# African behavior, do you know what it means?



## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

Every so often I see some of my african "rubbing themselves" on a snooth rock or soemthing liek that.

they kinda put there body on an angle, and swim qucik for a second almost as if to scratch or mark the area...

anyone know what this means? anythign I have to worry about?
thanks


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Yes and no. Could be "showing off" and claiming territory. However it could also be a pH issue or ick amongst other things.

Just so you are prepared....the people who can really help you with what's going on will ask you for the size of your tank, the number & species of fish, and water parameters (ph, nitrItes and nitrAtes, etc).

If you gather and post that information you can usually get an answer that will let you know what's going on and how to take care of it. :wink:


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

ah ****
I dont; ahv eall that stuff on hand
My tank is a 50 gallon 4 footer
I have more species then the die hards will like, but i have had no deaths, no nipped fins, etc
I do not hav ethe proper male to female ratio
My ph is around 7.8-8.0 any given time

Stock list =
3 maingano - 1m, 1f, 1 unsure
3 yellow labs - no idea
2 red zebras- both female from what i can tell (i know about the crossbreeding issue)
3 - unknowns, - yellow fins, light purple body is faint vertical bars. 1m 2 female, 1 unknown
1 large plecko
2 Venutus - female i think. no blue on them (i know thye get large)

all fish are between 2-4 inches, have bene lving together for months, no deaths, and this behavior is not something new.

i don;t know the other levels, but i do roughly 40% water change a week, and i hav ea 110 AC and 305 fluval.

hope that helps


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

How often are you seeing the same fish do this?

How long has the tank been set up?

What are the water parameters on the tank?

What is your normal tank maintenance routine?


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

oh and there are no signs of ich, no bumps, no marks, no hazed sclaes...


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

it is normaly the alpha male maingano, and one other that i am sure is a male, one of the unknowns,


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

tank has been up for roughly 5 months


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Does it tend to happen after a water change?

Is it occasional or would you consider it happening a lot?

It can be a sign of a health issue, but if you've been seeing it for some time with no other obvious health issues, it's not happening a lot and particularly if it's happening usually after water changes, then it's probably nothing. Someone once told me: Sometime fish need to scratch, too!

On the other hand, if it's being done a lot or increasing in frequency or starting to happen in fish that previously did not do it, then I would probably be concerned.


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

i'm goiing to have to pay closer attension. 
i;d liek to knwo what is COULD be, so i can check for other signs.


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## girthvader (Oct 3, 2006)

Do a search on "Flashing"

Zig.


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

girthvader said:


> Do a search on "Flashing"
> 
> Zig.


**** you trying to scare me!

it is only a couple fish doing it, and ther eis no white spots, or ich, or signs of distress, everyone is eating, two spots have been made recently for nesting it looks like too..
coudl this jsut be a mating/male dominance thing?


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

it may be cause i was feeding a little more.... cause my female maingano was reintrodiced into the tank this week, and i was trying to get her some extra food.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It doesn't sound like you have a problem at this point. If you notice the same fish flashing repeatedly (several times within a hour) then you may have some problems.

What are the water parameters on the tank? (You should be checking ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, as well as ph.)


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

I was watching them lots over the weekend. most fish don;t do it. Mostly the Maingano male, He will do it like 3 or 4 times in the same area, then i won;t see him do it again.

looks more liek he is marking his territory or something.

I know I should be checking my other water parameters, but I;ve never had any problems, so i never did it. 
this is probably a good reason to start


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Maddog said:


> this is probably a good reason to start


Yes, it is.


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

I'll put it int he budget for next month, how much do these kits normaly cost?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You can usually buy one liquid reagent test kit for the nitrite and nitrate. Then you'll need a separate one for the ammonia.

I pay between $8 - 12 each for mine here in Ontario.


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

cool. 
I may have found a local deal for trade. someone want sto downsize. 
he has a 110 6feet x 18 x 18!
that would be sweet!


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## girthvader (Oct 3, 2006)

Maddog said:


> girthvader said:
> 
> 
> > Do a search on "Flashing"
> ...


a fish flashing isn't always an illness.


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