NEW 55g Malawi TAnk QueStiOns!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
O

oshah11

Feeder Fish
Feb 20, 2008
1
0
0
Pullman, WA
I am new to fishkeeping. Just got a 55g tank with 6 African Cichlids.

It has been about 4 days, and my auratus, the smallest fish in the tank, is still very timid and hardly comes out of his hole. Any time other fish come around when the auratus is out, he slowly retreats back to his hole. He also never comes out to the middle during feeding. It doesn't seem like any one fish is chasing him down or nipping at him, but he just looks scared. Any suggestions? Would adding more fish help?

I also have a lemon leleupi that loves to pick on a smaller bumblee cichlid any time the bumblebee gets near it. Would adding another larger lemon help distract the leleupi? any other suggestions?

thanks!

ryan
 
It has only been 4 days... The Auratus is probally still a little freaked and will come out when he is ready. Try and use a turkey baster to direct some food his way. Adding another Leleupi is not a great idea. They seem to be better off as a proven pair or single specimum. You could do another one if you had a bigger tank, which might be needed for the Cabro (bumblebee) anyways.
 
it sounds like you will have compatibility issues in the future. i would get rid of the crabro (bumblebee) because it will outgrow a 55 gallon (unless you plan on upgrading later)-i have a female in my 180 gallon and she is around 5 inches long and a little aggressive.
also im not familiar with a lemon leleupi--is that a lake tanganyika fish? since you have a small tank for africans, you may need to stick to one lake and end up tweaking your stock list once they grow and become sexually mature. if your tank has only been set up for 4 days just be patient and give them time--and keep an eye on them for any aggression issues.
 
Is the tank cycled?The compatability issues may be moot if youre not careful with a new tank
 
Your aurutus is not likely to stay shy. As it matures your gonna want to keep an eye on it. Auratus are in the melanchromis family and are highly aggrssive. I had a related fish (a johanni) for 2 months ,everything was fine, then out of the blue it killed 4 fish over night. I tried everything to manage the aggression, had it in a 70 gallon tall tank, nothing worked, had to find it a new home. Make sure that you have lots of rockwork and fake plants if you can to break up the line of sight so fish cannot see eachother easily. Rearrange the tank often as well, it breaks up territories sometimes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom