# My Jewel cichlid is...bored?



## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

To me, this really says something about cichlids' intelligence (at least some of them). Our Jewel, Mitch (yes, Mitch) appears to have a case of boredom. We recently moved him out of our 55 gallon aquarium so we could switch over to all Peacocks, and he has been displaying some of the funniest behaviors I've ever seen in a fish.

The heater in his 20 gallon tank is covered with little fish decals (from the manufacturer), and he'll sit there and peel them off and spit them out, over and over. Sometimes he swims right up to the filter and jumps in! Then he pokes his face out and jumps out and jumps back in repeatedly. The strangest one is that he rearranges his aquarium on a daily basis. The first night, he uprooted all the plastic plants and pushed them to one end of the tank. Every morning now we're greeted by a new "floral arrangement" in there. We had giant rams horn snails in there with him for awhile which he bothered to no end, picking them up in his mouth and spitting them into plants, and sometimes pushing them in circles so they spun.

So we put a buddy in there for him, another slightly larger Jewel cichlid...but Mitch tore off all his fins! So now we've got a 20 gallon aquarium with ONE fish in it. Entertaining as he is, I'm wondering if there's something else we could do to maybe liven it up in there a bit. Are there any other fish compatible with Jewels? (I realistically know the answer to this, since he was so violent towards one of his own kind) Or something we could do to...um...stimulate his mind?

I know this all sounds silly, but I actually feel sorry for him. Is he displaying normal Jewel behavior, or is he really just bored? :-?


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i'm not really familiar with jewels, so maybe i am way off, but aren't jewels decent size fish(4-5") if so, that tank is WAY to small for him... most cichlids need alot of room to swim... i would say his problem is his tank size, and no company... i would set him up in a 55 gallon(minimum) and get him some suitable tank mates...
HTH


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

i dont think the tank is too small for him and only him....but if you are trying to add more jewels or other fish i would get like suggested at least a 55G....and if adding more jewels as soon as a pair forms ull have to watch for agression problems as they can be very mean while spawning.


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

He's about 3" long and actually lived in a 10 gallon aquarium with two other Jewels before (we acquired him from a friend). I don't know if he's just used to independence now or flat out doesn't like the particular Jewel we put in with him but I guess the aquarium's going to have to be all his for now. :?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

*ws812* that is not normal behavior, but it is common for animals to display repetitive, destructive, and other abnormal behaviors when kept in improper conditions.

For cichlids, dither fish are a common choice so that the jewel has some interaction. 
Something small and tough would be a good choice. I've always had luck with black neons.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

*** got giant danios in with mine...i lose one occasionally


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## SiNFuLWaYs (May 18, 2009)

Everyone always say's you need a big tank. Which would be nice is your rich. but its but i have quite a range of fish in a 40 gal mixed. Africans with Americans, odd mixtures but equally aggressive in their own ways so they are fine despite size differences.

With your jewel you could put some of the following (arowana,blue acara,firemouth,green terror,silver dollar,yellow pike). those are some fish shown to be ompatible with your jewel an when you put 2 jewels together if not a compatible pair they will just shred an kill eachother.

Fish know when they are around their own species, they always want dominance.
So add some new fish an hiding spots to the tank a few things nothing too big but go with another fish that is somewhat but not too agressive. Just watch how they act before with the other in the tank before you purchase i lhave learned the hard way.

i have 
40 gal mostly babies still (2-5 months old+/-)

3 convicts
2 red devils
2 midas (1 is 10"female 1yr)
1 firemouth
1 auratus
4 malawis various

10 gal

10 african babies 
auratus an yellow /orange an blue malawis

little nips here anther but otherwise fine so dont stress addin some fish as long as water levels are fine fish is healthy an you find a compatible fish or 2 then go for it.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

SiNFuLWaYs said:


> Everyone always say's you need a big tank. Which would be nice is your rich. but its but i have quite a range of fish in a 40 gal mixed. Africans with Americans, odd mixtures but equally aggressive in their own ways so they are fine despite size differences.
> 
> With your jewel you could put some of the following (arowana,blue acara,firemouth,green terror,silver dollar,yellow pike). those are some fish shown to be ompatible with your jewel an when you put 2 jewels together if not a compatible pair they will just shred an kill eachother.
> 
> ...


Fish keeping isnt cheep...and if your going to own fish then they should be housed and cared for appropriately...while u may have success with ure 40G with all sorts of cichlids i highly expect for u to start losing fish once they hit adult stages...those red devils and midas get quite large....n2m if that auratus is male hes a bruiser as well.....as for the OP's question i dont advise putting any other fish in the tank besides dithers


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

N2m u just posted this thread as well

Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject: Sickness issue with Malawi?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I recently lost 2 malawi's 1 Yellow Mbuna(zebra stripes) ? & 1 male Melanochromis Auratus. 
The yellow i added some sand to the tank an soon after i notice he was acting weird started to go into a state of shock stiffened up floating an sinking an so on but i noticed he had some red colorings inside his mouth an lips like irritated or infected but nothing on the outside eventually passed.

Then the Melanochromis Auratus; well first he was normal then noticed he was only using 1 fin an tail to move around unless required would use both fins breathing kind of fast just a little faster than normal small breathes, swimming looked a bit stiffened always stayed to top even after i attemted to follow him with the net he went to the bottom an immediately returned to the top. I then isolated him into a seprate mini tank still inside of the original just to keep aggressors away so he may calm down or whatever needed. TOday i Checked on him an he was dead.

