# 1 frontosa always hiding



## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

i have 4 frotosa ranging from 2 to 4"+ and 3 of them are doing fine.
however, the 3" hardly comes out of his cave (inside the fake wood) but is defending 
its territory. i am concern with this one and was wondering if 
there is anything wrong with it.

pls help. should i take out its hiding spot for the meantime or should i just 
leave it alone.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

i would suggest to leave things as is, so long as the hiding fish is eating a bit. to help identify the potential cause for the fish's defensiveness, you would need to share more history. how long have the frontosa been in your possession? did they all originate from the same source? we're they all added to this tank at same time? what other fish are there in this tank? do you notice it more active if lights are off?


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

i've had them for at least a month and they all came from the same source.
they were all added at the same time . i dont think it even gets active when the lights are off.
this one seems to be opening and closing its mouth frequently, but not quite gasping for air ever since i got them.
its to bad because this is the one with the nicest black/white coloration.
i have some other cichlids in there but are smaller.

i have a 125 gallon tank but its divided into 2 with an egg crate and mainly frontosas are on the right.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

one month is a relatively short time for acclimation of frontosa. i have kept some that remain reclusive for months. 
regarding it's health, i would not intervene unless it totally refuses to eat. regarding it's comfort, i would suspect another fish to be involved with it's behavior. another cave, set up a bit away from this one, might help. or replace the cave with a tunnel, so that any approach can allow an exit, without confrontation. HTH.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

lloyd said:


> ...or replace the cave with a tunnel, so that any approach can allow an exit, without confrontation. HTH.


I think that it a very good idea (I'd add a few tunnels and spread them out accross the footprint). I use PVC/ABS for my tunnels with some rocks placed on top of them. Tee and wyes work best (and I prefer the wyes over the tees). These tunnels will come in handy when your fronts are trying to escape/outdodge the wrath of the alpha. Here's a couple pics of how I have mine...


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

i thought about removing it and putting it on a breeders net but i really want it to 
get used to the tank.

well the good thing is it doesnt let anybody inside its territory but again
*** never seen it come out in for at least a week now but its alive in there.

thanks lloyd


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

BTW: I do have one girl that likes to hide and gets very agressive to others when they come near her spot. She had an injured eye which may have contributed to that.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

very nice looking frotosas razzo.
how big are they anyways?

i really like the frontosas but sometimes they can be boring since 
they spend most of the time hiding. but i do like them nonetheless.

i also like other malawi cichlids. actually any cichlids that are nice and colorful.
so my main dillema is, i have a 125 gallon tank and want to keep both type of cichlids but i dont
really want to buy another tank.
for the meantime i installed a egg crate divider so i can enjoy both types. hopefully when the fronts get really big they should be safe with the other cichlids. then maybe i can remove the divider.

i also have a 20gal that i will house 1m 2fm demasonis to hopefully breed them.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

mel_cp6 said:


> ...i also have a 20gal that i will house 1m 2fm demasonis to hopefully breed them.


 i would suggest to get more of them, and clutter the tank with hiding places.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

how many?

if i dont do demasonis and i may buy p. saulosi


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

mel_cp6 said:


> very nice looking frotosas razzo.
> how big are they anyways?
> 
> i really like the frontosas but sometimes they can be boring since
> they spend most of the time hiding. but i do like them nonetheless.


Thanks, my alpha (who is not pictured is probably 10+ inches) and my beta is catching up. I have one girl that is probably 8 to 9 inches and the rest of the girls are about 6 to 7 inches.

I agree with lloyd that you should get some more fronts. I do not think they are boring and mine don't seem to hid like yours. As they grow and get comfortbale, they will move about more (esp. when you alpha starts chasing the others) :wink:

Good Luck,
Russ


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

my biggest 1 is only 4" and they are realatively new so i will have to wait and see how they do.
but for the meantime i have to protect them from any potential harm from the other cichlids.
i am currently trying to get 3 more but only found some that are 1".

hopefully as they get comfortable they should come out more.
unless you guys think its safe to have them swim around with 
2-c. moori, 2 carbro (bumblebee), 1 yellow lab and 1 cobalt blue zebra.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

mel_cp6 said:


> my biggest 1 is only 4" ...unless you guys think its safe to have them swim around with 2-c. moori, 2 carbro (bumblebee), 1 yellow lab and 1 cobalt blue zebra.


 keep an eye on the carbro. otherwise, if the frontosa are all past 2", then i would say it is safe to let them share the whole tank as they grow out.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

the smallest one is just over 2". im trying to let them stablish a territory that way when (hopefully) i remove the partition they should defend their territory. before the 3" moori use to 
stay in the place currently occupied by the frontosa thats alway hiding. but when i removed the c. moori then returned it after a week, the frontosa took over the lease and now wouldnt let anybody else enter it.

thanks guys for the advise,
i'll keep an eye out for this one and hopefully it is fine.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

at what size do they really start to show some real blue fins 
and white body anyways?


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

mel_cp6 said:


> at what size do they really start to show some real blue fins
> and white body anyways?


What kind of frontosa are they? In general, the Burundi are not as colorful as the Tanzanian, and the Tanz don't have as much of the vibrant colors that the Zaire have. Now, with that said, I have seen some amazing burundi that I would love to have in one of my tanks (that is why I say "in general"). If you had some darker substrate, thay may help.

Frontosa can show some amazing color right away. Here are some pics of some of my fry. Disclaimer, the flash really helps show color too; but, these fish do have these blues just not as shinney as the falsh (or direct sunlight) will make them.

These guys are in a lighter substrate...

















Here are some in a black substrate...

















































No flash in a dark tank


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

mine are burundis. 
those are some real nice fronts.

well i did some water change last night and today at feeding time
the shy one actually came out to eat.
i was very to see it feed. however, i noticed the stomach seems a bit rounder that
the other 3. is this something is should worry about?


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## S4surf (Oct 18, 2006)

Their all blue when their young 
These are Kavala at about an 1"










steve


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

well its out and about today. its swimming along with everybody.
however, its stmach is bit rounder compare to the rest of the frontosa.
could this be a case of bloat?


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

mel_cp6 said:


> ...its stomach is bit rounder compare to the rest of the frontosa.
> could this be a case of bloat?


 no...if it is eating. maybe...if it is not eating. yes..if it attempts to eat, but spits food back out.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

another question but a stacking question though.
is it possible to 1m demasoni in my tank with the divider removed or will
it be problem.

btw. just went to big als today and they had some 1.4" burundi and they are selling them for $28 each. wow, pretty expensive eh?

i bought my 4 frontosa locally (2+ to 4+ inches) for $30. what an awesome deal i got
after seeing big als prices.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

well it came out again last night and it is eating without spitting.
it looks like it will be okay.

anybody think that i shouldnt put 1m demasoni in my tank? please advise.


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