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can mean many things whats the tank size and tank mates

It is a 30 gallon with chiclids a puffer and two mollies and two albino rainbow sharks and a common plecostomus

Have you just put the fish in the tank? If so, they are probably just learning their new enviroment. But, as greenmonkey51 said, it could be a lot of things.

Ok so what are some of the reasons? They are not new to the tank and it's cycled.

It could be a lot of things, and who all is doing it? Just the cichlids and puffer? The puffer might be doing it because he's probably a brackish-water fish and is stressed about being in pure freshwater. The cichlids may be doing it because they need special water conditions that may not be provided in that tank. The sharks, if they're doing it, may be doing it because they're VERY territorial fish that shouldn't be housed together...

I'd recommend choosing either to make it a cichlid tank or not a cichlid tank. Most cichlids (depending on the actual cichlid itself) need specialized water conditions...

The puffer should be returned until you can set up a brackish tank (if it is a type that requires brackish water, which most do)...

The sharks should be returned b/c a 30 gallon is too small of a tank for one, much less both. If they're left in there, they'll eventually begin to fight until one is killed by the other...

Any or none of these could be the cause for the fishes' behavior. Also check all your water conditions and see what they measure out at...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

It's only one of the chiclids that is doing it, and the puffer does it too. I was told he is freshwater though. he's a figure eight puffer
The rainbows do fight all the time, but the bigger one just nips the fins of the smaller one then leaves it alone. Its usually only around feeding time.

what kind of cichlids are they. there are hundred of different species

Figure eight puffers can live in freshwater when young, but they need to be moved to brackish as they mature, I suggest you return it.

What does it mean when your fish swim up and down along the sides of the fishtank? Is it different in different types of fish? (if so I have chiclids and a puffer)
Does it mean they are stressed, or do they just like to do that?

I think they are mbune (sp?) chichlids,African I know for sure.

So you are saying the puffer is doing that because he is unhappy? He's still a pig and eats a ton, but he usually hangs out in the back of the tank swimming up and down or in circles around the heater

What kind of decor do you have?

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Kind of hard to describe but here it goes:

I have 2 fake plants, one tall red in the mid/left side of tank, one right in the front( a low one that rests on the ground) and another medium size one on the right side of the tank.
Then I have a textured rock in the back, a large tube thing the pleco likes next to the plant on the right side, and a little half ship up in front (pretty small the chichlids just barely fit)

There are two areas of the tank with nothing there, one in between the tube and the red plant, and one behind the tube to the right of the textured rock.

that is a big debate there as there is many sources who believe that they can live perfect in FW and many people who believe the need BW

And even another side that believe they should live in SW at adult!!

they need a bigger tank that is probably why

When you housing mbunas and you say a (I think you mean just one rock) textured rock, it could be part of the cichlid(S) problem. Mbunas and like most cichlids that aren't openwater swimmers need rockS and several different passages in rocks, caves, and etc. to get sufficient refuge. The cichlid(S) is pacing probably because he is looking for a place to hide and feel comfortable.

ok, so #1 get rid of the puffer, very sad he's my favorite!
#2 they can also hide in the ship, or the tube, but I guess now that I think of it there's one that hides in the tube with the pleco, and one that stays under the leaves of one of the plants, and one that stays in the tall plant, so I guess maybe he needs a place of his own.

Could I add aquarium salt to help the puffer? Or would the chiclids and the rest of the fish not like that.

From what I've read on these forums I think I have way to many fish in my tank. Anyone know a good place to get a new tank that won't break the bank?

If you are going to keep cichlids in your tank it should be just a strictly cichlid tank, with a very few exceptions. The idea of making your water semi-brackish to house the puffer and cichlid is not a good idea. Cichlids (like your mbunas from lake malawi) need fresh water that has a ph of 7.8-8.5 and that has carbonate hardness around 200ppm. Test your tap water and compare it to all the needs of each individual fish( you can find what type of water they need under the species profile).
If you don't want to adjust the water to the fish species you choose, keep it simple and buy fish that work with the water type that comes out of the tap.