# My cichlid is hiding and has been for the last few weeks



## zlich (May 20, 2012)

It's my big bright orange cichlid is hiding inside the castle decoration in my aquarium and hasn't come out for awhile but I see him moving around he comes up to one of the holes and I see his whole face and eye and when I look into the bottom he is just chilling inside. I don't think he is stuck but I dont know. Does anyone have any ideas why he's doing that?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

What type of cichlid? What else is with it? What are the dimensions of the aquarium?


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

It's a 55 gallon tank and it's a orange African cichlid that's all I know and the other fish is a brown and tan african cichlid and a Electric Blue Johanni. I just saw him come out and he swam around and chased the other two a little then he swam back inside the castle. Also it looks like he has a little white patch on his lip. But I haven't gotten a good enough look to be sure


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

zlich said:


> It's a 55 gallon tank and it's a orange African cichlid that's all I know and the other fish is a brown and tan african cichlid and a Electric Blue Johanni. I just saw him come out and he swam around and chased the other two a little then he swam back inside the castle. Also it looks like he has a little white patch on his lip. But I haven't gotten a good enough look to be sure


Really need to post pics so we know what fish are in question. Can you post pics? It is almost assuredly aggression related and the white patch is probably from fighting.


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

I can try I have a picture of the johanni in my other post. And idk if I can get one of the orange one but I can try.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

zlich said:


> I can try I have a picture of the johanni in my other post. And idk if I can get one of the orange one but I can try.


No need to post a pic of the johanni if you know for sure that is what it is. The other fish it would be helpful to know what they are and their size.


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

Also posted a full picture of the castle. Can't get a better picture of the orange fish right now he swims back into the castle as soon as I look back at him


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I can't tell for sure but it looks like a OB zebra or fuelleborni and the orange may be a red zebra....

Is that castle the only hiding spot you have? Do you have any rock structures for caves?


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

It is the biggest one but I also have a donosaur skull and two power heads that they like to hide behind.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

zlich said:


> It is the biggest one but I also have a donosaur skull and two power heads that they like to hide behind.


Yeah...you need to have rocks or structures of some sort for them to claim as their territory. You are going to need to make some changes in your stock either adding fish and/or removing a couple of the current fish.


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

What else could I use as a structure? I put this big
Rock cave in and could fit something else in it but I don't have any money to go out and buy anything


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Rocks....stack them up. Also...he/they could be hiding so much because there are so few fish in the tank. You need to add more fish otherwise he/they may hide quite a bit. These fish are quite social and don't like to be in few numbers or they become very timid.

You may want to read the link below and get some good ideas as to what you can stock in your tank. Do you have access to some good pet stores?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_55g.php

Be sure to read the entire link and click on the fish to see the pics of them. Your fish are going to fall under the group "larger more aggressive mbuna aquarium".

HTH


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## rp-photo (Sep 22, 2011)

that actually looks like a MSOBO female... due to the orange ...


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## zlich (May 20, 2012)

Well I know I want to have more I just need to get the money.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

zlich said:


> Well I know I want to have more I just need to get the money.


I hear ya....


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