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Hi everyone

I have recently added 2 kribs to my 42G tall. Current inhabitants are:

1 danio
3 tiger barbs
1 cherry barb
1 serpae
6 redeyed tetras

I have some fake plants and a huge piece of Malaysian driftwood. In the beginning, both kribs would chase each other. This went on for 4 days. Now, one of them has burrowed his way underneath the driftwood and has been there for 2 days now. I saw him come out yesterday, to do some chasing but that was it. I was able to see him with the use of a flashlight and shinning it at the bottom of the driftwood. His fins are still moving and sometimes he changes area. The space under the driftwood is quite a tight fit and he has to go in by slanting his body sideways and shimmy himself in. Is this normal behaviour for a krib? SHould I try moving the driftwood to get him out? He hasn't come out at all today, not even at feeding time


*Mitch*

Well, from personal experience, kribs tend to pick territories, even if they are inconvienient for them. I have a fake rock cave thing, and i buried it in rocks one day. It found its way in through an extremely tight space between the rocks. Also, I would suggest that you dig a bit of gravel from under the Dw to give it more space. If it dosent eat, feed it some shrimp, such as brine or ghost shrimp. He loves It!

Have fun!



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Are they a male & female?.

If they are, maybe you'll be able to see some fry very soon.



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Unfortunately, he didn't make it! No idea what happened. The water parameters were great. Just found him on the other side of the driftwood. The other krib though is doing fantastic. His belly is now colouring up to a deep red. I'm assuming he's a male as I understand it's the females that have the better colours.


*Mitch*

Hi Mitchee,

Sorry for your loss. Kribs are usually tough little fish. But some of them could be fragile before they are fully acclimated to the new environment.

Male kribs have red color belly too, but they're not so colorful as the females. Males get longer fins, longer body and usually bigger than the females.

- RM -

Yup, sounds like it was hiding from cagemates and died from suboordinate stress, it simply waned in the end, and that can happen with many species of cichlid. Some are made so miserable by more aggressive or dominant cagemates they simply fade away. Most of the african river cichlids have a foul temper and you do have to be most careful that they have a proportionately huge amount of area they can get away from each other within. Even opposite sexes can loathe each other and kill. When you see bad chasing and nipping going on , you are supposed to seperate them.

Thanks for your replies RickyM and Longhairedgit!

It is strange that the one that died was doing all the chasing and bullying! I had also set up quite a few hiding places for both of them, apart from the driftwood. The Redeyes bothered the kribs for the first few hours but after that it was just between the kribs with this one being the most dominant one.


*Mitch*

Looks like I spoke too soon! This last krib is now displaying the same mannerisms as the one that died. I believe he's gone underneath the driftwood just like the last one did because I can't find him anywhere. I've checked the water parameters and everything is OK.

I'm always able to see him because he's always inspecting the driftwood and is always visible. Never hides. This is the first time that he's every disappeared.


*Mitch*