Yellow Labs - Behavior Question

I have been raising red zebra's with success for years now, recently started
Yellow Lab 29g tank. I ordered them online so was not able pick sexes. Ended
up with 3 males and 3 females. Very unactive fish. They all seem to sit in
nitches under the rocky boulder-like landscape, occasionally changing
positions. Sometimes just sit next to each other. No aggression yet, is this
normal behavior for Labs? Temp 82, PH 8.2, Salinity 1.008? I know I have the
wrong food, have normal OSI Chichlid flakes, will be introducing Spirulina
Flakes exclusivly this afternoon for a couple weeks. Fish were added 1 week
ago, is this inactivity their norm, or do I have a setting wrong?

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 10:17:25 -0500, "Conqueror" wrote:

I have been raising red zebra's with success for years now, recently started
Yellow Lab 29g tank. I ordered them online so was not able pick sexes. Ended
up with 3 males and 3 females. Very unactive fish. They all seem to sit in
nitches under the rocky boulder-like landscape, occasionally changing
positions. Sometimes just sit next to each other. No aggression yet, is this
normal behavior for Labs? Temp 82, PH 8.2, Salinity 1.008? I know I have the
wrong food, have normal OSI Chichlid flakes, will be introducing Spirulina
Flakes exclusivly this afternoon for a couple weeks. Fish were added 1 week
ago, is this inactivity their norm, or do I have a setting wrong?


Your tank is too warm. Lower the temp to 77 very slowly. Salinity
1.008? Lake Malawi is not salty (as NaCl) so why are you adding salt?

Common Labidochromis are the main exception to usual Mbuna diet.
Yellow Labs are micropredators so give them a general flake rather
than spirulina. Treat them to clean live food occasionally.


Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 10:17:25 -0500, "Conqueror" wrote:

I have been raising red zebra's with success for years now, recently
started
Yellow Lab 29g tank. I ordered them online so was not able pick sexes.
Ended
up with 3 males and 3 females. Very unactive fish. They all seem to sit in
nitches under the rocky boulder-like landscape, occasionally changing
positions. Sometimes just sit next to each other. No aggression yet, is
this
normal behavior for Labs? Temp 82, PH 8.2, Salinity 1.008? I know I have
the
wrong food, have normal OSI Chichlid flakes, will be introducing Spirulina
Flakes exclusivly this afternoon for a couple weeks. Fish were added 1
week
ago, is this inactivity their norm, or do I have a setting wrong?


Your tank is too warm. Lower the temp to 77 very slowly. Salinity
1.008? Lake Malawi is not salty (as NaCl) so why are you adding salt?

Common Labidochromis are the main exception to usual Mbuna diet.
Yellow Labs are micropredators so give them a general flake rather
than spirulina. Treat them to clean live food occasionally.


Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com


I was apparently given bad info far as salinity level, how hard should water
be for Labs?

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 10:45:06 -0500, "Conqueror" wrote:


I was apparently given bad info far as salinity level, how hard should water
be for Labs?


Lake Malawi isn't very hard at all. You can add limestone or coral
gravel to make the water alkaline but you don't need extra chemicals.


Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

The water should have high PH & be very hard. Hardness is not a measure of
salinity. Its a measure of GH & KH. That being said. Yellow labs purchased
in most LFS now are acclimated to local water already & can live happily &
breed easily with no added help. You can add some salts to the water it does
help keep them healthy just don't over do it. Oh yeah & as NEtmax said they
are omnivores. They need meet & veggie.

--
Craig
________________________________
www.CanadianCray.tk
www.Bluecrayfish.com
"Conqueror" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 10:17:25 -0500, "Conqueror" wrote:

I have been raising red zebra's with success for years now, recently
started
Yellow Lab 29g tank. I ordered them online so was not able pick sexes.
Ended
up with 3 males and 3 females. Very unactive fish. They all seem to sit
in
nitches under the rocky boulder-like landscape, occasionally changing
positions. Sometimes just sit next to each other. No aggression yet, is
this
normal behavior for Labs? Temp 82, PH 8.2, Salinity 1.008? I know I have
the
wrong food, have normal OSI Chichlid flakes, will be introducing
Spirulina
Flakes exclusivly this afternoon for a couple weeks. Fish were added 1
week
ago, is this inactivity their norm, or do I have a setting wrong?


Your tank is too warm. Lower the temp to 77 very slowly. Salinity
1.008? Lake Malawi is not salty (as NaCl) so why are you adding salt?

Common Labidochromis are the main exception to usual Mbuna diet.
Yellow Labs are micropredators so give them a general flake rather
than spirulina. Treat them to clean live food occasionally.


Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com


I was apparently given bad info far as salinity level, how hard should
water be for Labs?

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 11:20:11 -0500, "CanadianCray"
wrote:

The water should have high PH & be very hard.

Nope, that's wrong. Lake Malawi is not hard and it's only moderately
alkaline. It is often assume that it is the same as lake Tanganika but
it isn't.


Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software
--
EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

wrote:
On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 11:20:11 -0500, "CanadianCray"

The water should have high PH & be very hard.
Source? just about anything I've read sofar disputes this? I'd very much
like to know if I'm mistaken

/tommi

"Conqueror" wrote in message
...
I have been raising red zebra's with success for years now, recently
started Yellow Lab 29g tank. I ordered them online so was not able pick
sexes. Ended up with 3 males and 3 females. Very unactive fish. They all
seem to sit in nitches under the rocky boulder-like landscape,
occasionally changing positions. Sometimes just sit next to each other.
No aggression yet, is this normal behavior for Labs? Temp 82, PH 8.2,
Salinity 1.008? I know I have the wrong food, have normal OSI Chichlid
flakes, will be introducing Spirulina Flakes exclusivly this afternoon
for a couple weeks. Fish were added 1 week ago, is this inactivity their
norm, or do I have a setting wrong?


I think their behaviour is not that unusual given their short time in a
change of environment. I would expect to see an increase in activity
level as they acclimate to the water, the tank's surroundings and
movements and shadows outside of the tank. They might always have a
lower activity level than your more gregarious Zebras though. Note that
dietarily, these fish are omnivores, unlike your Zebras.
--
www.NetMax.tk