Shy Cichlids ???

[Samuel Warren]

Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing each
other. They seemed very happy.

But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions in
the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the plant
cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some Brine
Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because they
have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants in
the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help them
get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
during the day? Should I remove the cave?


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>

[Lance Lamontagne]

I don't know the size of the tank but you need to add dither fish so thay
feel comfortable
"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
> Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
> Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
> unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing
> each
> other. They seemed very happy.
>
> But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions
> in
> the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the
> plant
> cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some
> Brine
> Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
> will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
> are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because they
> have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants
> in
> the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
> tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help them
> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
> during the day? Should I remove the cave?
>
>
> This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>
>
>
>

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
<snip>. Is their anyway to help them
> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
> during the day? Should I remove the cave?
>

Give them some time to adjust to their new surroundings. Feed them less.
When they get hungry enough, they'll come out more readily for feeding.
They'll associate you with food and they'll be out all the time.
Stop feeding blood worms and brine shrimp. This is a good way to kill your
Mbuna. They mostly eat algae in the Lake and feeding meaty things like blood
worms is a good way to cause digestive tract infections and blockages. Stick
with spirulina for now. Spectrum New Life cichlid pellets are good also.
Give it time, they'll be out.
Tim
www.fishaholics.org

[Tommi Jensen]

Samuel Warren wrote:
> Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
> Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
> unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing each
> other. They seemed very happy.
How large is the tank?

> But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions in
> the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the plant
> cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some Brine
> Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
> will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
> are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because they
> have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants in
> the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
> tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help them
> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
> during the day? Should I remove the cave?

No, they'd quite likely become more shy if you do.


In general, I've heard people suggest dither fish, it's not much in use
in the social circles I've met aquarists in as of yet (that keep mbuna).
Instead they crowd the tank, 20'ish fish in 200L isn't all that
uncommon, and another added benefit is lessened aggression towards other
fish.

hth

[Samuel Warren]

I have some Zebra Danios in another tank, would it be ok to put them in my
cichlids. I was thinking about moving 6 or so over to the cichlid tank, as
the "dither" fish. Or can someone recommend another "dither" fish species?

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>

"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
> Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
> Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
> unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing
each
> other. They seemed very happy.
>
> But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions
in
> the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the
plant
> cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some
Brine
> Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
> will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
> are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because they
> have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants
in
> the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
> tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help them
> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
> during the day? Should I remove the cave?
>
>
> This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>
>
>
>

[Ed VanDyke]

Danios are good. I have about a dozen rosie barbs. They're a little riskier
because of their small size. Sometimes the smaller, and the less red
colored ones, get picked off by my N. venustus. I like the addition of the
red in my tank. Wide assortments of tetras are used, but they don't always
like the water conditions that cichlids do.



--
"The task is not so much to see what no one yet has seen, but to think what
no body yet has thought about that which everyone sees."

Schopenhaeur (1788 - 1860).


"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
>I have some Zebra Danios in another tank, would it be ok to put them in my
> cichlids. I was thinking about moving 6 or so over to the cichlid tank,
> as
> the "dither" fish. Or can someone recommend another "dither" fish
> species?
>
> This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>
>
> "Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
>> Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
>> unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing
> each
>> other. They seemed very happy.
>>
>> But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions
> in
>> the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the
> plant
>> cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some
> Brine
>> Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
>> will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
>> are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because
>> they
>> have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants
> in
>> the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
>> tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help
>> them
>> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
>> during the day? Should I remove the cave?
>>
>>
>> This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Samuel Warren]

Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out from
hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.

I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem to
enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets, flake
food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies from
feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their diet.
The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they should
ever do that is the way of nature.


