adult clown knife, i was absoloutly in love with it!!!
had it 2 weeks and i never saw him eat and he just seemed to stay in one place.
i think i overdosed him when i treated the tank for gill disease...didnt read that they had thin scales till after and should take them out the tank when ur treating it...biggest mistake of my life!!!
had it 2 weeks and i never saw him eat and he just seemed to stay in one place.
i think i overdosed him when i treated the tank for gill disease...didnt read that they had thin scales till after and should take them out the tank when ur treating it...biggest mistake of my life!!!
I'm with you 300%, Darthodo. That's why I get juvies if at all possible. They get used to things and start begging within 24 hrs. The adults I've gotten take months or longer & seldom show 'begging' personable behavior. I've always thought that it was a sign of their intelligence/awareness also.
Definitly most adult fish will change behavior for some time when moved.CA and SA cichlids most of all.I always buy fish as young as I can find them.
darthodo;2472207; said:
but i do like to buy adult fish of certain types i don't have the patience to watch them grow up if i know how much potential they have
when i ever introduce new large cichlids to an established tank usually put a divider in for a week to let the new one settle and then after the week has gone i do a 50% water change move all decor and remove divider.
this helps with aggression and i find the fish is settled by then anyways.
although overall they do take a little longer to get feeding etc.
this helps with aggression and i find the fish is settled by then anyways.
although overall they do take a little longer to get feeding etc.
I had mostly the same experience and that why I try to get juvies now.
One exception thought are two pairs of GBRs I recently bought. They were in a tank with dozens of others and got used to my tank immediately. I wonder if it was because of the breed, or the fact that they didn't "own" a tank before I got them?
One exception thought are two pairs of GBRs I recently bought. They were in a tank with dozens of others and got used to my tank immediately. I wonder if it was because of the breed, or the fact that they didn't "own" a tank before I got them?