I have 6 multies in a 20 gallon long with over 100 shells that cover the floor of the tank. I introduced the 6 of them to the tank yesterday but now can only count up to 5. They're very shy but at this point where 4 of them are always hovering around and the fifth one being the smallest of all still making appearances here and there, where could the 6th one be? I also wonder if maybe the tank is too large to feed them all since they still get spooked when I come near the tank and hide instead of coming out to eat. I'm especially concerned about feeding the smallest one since he is hard to spot and always gets lost in some shell or other. I think I have too many shells for this tank with the number of fish I started out with! What do I do?
Hiding/Missing Neolamprologus Multifasciatus?
- Thread starter Darkskies
- Start date
Be patient, don't stress them. if it survived, you will see it soon. If you go poking around trying to find it, you will stress all fish and possibly lose other fish. Takes at least a day or two for new inhabitants to settle down into a new space.
Is there sand in the tank? They may have buried it in a shell. Something that can happen. Also could be hiding. Females will at times hid in the shells. I have a female brevis I have seen twice in 5 months
There's not enough sand in the tank for the shell to be buried. Would the 6th one really be sitting on eggs if it was introduced to the tank 2 days ago?? How do I feed them? They're always hiding. I'm worried I'm leaving too much food in the tank that goes to waste since they hide when I go to feed them and they can't find the bits of food lying around afterwards..?
Ok, So I did find the 6th multi. He's really small and was hiding all the time. Are you sure they'll find the food? It's a 20 gallon long with only the 6 fish. The food just drifts to the bottom of the tank while the fish hide since I came near the tank. Would they be attracted to it by the smell once its on the tank floor or would they just think it's sand or some inedible debris?
I did notice the fish scavenging for food after this morning's feeding. However, the two smallest multies don't seem to venture far from their shells and I haven't noticed them picking at the substrate for fallen food like the others do.
The fish are much less skittish now too. However, one of the smallest multies hardly ever comes out of a given shell and it commonly looks like I only have 5 fish in the tank. This is the reason I thought he had died. I am sure they're not breeding at this point. He's just a shy, juvenile fish. I mean the other juvenile multi still emerges from its shell and floats around in the vicinity but this other guy hardly every comes out.. Why would he be so shy when the others are not? Even now five fish are out and about while the sixth one is nowhere to be seen. Why does he have this strange,reclusive behavior? Is he unhealthy?
Should I really not worry thinking that the smallest two fish aren't getting food?
The fish are much less skittish now too. However, one of the smallest multies hardly ever comes out of a given shell and it commonly looks like I only have 5 fish in the tank. This is the reason I thought he had died. I am sure they're not breeding at this point. He's just a shy, juvenile fish. I mean the other juvenile multi still emerges from its shell and floats around in the vicinity but this other guy hardly every comes out.. Why would he be so shy when the others are not? Even now five fish are out and about while the sixth one is nowhere to be seen. Why does he have this strange,reclusive behavior? Is he unhealthy?
Should I really not worry thinking that the smallest two fish aren't getting food?
your really worrying about this too much. it could be many many factors. where the tank is located. water chem. aggression. food your feeding. they will get used to things and come out more. or you could have eggs. just wait it out. nothing to worry about