This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>

"Samuel Warren" > wrote in message
...
> Two weeks ago I purchased a male and female "Powder Blue - Mbuna Lake
> Malawi" cichlids. The first day I put them in their new home, with a
> unknown snail species and a Otto, they swam around and enjoyed chasing
each
> other. They seemed very happy.
>
> But now they seem to hide most of the day, by hiding in some depressions
in
> the substrate or hiding in a shale cave I created for them, or in the
plant
> cover. Sometimes they MIGHT come out for feeding when I release some
Brine
> Shrimp or Blood Worms, but return quickly. Also in the late evening they
> will come out, but as soon as they see any movement in the room that they
> are in, they dart away again. At night I know they are active because they
> have been burrowing under the cave walls or pulling up the smaller plants
in
> the tank. The water parameters test fine. I had took the time to set a
> tank up just for them now I never seem them. Is their anyway to help them
> get over their shyness without overfeeding them, and so I can see them
> during the day? Should I remove the cave?
>
>
> This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>
>
>
>

[Elaine T]

Samuel Warren wrote:
> Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out from
> hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.
>
> I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem to
> enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets, flake
> food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies from
> feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their diet.
> The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they should
> ever do that is the way of nature.
>
>
I wanted to reinforce what Tim said since you've posted about feding
high-protein foods again. Mbuna are herbivores and get bloated and die
if fed high protein foods. Don't feed krill, bloodworms or brine
shrimp. Even the Tetra-Min crisps aren't intended for these fish. To
keep them healthy, feed algae-based foods or specialty foods made for
specifically for mbuna.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Gill Passman]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Samuel Warren wrote:
> > Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out
from
> > hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.
> >
> > I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem
to
> > enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets,
flake
> > food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies
from
> > feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their
diet.
> > The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they
should
> > ever do that is the way of nature.
> >
> >
> I wanted to reinforce what Tim said since you've posted about feding
> high-protein foods again. Mbuna are herbivores and get bloated and die
> if fed high protein foods. Don't feed krill, bloodworms or brine
> shrimp. Even the Tetra-Min crisps aren't intended for these fish. To
> keep them healthy, feed algae-based foods or specialty foods made for
> specifically for mbuna.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

Just bought my first Mbuna's (Yellow Labs) for my new tank yesterday and LFS
suggested Spirulina Cichlid Sticks, Daphinia, krill, brine shrimp and
cucumber which kind of ties in with the research that I did. He told me to
totally avoid any bloodworms etc.

Now confused......

[Elaine T]

Gill Passman wrote:
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> m...
>
>>Samuel Warren wrote:
>>
>>>Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out
>
> from
>
>>>hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.
>>>
>>>I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem
>
> to
>
>>>enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets,
>
> flake
>
>>>food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies
>
> from
>
>>>feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their
>
> diet.
>
>>>The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they
>
> should
>
>>>ever do that is the way of nature.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>I wanted to reinforce what Tim said since you've posted about feding
>>high-protein foods again. Mbuna are herbivores and get bloated and die
>>if fed high protein foods. Don't feed krill, bloodworms or brine
>>shrimp. Even the Tetra-Min crisps aren't intended for these fish. To
>>keep them healthy, feed algae-based foods or specialty foods made for
>>specifically for mbuna.
>>
>>--
>> __ Elaine T __
>> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>
>
> Just bought my first Mbuna's (Yellow Labs) for my new tank yesterday and LFS
> suggested Spirulina Cichlid Sticks, Daphinia, krill, brine shrimp and
> cucumber which kind of ties in with the research that I did. He told me to
> totally avoid any bloodworms etc.
>
> Now confused......
>
>
Yellow labs IF you're talking about Labidochromis caeruleus are a little
different from rock dwelling mbuna. They're omnivorous open-water fish
from Lake Malawi with a more flexible diet and les susceptibility to
Malawi bloat. There was another thread on labs here a while back, and
if kept alone, they do best on a pretty even mix of spirulina and
protein foods. Your Powder blue mbuna (Pseudotropheus socolofi?) are
the ones I talking about being herbivorous and susceptible to bloat.

