Shy cichlids not coming out! Ideas to solve this?
- Thread starter Riverfisher201
- Start date
Yup, I already have all my tanks set to timers, I find it’s very helpful! Especially if I’m away for a night or late getting home they turn on a a proper time and then if I either decide to sleep for a bit I find that it helps that I don’t forget to leave them on or shut them off to early. To me they are a must for having aquariums. Make everything much more regular on the fish and I find helps with algae since I can run a smaller amount of light time consecutively.
That’s my biggest issue, I have a tank that’s pretty small for the fish that’s in it, my best option is to remove one of them, the only other tanks I have are 20g and 40g tanks so neither r big enough for a full size of either of these so I think I might need to sell one. I really like peoples ideas of when they put like 5-6 of these types of cichlids in the same tank and they kinda just live because there’s so many of them they can’t single one out. But at the same you need atleast a 150g if not more to make that work out. Although I think it would be in my best interest to maybe remove the jack(mostly because I’m more into the red Texas, and then turn maybe add a few larger dither fish like rainbows to make the Texas feel more safe along with the shark. My one last attempt at making this work are to try then other ideas other mentioned, adding sinking pellets when I feed because as of now I mostly feed blood worms and shrimp and flakes, I found they never took to the pellets but it’s worth a last shot, and also change the time the lights are on by and leaving them off when I’m moving around the tank. Another idea I just thought of was maybe using some more caves in the tank. As of now I got 2 caves side by side on the left side and then a piece of drift wood branching over them, then other piece of drift wood hanging over the right side with a pot on the corner on its side. Do you think I could maybe spread some caves out more? I read that the more hiding spots you have the fish will feel more comfortable moving around the tank because they always have a place they can retreat to easily. What’s your opinion on the best way I should rearrange this tank to?
Thanks!
I first tried silver dollars, but they got way too beat up so I moved them out.
I have a 60 with a jack, parrot, convict, and leporinus, which is a fancy way of saying a ticking time bomb.
That said my school is of giant danios, Australian rainbows, and Buenos Aires tetras all mixed together, and they get along amazingly.
Texas are mean fish though, back when I was more inexperienced I tried one with a piranha twice it’s size. The thing had guts enough to lip lock the piranha. I don’t need to elaborate on what happened next.
Thanks!! I think tomorrow I’m gonna try rearranging the set up, move the wood around and then add a extra cave on the opposite side of the tank. I think this might let the Texas and jack each choose a side of the tank and spread themselves out. As of now only on side has caves so this might give them a little more room!!
To further cement the dither fish comment, I have a pair of Synspilum in a 240 and although I wouldn't call them shy, they are a little cautious of the environment outside their tank. Now that I've added their batch of Fry back into the tank, they swim throughout the tank and noticeably much less cautious of things.
Once Fry move out, I also plan on getting a large group of dithers.
Good luck to you.
Once Fry move out, I also plan on getting a large group of dithers.
Good luck to you.
I had a timid electric blue acara. I added three gold barbs of some type. He perked up a bit. I added 3 smaller eba‘s. He has totally come out of his shell. I can almost drop pellets in his mouth. A few months ago I was ready to give it away. Hard to explain. More action must help. That’s my 2 cents.
