# Electric Blue and Strange Swimming Behavior



## bennysplace (May 10, 2013)

Hello all,

I just converted a 55 gallon to a cichlid tank from a guppy tank. I purchased two new electric blues to go along with an electric yellow I had in a separate tank. All seemed fine until today. I notice one which is lighter in color making a strange swimming motion under its chosen cave. It is as if she is trying to get something off of her. She has nothing on her and not rubbing up against anything to suggest ich or other parasite. She just sits there swaying back and forth in a somewhat fast fashion. She will however come out and dart around when anything is near her. Just now I put in a bit of food and she darted out again looking for the food along with the other blue (I rarely see the yellow). I am wondering if she is infected with something, on the verge of being infected with something or displaying normal behavior. I have purchased Hakari cichlid gold food which should arrive soon. In the interim, I feed freeze dried tubifex.

These fish are expensive so I would not like to lose any. Could it be I have too few fish in the tank for it (and the others for that matter) to feel secure? The set up is creatively piled lace rock on the left and right with driftwood in the center. The temp was 74 but I changed it to about 78. The water appears fine. I do not have anything to test it but I do my 20% water changes religiously. I have two Aquaclear 110's with prefilters attached to the intake tubes. I clean those prefilters every other day. There were plants inside but those are disappearing as I also put in two African cats and an electric blue crayfish. The latter is the one most likely eating the plants. All other inhabitants appear fine from what I can tell.

This is probably more information than needed so I thank you for reading. Any advice would really be appreciated.

Thank you in advance and all the best,
Benny


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

It Sounds Like Normal territorial Behavior, But Just To Be Sure You Should Really Get A Test Kit And Check Your Water Parameters. Also, Do You Know What Kind Of "Electric Blue" Cichlids You Have - Are They Electric Blue Johanni, Electric Blue Ahli (Or Electric Blue Hap), Or Something Different? Common Names Aren't Real Helpful When Numerous Species Share The Same Common Name. Maybe Try Posting A Short Video Of The Fish Displaying The Behavior In Question...


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

You stated that you clean 'prefilters' every other day...Do you mean the filter media? If so, I would stop doing that immediately. You need that beneficial bacteria to keep the water well balanced and in good shape for the fish to thrive.

It is really hard to tell from the behavior you are describing. Is the fish flashing against the substrate and decor? Kind of quickly rubbing it's body against things in the tank? If so, some of that is normal. Alot of that is not.

Hiding is normal in any new set up.

We do need to identify the fish, if you want to continue stocking the tank to your best advantage for success. And, yes, you need more fish, but you want to determine that there is nothing wrong with the ones you have first!

I would like to see test results from the water, especially with every other day filter cleaning. That should give us the answers we need.


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## bennysplace (May 10, 2013)

Hiya,

First, let me say thank you for the help! I appreciate it. I will take a short video of the behavior with my phone tomorrow. Not a worry. I tried to identify what type of blue cichlid I have but that has proved challenging as I had no idea there were so many varieties. I will call the fish store tomorrow to find out exactly.

Regarding the prefilters, they are sponge type things that fit over the intake tube of my filter. I use them to prevent the larger items from getting into the propellers, etc. Oh and because it was previously a guppy tank, it was to prevent fry from being sucked up.

I just checked on the fish and my entering the room caused a mad dash from all the fish including the one in question. Apart from the swaying, it appears normal I think. As this is a new type of fish keeping for me, I believe I am overly worried.

I will work on getting more specific information and post it as soon as I can.

Thank you so much again,
Ben


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