For this mix of fish, my understanding is that you will still need to
feed mostly algae based and vegetable foods. Maybe someone who's kept
this combination of fish can suggest how often to offer the higher
protein foods because I've only kept tanks with the strongly herbivorous
mbuna and never fed anything like krill. My best guess would be only a
couple times a week.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Gill Passman]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Gill Passman wrote:
> > "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> > m...
> >
> >>Samuel Warren wrote:
> >>
> >>>Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out
> >
> > from
> >
> >>>hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.
> >>>
> >>>I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem
> >
> > to
> >
> >>>enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets,
> >
> > flake
> >
> >>>food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies
> >
> > from
> >
> >>>feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their
> >
> > diet.
> >
> >>>The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they
> >
> > should
> >
> >>>ever do that is the way of nature.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>I wanted to reinforce what Tim said since you've posted about feding
> >>high-protein foods again. Mbuna are herbivores and get bloated and die
> >>if fed high protein foods. Don't feed krill, bloodworms or brine
> >>shrimp. Even the Tetra-Min crisps aren't intended for these fish. To
> >>keep them healthy, feed algae-based foods or specialty foods made for
> >>specifically for mbuna.
> >>
> >>--
> >> __ Elaine T __
> >> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> >
> >
> > Just bought my first Mbuna's (Yellow Labs) for my new tank yesterday and
LFS
> > suggested Spirulina Cichlid Sticks, Daphinia, krill, brine shrimp and
> > cucumber which kind of ties in with the research that I did. He told me
to
> > totally avoid any bloodworms etc.
> >
> > Now confused......
> >
> >
> Yellow labs IF you're talking about Labidochromis caeruleus are a little
> different from rock dwelling mbuna. They're omnivorous open-water fish
> from Lake Malawi with a more flexible diet and les susceptibility to
> Malawi bloat. There was another thread on labs here a while back, and
> if kept alone, they do best on a pretty even mix of spirulina and
> protein foods. Your Powder blue mbuna (Pseudotropheus socolofi?) are
> the ones I talking about being herbivorous and susceptible to bloat.
>
> For this mix of fish, my understanding is that you will still need to
> feed mostly algae based and vegetable foods. Maybe someone who's kept
> this combination of fish can suggest how often to offer the higher
> protein foods because I've only kept tanks with the strongly herbivorous
> mbuna and never fed anything like krill. My best guess would be only a
> couple times a week.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

Thanks Elaine. Haven't given them anything other than the Spirulina yet but
if they are better off being veggies I'm sure the Community Tank will enjoy
the Daphinia :-) Just looking at it like I wouldn't give the pet rabbit and
guinea pig meat so why force it on the fish if it isn't what they would
naturally eat. If the occassional meal of krill etc. would be natural for
them then again it might be worth feeding once a week or so.

Personally, what I'm trying to do is get a mix of fish that eat the same
diet. I like to give a variety of food wherever possible so whatever
ideas/advice anyone can give me would be great. Already been on
malawimayhem.com for stocking ideas. It's a new project so only just put in
the first fish yesterday and the only ones I was 100% I wanted were the Labs
so thought it a good place to start although I have some on my "shopping
list" that seem to need similar diet. The variety of Malawi Cichlids
available is awesome so I'm pretty sure that I should be able to get some
that share the same dietary requirements.

Gill

BTW I love the Hexagonal - already working on hubbie - thinking my Fan Tail
Guppies would look great in there plus it would lighten the load in the
Community Tank - but at the moment he thinks 5 tanks are enough (LOL) even
though 2 of them belong to my son.

[Ed VanDyke]

Currently I'm keeping two Male zebras (M. Estherae hybrid, and P. socolofi),
1F M. auratus, and 1F N. livingstoni.
The Mbuna feed fine on the bottom on pellets, cucs, and zucs. Sometimes they
eat the duckweed on the surface. The Melanochromis and Nimbocromis are also
fed frozen bloodworms 2-3 times a week. It's just a matter of timing the
bloodworms after the Mbuna begin picking granules off the bottom. The fish
seemed to rapidly learn the feeding schedule, and now each goes to the
appropriate place to get the food they want and need.

P.S. Does anyone know if Psuedotropheus socolofi has gone through a
nomenclature change as many of the Pseudotropheus did?

