# Suggestions for Cichlids with Amusing or Quirky Behaviors?



## TaNoh (Jun 18, 2013)

My roommate has lost interest in his 75 gallon aquarium. Since I've been doing the maintenance on it for the past few months he is letting me take over. That means that I finally get to make the changes I've been dreaming about. No more under-gravel filter, no more blue rocks, no more fake ceramic palm trees.

At this point the tank has mbuna: 4 yellow labs and 1 maingano. I was thinking I would just add more labs and maingano and maybe a third group of peaceful mbuna like Acei or Rusties. It would look nice, and as long as I sort out the male to female ratios correctly (especially with the maingano), there shouldn't be any issues. However, I'm starting to wonder if there are some more entertaining fish stocking options I could go with.

I like the mbuna, they are bright and lively. My favorite thing that they do is when they clean the gravel out of their caves. It is so funny to watch them suck a piece of gravel into their mouth and then spit it outside onto the pile. So it seems to me that the fish I would enjoy the most are the ones that will have those types of amusing and quirky behaviors: like sifting through the sand, moving shells around, interacting with each other and their environment. I've read about the little shell dweller types of fish and they sound very entertaining with their little shells and building up sand barriers and such. Then I have also heard that some fish will actually guard and care for their fry instead of eating them. That would be cool to see.

Anyway, you get the idea. I like to observe them doing unusual things. So based on that criteria, which Cichlids would you recommend for my 75 gallon? I prefer to keep the yellow labs and maingano but I've been thinking about finding them a new home if it turns out that there is a fish I really want but isn't compatible with them. Are there sand sifters or shell dwellers that go well with yellow labs and maingano? What is the most entertaining cichlid to watch? I once saw a little crab in a saltwater aquarium and he was very entertaining. 

I'm very tired so I'm sorry if any of this doesn't make sense and for my randomness.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

If you want pure personality, the ultimate cichlid of all time, IMO, is the family of Tanganyikan goby cichlids.








I grew out some Eretmodus cyanostitcus a few years ago and they're the most adorable, personality filled fish there are. If you grow green hair algae in the tank they will graze on it all day like cows and entertain you.


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## TaNoh (Jun 18, 2013)

Lol. Those are some cute looking fish. I'll check them out. Thanks, Pablo111.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

They go great in a shallow tank by themselves. Or also great with Tropheus, cyps and paracyps. They're slower eaters than some of the more ravenous fish out there, and they need the food to make it down to the bottom, so keep that in mind when you buy their friends.


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## TaNoh (Jun 18, 2013)

As soon as you said they graze like cows I couldn't help thinking of little manatees. Too cute. ^_^


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Check that out. If you grow good hairy algae for them they'll graze all day. It's extremely entertaining.





Here's a pair flirting.


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## TaNoh (Jun 18, 2013)

Lol. Like. (Facebook has programmed me well. :/)


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