Shy cichlid problem

[ordi260]

Hi everyone!

First i would like to thank everyone for their previous posts, after digging i always found answers to my interrogations here!  But tonight i have something to ask...so i signed up on the forum

I have a 33 gallon tank who houses 2 yellow labs, 2 demasonis, 1 Zebra Chilumba and 1 orange cichlid (forgot his name )
I setted it up 9 months ago.  There is many caves made out of rock, they also dug some tunnel underneath driftwood i placed in the tank.  There is also a nice amount of live plant in one corner (picture to come tomorrow...).
I give them 11 hours of light per day (with timer)
PH is 8.2
I have no particular problems with water quality / cleanness of tank apart a couple of green algae (because of light)

Now my question:  Why are they so shy??
When i approach the tank, they all hide...all the time and they dont come out even if i wait without moving or making noise...i never saw that before.  In the beginning i tought they needed to get used to the tank...but now that's been a while there was no change in the tank and still...they hide (even when i give them food...) they wait for it to sink lol...

What do you guys think?

[J]

Is your tank in a busy part of your home? How often do they see stuff moving outside the tank?

If they aren't used to you then they won't trust you, for all they know your some predator out for dinner. They're probably used to the tank.

Big Als Cichlid tanks are always busy with action I assume because so many people come/go and they are used to it.

[limmer]

You could add a few more cichlids.
But, then you may have to rearrange everything if they start getting pounded.

[ordi260]

We are only 2 at home and there is not a lot of action going on around the aquarium...its a pretty quiet place!

any other toughts

[Demasonian]

Could be your numbers, species mix and the size of your tank. Mbuna do well in large numbers with appropriate territory (ie. lots of rocks,which it sounds like you have, and enough space).

Specifically, Demasoni are best kept in groups of 12 fish minimum, Labs in groups of 6 or more. Labs can be pretty shy when there are more aggressive fish around, and Demasoni in general stick close to their caves. Since just about every mbuna is more aggressive than a lab, they need safety in numbers...

If that colour mix (labs and demasoni) is your preference, I would recommend hunting down some Ps. Saulosi (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_saulosi.php), maybe 10 of them, and getting rid of all of the rest of your fish. They're small, colourful and really the only mbuna suitable for a 33 gallon. Unfortunately, the other fish just need more numbers and more space which can not be accommodated in a 33.

[ordi260]

So you think i could put 10 Ps. Sauli and how many Labs? 5-6 labs sound reasonnable i think but i was told not to put more than 6-8 africans cichlids in a 33 gallond since theyll grow sorta big... any toughts about that?  What about my other fishs (1 Zebra Chilumba and 1 orange cichlid (forgot the name)?  Could i put them in a 10 gallon together...i dont really like to get rid of any fish

[Demasonian]

Completely understand not wanting to give them away, it's the last advice anyone wants to give or receive. But sometimes its the best choice for the fish and is relatively easy to do. You can sell them through the classified section on this site or take them in for store credit at Big Als. A 10 gallon is unfortunately way too small for any mbuna.

For the species mix, I was suggesting Saulosi and Saulosi only. The tank's not quite big enough to do more than one species...The good thing with saulosi, though, is that both sexes are colourful and can give the same visual effect as labs with Demasoni without a lot of the problems. You could probably get 2 males and 8 females in there okay.

[limmer]

I have never had demasonis, but I always thought they were aggressive and you need a bunch.  Could you not add a few more yellow labs or some other like temperament fish.
Peacocks are good.  I added 5 and they brought the rest out of hiding.
Unless you want a species specific tank.  Mine are mixed.  You do have to be careful mixing peacocks as females are hard to tell apart.
My opinion.

[Stussi613]

Completely understand not wanting to give them away, it's the last advice anyone wants to give or receive. But sometimes its the best choice for the fish and is relatively easy to do. You can sell them through the classified section on this site or take them in for store credit at Big Als. A 10 gallon is unfortunately way too small for any mbuna.

For the species mix, I was suggesting Saulosi and Saulosi only. The tank's not quite big enough to do more than one species...The good thing with saulosi, though, is that both sexes are colourful and can give the same visual effect as labs with Demasoni without a lot of the problems. You could probably get 2 males and 8 females in there okay.

I've got just such a group of Saulosi I'm trying to sell right now, please see my post in the classifieds for more details.  Great fish and they will do well in your 33g if you decide to go to them.  They are NOT shy at all.

[ordi260]

I've got just such a group of Saulosi I'm trying to sell right now, please see my post in the classifieds for more details.  Great fish and they will do well in your 33g if you decide to go to them.  They are NOT shy at all.

PM sent!