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Gill Passman wrote:
>> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
>> m...
>>
>>>Samuel Warren wrote:
>>>
>>>>Okay, I added 6 Black Neon Tetras and sure enough the cichlids came out
>>
>> from
>>
>>>>hiding. So the dither fish idea worked.
>>>>
>>>>I also started to feed the cichlids some Tetra-Min "Crisps", they seem
>>
>> to
>>
>>>>enjoy that very much. I have krill, dry blood worms, algae tablets,
>>
>> flake
>>
>>>>food, frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp and some frozen Veggies
>>
>> from
>>
>>>>feeding my community tank, so I think I should be able to vary their
>>
>> diet.
>>
>>>>The cichlids are still too small to consume the Tetras, but if they
>>
>> should
>>
>>>>ever do that is the way of nature.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>I wanted to reinforce what Tim said since you've posted about feding
>>>high-protein foods again. Mbuna are herbivores and get bloated and die
>>>if fed high protein foods. Don't feed krill, bloodworms or brine
>>>shrimp. Even the Tetra-Min crisps aren't intended for these fish. To
>>>keep them healthy, feed algae-based foods or specialty foods made for
>>>specifically for mbuna.
>>>
>>>--
>>> __ Elaine T __
>>> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>>
>>
>> Just bought my first Mbuna's (Yellow Labs) for my new tank yesterday and
>> LFS
>> suggested Spirulina Cichlid Sticks, Daphinia, krill, brine shrimp and
>> cucumber which kind of ties in with the research that I did. He told me
>> to
>> totally avoid any bloodworms etc.
>>
>> Now confused......
>>
>>
> Yellow labs IF you're talking about Labidochromis caeruleus are a little
> different from rock dwelling mbuna. They're omnivorous open-water fish
> from Lake Malawi with a more flexible diet and les susceptibility to
> Malawi bloat. There was another thread on labs here a while back, and if
> kept alone, they do best on a pretty even mix of spirulina and protein
> foods. Your Powder blue mbuna (Pseudotropheus socolofi?) are the ones I
> talking about being herbivorous and susceptible to bloat.
>
> For this mix of fish, my understanding is that you will still need to feed
> mostly algae based and vegetable foods. Maybe someone who's kept this
> combination of fish can suggest how often to offer the higher protein
> foods because I've only kept tanks with the strongly herbivorous mbuna and
> never fed anything like krill. My best guess would be only a couple times
> a week.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

Ed VanDyke wrote:

> P.S. Does anyone know if Psuedotropheus socolofi has gone through a
> nomenclature change as many of the Pseudotropheus did?
>
Fishbase and the California Academy of Sciences only list that one name
without any synonyms. My big question was whether I actually got the
right scientific name for "powder blue mbuna."

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

Gill Passman wrote:

> BTW I love the Hexagonal - already working on hubbie - thinking my Fan Tail
> Guppies would look great in there plus it would lighten the load in the
> Community Tank - but at the moment he thinks 5 tanks are enough (LOL) even
> though 2 of them belong to my son.
>

Thanks! I've never tried to run that tank with plants before and it's a
lot of fun. In its last incarnation, it had a red betta, 3 white
clouds, and some rocks stacked for the betta to swim through. Guppies
would definately look great. Tell your hubbie that it doesn't count as
a fish tank if it's under 10 gallons. ;-)

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Gill Passman]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
om...
> Gill Passman wrote:
>
> > BTW I love the Hexagonal - already working on hubbie - thinking my Fan
Tail
> > Guppies would look great in there plus it would lighten the load in the
> > Community Tank - but at the moment he thinks 5 tanks are enough (LOL)
even
> > though 2 of them belong to my son.
> >
>
> Thanks! I've never tried to run that tank with plants before and it's a
> lot of fun. In its last incarnation, it had a red betta, 3 white
> clouds, and some rocks stacked for the betta to swim through. Guppies
> would definately look great. Tell your hubbie that it doesn't count as
> a fish tank if it's under 10 gallons. ;-)
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

Trying to sell at the moment as a fun "table lamp". U know light goes on,
stays on til almost bedtime and then off again - much better than any other
lamp, hee,hee. It has to be said it is your tank that inspired me on
this....but better get the Malawi stuff finished first....BTW on the under
10 gall rule we're probably down to 4 - one of them is a 5g with platy and
molly fry....hmmm now there's an idea - what do I put in the 5g once the fry
grow up and leave home *grin*

[Gill Passman]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
om...
> Ed VanDyke wrote:
>
> > P.S. Does anyone know if Psuedotropheus socolofi has gone through a
> > nomenclature change as many of the Pseudotropheus did?
> >
> Fishbase and the California Academy of Sciences only list that one name
> without any synonyms. My big question was whether I actually got the
> right scientific name for "powder blue mbuna."
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

When I was browsing at LFS yesterday they still described them as
Psuedotrophus socolofi....