Cichlids not swimming around much

[Matmanhapman]

This is probably pretty common but all my malawi cichlids have pretty much established a small territorial zone in which they swim, however they are very stationary in their zones and dont swim more than a few inches at a time and then sit still. My dominant male fusco occupies the left side of the tank at all times and my sub-dominant livingstonii occupies the right side at all times and neither enter eachothers "zone". If they make eye contact with eachother they will spar. I have mainly haps but i have an acei that is probably my most active cichlid. He swims everywhere without any problems. My other haps are pretty much dispersed in their own zones all across the tank but not much movement.

I did notice one morning when i turned on the tank light, all the cichlids were kind of swimming together in a school including my dominant males all around the tank and it looked so nice. I wish they would do stuff like that and be more active than stationary. I know changing up the rock work can reset the territories but they always get re-established within 24 hours. Is there anything i can do, maybe adding a certain type of fish, that can keep all the fish active at all times?

Let me know what you think

 

[Rasta Fish]

what size tank do you have?
how many fishes you have in there?
Acei are schooling fishes so 4 or more are great in a big tank, they also get big as the Haps
Seems like your 2 Dominant fishes are holding your tank hostage
You can add some ditter fishes like, Rainbow, Larger types Barbs, some Mbuna, some Peacocks, or even other type of haps
You can rearrange your tank
You can also get rid of those 2 problem fish and replace them with less aggressive haps

 

[dogofwar]

Good questions, Craig!

Male fuscos and livingstoni can have a definite impact on the dynamic of the tank...

Matt

 

[Matmanhapman]

Thanks for the replies.

Ive got a 5' 125 gallon with about 15 africans, mostly malawi haps plus 1 pleco. My fusco and livingstonii r the biggest in there by far, and the rest are medium to small.

There were several options i was considering:
-adding some mbuna, would metriaclima greshakei or demasoni work in this setup or are they too aggressive? since id be adding them to an already established tank and they would start out smaller than the haps i thought it might work.

-adding some clown loaches, is it worth a try? & what would likely happen?

-maybe another catfish or 2

-i really would like to not have to give up fusco and livingston as ive grown quite attached to both; i might be willing to part ways with one of them if that will solve the problem

Thanks for the help

 

[Rasta Fish]

The Mbuna will pretty much keep to themselves and wont bother the Haps too much unless they are more than one groups in the tank, just dont use too much rocks in the tank as the Haps wont really like it and it will give the Mbuna more turf to defend so they they get a little aggressive
stick with the smaller type Mbuna

 

[dogofwar]

I'd think that Nimbochromis would (try to) eat smaller mbuna...

Matt

 

[Matmanhapman]

My nimbochromis's r big but not full size. I doubt they would go after anything that is 2"+. Ive got a pretty small Tanganyika lemon cichlid, no more than 3" and really slender, that does really well in this tank.

What if i were to add several different mbuna species, but just 1 member from each species. Would that be ok or should i stick with 1 species and add several from that species?

 

[dogofwar]

They aren't big now...but they will be 8-10" leleupi and mbuna eating machines in no time...

Matt

 

[Tony]

They aren't big now...but they will be 8-10" leleupi and mbuna eating machines in no time...

Matt

+1. They don't take long to get big. P. demasoni = Nimbochromis snack.

So long as you have the filtration to support it, I'd add more medium-sized haps, mbuna and peacocks. Right now, everyone is too comfortable. Adding more fish to the tank will put the squeeze on the amount of available territories, making them swim around a bit more.

 

[Matmanhapman]

So long as you have the filtration to support it, I'd add more medium-sized haps, mbuna and peacocks. Right now, everyone is too comfortable. Adding more fish to the tank will put the squeeze on the amount of available territories, making them swim around a bit more.

Heres my current stock list:
N. Fusco - 8"
N. Livingstonii - 7"
P. Acei yellow tail - 5"
Burundi Frontosa - 5"
Moba Blue Frontosa - 4"
P. Spilonotus (Mara Rocks) - 4"
3 F. Rostratus - 5", 3", 3"
C. Moorii - 4"
S. Fryeri - 4"
2 Red Empresses - 3.5"
P. Milomo (VC-10) - 3"
N. Leleupi - 3"

Lets just say i removed both Nimbo's from the tank. Would i eventually encounter the same issue when another fish assumes dominance, or does the remaining stock look peaceful enough in comparison to the Nimbos?

 

[Tony]

Hmmm... that's going to be a pretty full tank. Some of those guys get pretty big.

Going back to your original idea, you could add some (non-snack-sized) mbuna. M. greshakei would work in there or more yellow-tail acei.