36gal. bowfront. 3filters 2 small 10gal. min. an 1 36gal min.(1 is the original form the beggining tank). Tank is 3-4 week old with a 10gal water tranfer from original tank added helpful bateria an original filter. 
i had 16 fish in the tank now 14 but all are fine i do water changes lately to make sure amonia an so on are lowered i do 10-15% every 2-5 days just completed 2nd swap an its cleared up an lowered levels. have a Uv light .temp range (73-78* degrees)

4-Convicts 
2-Red Devils 
2-Midas (1 adult ignores them due to hard to catch for him) 
1- Firemouth 
1-Orange Malawi 
1- Yellow Malawi with black stripe on top of spine fin 
1 -Melanochromis Auratus(male) 
2- mbuna (blue) 
CURRENTLY IN FISH TANK

sounds like a stress issure to me from cramming too big a fish in a small aquarium and mixing CA/SA/and african cichlids


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

DON'T get an arowana, unless you are planning to a much bigger tank. 55 gal tank is going to be too small, would be ok for a juvie as a grow out tank but not for long term. Keep that in mind. Do your research first.


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

Is it really that bad to have ONE 3" fish in a 20 gallon aquarium? I have to search to find him most of the time anyway, I think running out and buying a $200 55 gallon is kind of ridiculous for ONE $6 fish. I'm definitely going to find him a tank mate, but again, how bad is it REALLY to have two or three fish in 20 gallons of water. Like I said, he lived in a 10 gallon for months with a bunch of other cichlids before he came to our house and has obviously survived the ordeal.

As for "improper conditions," I guess I don't know what else I can do for him. He has plenty of rocks and plants, we test his water and do water changes religiously, he's fed well, and he seems to be healthy. I know that animals will display repetitive/destructive behavior when they're in poor conditions, and I would be really concerned...if we were talking about a lion or something. I mean, when it's all said and done...(brace yourselves, enthusiasts) he's a FISH.

He seems to be a little better now anyway, I think he was just transitioning down from being surrounded by other fish to having so much space to himself. I'll definitely keep all the suggestions above in mind.

I do appreciate all the input.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i wouldn't say "it's just a fish"... for example, i am not a cat person, but i would never put a cat in a terrible living condition because "it's just a cat"...

as for going out and buying a $200 55 gallon tank, i sure as heck wouldn't do that either... look on craigslist to find yourself a cheap tank to put him in... i found a 55 gallon(brand new) for $60... i made a stand out of 2x4's for about $10, and i covered the stand in a bed sheet... you just have to be a little creative... most of us don't have a whole lot of money, and i am for sure one of those guys...

it doesn't ness. need to be a 55 gallon... i guess it depends on what you might stock with it, if anything... but i'd look on craigslist for a tank... just my opinion though...

good luck


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

venustus19 said:


> i wouldn't say "it's just a fish"... for example, i am not a cat person, but i would never put a cat in a terrible living condition because "it's just a cat"...


I'm just wondering what about it is really a "terrible living condition." It's not like we're starving him or have him living with a pirhana or something. He's been in that aquarium all of three days, I don't think he's dying. I just think he's bored.

We've tried Craigslist but we live in MT. There aren't too many farmers out here with large aquariums. Lol.

Thanks thanks thanks everybody, we'll figure it out!


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## ws812 (Apr 17, 2009)

bigcatsrus said:


> DON'T get an arowana, unless you are planning to a much bigger tank. 55 gal tank is going to be too small, would be ok for a juvie as a grow out tank but not for long term. Keep that in mind. Do your research first.


Oh, and don't worry, I have a friend with an arowana that's gigantic and in a 100 gallon aquarium. Even that looks too small for him! He just seems miserable. I wonder if they should really even be sold in pet shops... I definitely don't know a lot of people capable of taking care of a fish like that...


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i guess my wording was a little wrong... sorry about that... your right, he's not in with a pirhana, and your not starving him... you just here 20 gallon tank and cichlid together, you start to cringe, that's all... :wink:

never been to MT, but i would guess that's not a big fish/aquarium market... LOL

good luck.


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## SiNFuLWaYs (May 18, 2009)

yea i know i had that issue but had some advice that assited well baically i over fed them an wasnt swappin enough water ou now that water changes are done on time needed chem or bact are being added as called for an the auratus is the only aur. in the tank but he is now fine with everyone since all levels have been taken care of an so on the tank is more docile. i feed on a schedule an i make sure they all get a portion. they all have varieties of food they need. all issues handled i do understand the midas an reds will be transfered once adult theyare all stil juvies for the time being. 
but thanks i know im fairly new to this i have learned size is always a plus when it comes to fish but sometimes you get lucky an find the perfect mixture an yes it is costly.


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## jewels2jags (May 6, 2008)

I used to have a jag alone that would get bored and constantly mess with anything he could move. It was quite comical until he busted the heater one night while ramming it into the glass side. After that I got a better heater with plastic guards and one of my cats hollow platic ball. Drilled some holes in the ball an dropped a few pellets in it. He figured out the food inside and played with it for awhile some days he'd knock it back out to me. So maybe something the jewel can play with? Or some cheap danios to keep him amused?


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