# is there a problem with my midas



## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

i have read all over the internet that midas cichlids are supposed to be one of the most personable cichlids there are. i have read the they swim up and down the glass and will bit at it. but mine is the complete opposite. when ever i walk into my bedroom he always goes and hides. right now he is about 8-9 inches long and is being house in a 45g with a pleco and two pictus cats. i jsut got a killer deal on a 75g so as soon as it is ready for him he will be moved in there by him self. the only problem is that my mom wont let me set it up in my room becasue i already have my 45g and a 30g in my room and she feels it would be too much weight on the second floor, so i have to set it up in the living room. but the only problem with that is that people walk in and out of there all the time so feel he would always be hiding. is there something wrong with him or will it change once he is moved into the larger tank? if he continues to stay like this i will probably be getting a jag becasue i here they are full of personality and it will probably be fun to watch, but my midas is just so beautiful that i would hate to get rid of it.









any thoughts?


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Each is different. I've had some that were pansies until they were almost full grown, then got their confidence. Being in a too-small tank probably doesn't help, so when you move him into the 75gal you could try some dithers. The decor of the tank doesn't help much either...your setup looks more suited to mbuna than a midas from what I can see.

On a side note - a jag will not fit as an adult in a 75gal tank. You'd need a 6ft tank, so you may want to rethink that plan.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

what is a nice setup for a midas then? when i set up the 75 i planed on just having one rock cave in the corner and having the rest open for him to swim in. and what wold be some good dithers to get?


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

I find when there is more "people traffic" walking by & around the tank the fish become less shy and skittish. They get used to movement and aren't as easily startled. IME


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## Nathan43 (Jul 9, 2007)

Malawidolphin said:


> I find when there is more "people traffic" walking by & around the tank the fish become less shy and skittish. They get used to movement and aren't as easily startled. IME


Agreed, my female was like that for 6 months and now she is fearless.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

ok well that is some good new. How can you tell the difference in male and female?


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## Mussin (Oct 30, 2008)

My RD was like that for the first few months but now every time he sees me he thinks its feeding time and does a little dance for me. Mine acts about like an Oscar but with a little more aggression.


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Mine was pretty shy at first and now is very active but not a begger like other cichlids I've had. I've found that having rocks or other material to divide up territories and give them a chance to hide when they feel like they need to helps any cichlid feel more secure and even though they have the option to hide out of sight they spend most of their time out in the open.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

thats what i thought to, thats why i set my tank up like this









so in my new tank im just gonna have one rock cave in the corner and the rest is going to be open for him/her to swim in. i might put a few fake plants in there too.


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## davidc81 (Oct 29, 2007)

my midas is such a great fish. he has a lot of personality. whenever he seems me walking into the room, he will swim up and down and he goes crazy. he'll actually swim to the top and let me pet his hump and i think he enjoys when i pet him. if he seems me go into the room and i dont go over and pay attention to him, he'll start splashing and freaking out. he's definitely my favorite fish that i have ever owned. yours looks like a very nice specimen.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

i wish mine was like that ^


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

how should i set up my 75G? 
what dithers should i use for my 75G? 
Also how can you sex midas cichlids?
thank you for any help


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## lil mama (Nov 24, 2007)

If you try feeding him a few pellets at a time, not giving him all the food at once. Making him come back and beg again. Getting him to eat from your hand hopefully. This will help with shyness.  That is a REALLY beautiful Midas, his color is so rich. It would truely be a shame to get rid of him. He should love that 75g tank. You might be supprised, if he really likes the new tank it could make him more aggressive. When they decide something is "theirs".....theres no stopping them!


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

i put a firemouth in the 45g with him about a week ago and it made him alot more active


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## lil mama (Nov 24, 2007)

That's good he probably just wanted company. I feed all my fish the way I stated before. 3 of them will let me pet them now. My Midas loves to have his hump pet. Just very gently pet his head. He even sticks his hump out of water for a pet. Midas are great fish.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

my midas doesn't really have a hump, do you know hot to sex midas?


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## lil mama (Nov 24, 2007)

Your Midas looks like he has the starting of a very nice hump. The best way to tell the sex of a fish is by the vent. Males come to more of a point and females are more rounded. Sorry I'm not the best at sexing fish or explaining it. If you could get a pic of it vent and post it up I'm sure someone will be able to help you.


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## Johnson14 (Mar 29, 2009)

i will get a picture of it vent when i transfer it to the 75g


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