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Hello People.

I've finally got my 115g up and running.
I'm now in the process of adding fish. So far I have one Electric Blue, about 8 Electric Yellows and 2 BN's.

I'm very happy with them, but all the fish stay near the bottom, around all the rocks. So i hardly ever see them.

So can anyone recommend some african cichlids that stay in the upper half of the tank?


Thanks in advance



Last edited by PJ at 26-Jan-2005 22:58

Not many africans in my experience stay near the top of the tank.

However I do know, Pseudotropheus Acei.
Use the entire tank, and are constantly moving about.
They just seem to be a more mid water than most mbuna which being rock oriented usually finds them near the tank bottom.
They can also be found in 3-4 different color morphs..

In my experience Mbuna that stay near the top are there for 1 of 2 reasons
1)they've been bullied up there.
2)Lack of oxygen.

Most every time it's #1...

There maybe a few more that are more mid water, but Ps. Acei is the 1 I can comment on



Last edited by mr_cichlid at 27-Jan-2005 09:24

i second the Acei comment. very active and very out in the open type of fish which brings shy yellow labs out.

there is another trick cichlid owners abuse. rule of thumb is cichlids will only go as high as the highest cave in the tank unless feeding. so the trick is build caves all the way up the back wall and this will make them feel alot safer about being up top.

yes i tested this with my mbuna in a 75g tank and it proved 100% true time and time again. i mean i saw the difference within minutes of the decor adjustments. my tank had a stack of clay pots and i watched the fish for day and they never went more then 2 inches above the highest peak. so to test it out i added another 2 layers of pots to the top and sure enough within minutes they were going 2 inches above the new peak.

Well I'll go an triple the Acei recommendation.

Mine are constantly up in the front of the tank, up near the top, and generally all around. I also noticed they increased the activity of my Labs when I added them, even though the two species almost pretend like the other isn't even there.

Thanks everyone for the help.

I'm planning to get more rocks soon, i just don't have the money now.
I'll also check out the acei idea.

Rusty cichlids - iodetropheus sprengerae - tend to be top-dwellers as well.

Personally I don't seem to have that problem in my tank, the fish really use all levels (including the dominant ones, although they are quick to run back to their caves and chase out any fish that happens to venture in there!). My rocks only go about halfway up too.

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

my fish hang out everywhere im my tank but the rocks go allmost to the top of the tank and i have plants that do go to the top so i guess they have places to hide and feel safe with all the things at the top.


Also my fish come up to the top when i come into the room hoping to be feed.

at first this didnt happen now that they know me tho they are not scared at all

I've decided to get more rocks. I'm planning to get enough so they almost touch the surface. That way hopefully my fish will swim more around the top, aswell as the bottom. Making good use of the whole tank instead of only half.

so far I have around 130pounds of rocks in my tank. So i'm thinking about almost doubling that figure (once i get enough money).
So how does 230pounds of rock sound? Does it sounds like too much for a 115g?


I've also noticed that my small Electric yellows are starting to become more confortable with me. They don't seem to hide as much as before. And they sometimes like to follow my finger along the glass.



Thanks again everyone for all your replies.



Last edited by PJ at 28-Jan-2005 04:00

I have to agree with Andy, and add the Aceis. I love mine, they have great personalities, and are everywhere in the tank, including my fingers and jumping

Then again I also like my Rustys and my cobalt blues (I always think of them looking like blue zebras:%))

***Wishes she had a bigger tank now for her cichlids to play in***

Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Ok can't resist just got through repasting a complete picture of my tank together, so I have to post it--Heidi


heidi attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

build caves all the way up the back wall

I agree.

PJ with regards to your guys getting used to you. I am pleased to say that my new africans are actually less skittish than my previous guys (texas cichlids - south amrcn)

I am glad for that as the tank will be in my tiny apartment and don't want to freak them out just by walking past to get to the kitchen/hallway etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Mine don't freak out anymore and haven't for sometime...now they just come and splash, and make their little fishy faces at me, and beg to be petted and fed--Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

My africans are alot more comfortable with the place now
They're much more active than before, but still don't swim up the top of the tank. So i'm still planning to add more rocks in the future.







Last edited by PJ at 02-Feb-2005 00:33