# Is your Mbuna tank boring too?



## klumsyninja

Okay I will admit that these fish are VERY beautiful and hands down africans are the prettiest freshwater fish IMO.

However, they are B O R I N G to watch in my tank.. if I so much as scratch my head in the same room they hide. They spend most of their time hiding in all those rocks or swimming quite still somewhere..

My SA/CA comes swimming up to the front of the tank every time they see me and they swim around and all over the tank all the time.. Maybe one or two are hiding somewhere for a little break

Anyone else experiencing this?


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## SinisterKisses

How long have you had them?

I've never, ever had a "shy" mbuna tank. Any newbies may be shy for a short period of time after introducing them to the tank, but my mbuna were always extremely active and spent next to no time at all in the rocks.


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## Number6

*klumsyninja*
sounds like there's a jumpy fish or two in there who sends all your fish hiding... common, but unpleasant... it can happen with SA or CA cichlids as well, though not as often IME.

A few dither fish might be all it takes...


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## klumsyninja

I've had them for a while now, I've got Cyno White Tops, Yellow Labs, And I recently added (within the past few weeks) about 12 juvie Fuelliborni in there...

It's a 55 with tons of rock and most of the fish are juvies or sub-adults (xept 'Big Mamma' the WC mother Cyno)

I've got a 5' 112G in the garage waiting to upgrade this tank too..


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## hollyfish2000

My male peacock/hap tank is in my office. They're out ALL the time when I'm in my office because they're hoping to get fed. But when someone else comes into the room, forget about it! They are all hiding!! The "stranger" has to sit very still away from the tank and eventually some of them will come out. but it makes it hard to show off my tank! I live alone, so I guess I didn't properly socialize them as young un's!


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## 748johnd

I have the same issue. I have yellow labs and p. acei and when they were juvies they were always out and would follow anyone who came near the tank. At the time I didn't have a lot of hiding places and even as they got older they were always out. Since then I have added a lot of rocks and now whenever anyone approaches the tank they all scoot for cover. I have actually thought about removing a lot of the rocks so they can't hide. I almost feel like going back to livebearers, tetras, barbs and corys. At least the tank was lively when viewed close up.


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## klumsyninja

748johnd said:


> I almost feel like going back to livebearers, tetras, barbs and corys. At least the tank was lively when viewed close up.


I know the feeling only I'm thinking about switching it to South American cichlids..

But I REALLY like the looks of these Mbuna, they are truly beautiful fish so bright and colorful.

Maybe I need to take some of my rocks too or something...

When I mentioned this to my GF she gave me **** because she loves them... So I definitely have to try and get these guys out of their shells cause if she turns against me and my 'hobby' then Im done for, lol.


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## CICHLUDED

I suggest spending as much time in, and around your tank as possibleâ€¦

Do they come out to eat?

You can try sitting in front of the tank, putting little pinches of food in at a time.

They should come aroundâ€¦


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## klumsyninja

Yes they come out to eat for sure, though a couple will hang back and eat what falls down but if I make any sudden movements while feeding them they rush back to their rocks..

Whereas with the SA/CA if raise my arm on the other side of the room they all rush up to the front top of the tank and wiggle to be fed...

Well Ill try your sitting and feeding trick... see how it goes..


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## natalie559

I don't have these problems klumsyninja and I have almost the same stock as you except I have 6 acei. My mbuna are VERY active and never hide in the rocks, and I believe I have a decent amount of rocks. How strange. . .

Now I have 11 white top fry growing out in a 10G and they are a bit spooked and stay in the rocks. I see your concern for if my main tank acted the way my fry tank does I would be a bit upset and frustrated as well.

Maybe they just need a chance to grow up.


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## cindylou

I thought it was only my tank...They bolt so fast to hide that it is unbelievable..(Except feeding time) Then they are waiting.. :lol: :lol:


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## venustus19

none of my fish HIDE!!! they are out and about 24/7 it seems like... they swim in and out of the rocks, but never, unless i go in with a net, do they hide... when i stick my hand in there to either clean, or place a vege treat, some of my fish come right up to me and nip at my hand while i am doing things... luckily all my fish are <6", so i have no worry about loosing any blood...
i think you have some skiddish fish in your tank...
i hope it gets resolved, that WOULD be pretty boring to watch, if all they do is hide.


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## Guest

I have never had shy africans in over 5 years of keeping them. I stick my whole arm in the tank to clean the glass and they don't hide. If your fish are jumpy and shy, there's something going in the tank/water that's keep them edgy.


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## jhunbj

natalie559 said:


> I don't have these problems klumsyninja and I have almost the same stock as you except *I have 6 acei.*


There's the answer....  Most sociable fish IMO.


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## klumsyninja

I don't know about adding more fish in there right now.

I have 9 yellow Labs (2-3"), 10+ Cyno's (ranging from spat out fry to 4-5"), and the 12 Juvie L. Fuelliborni (1.5").

Those Cyno ladies are constantly holding too...

I have a 2215 and an AC70 on the tank.

I will be upgrading it to the 5' 112G eventually (next few months or so, depending on cash)

You think it's fine to add more fish in there? Those Cyno ladies are constantly holding too...


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## klumsyninja

Oh ya and 2 big Synodontis Ocellifer, but forget about seeing those guys, lol.


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## Dizzcat

My Africans seem to be more on edge during the day. Whenever I come into the room they bolt for cover, but come back out within minutes. At night they are VERY active. I think its because when I watch TV in the evenings I turn off the lights so they cannot see what is going on in the room. Gotta love T-VO because I am constantly pausing live TV because they caught my attention doing something comical :lol:

My son stayed with me for a couple months awhile back and they hid the whole time! He even asked me at one point if I had more than 2 fish in there :lol: there was 12! As soon as he moved out, within a couple days they were back out in the open. I live alone so strangers freak them out.

I was told once to spend a lot of time in front of the tank to get them used to me. So I did/do. When I first sit down they do run for cover, but after a minute of peeking at me they will come back out and do their thing  If I get too busy and don't do this for a couple weeks, I have to build back up their comfort of me. The only fish that will come up to the glass right away nose to nose with me is my Rainbow Shark "Fluffy". My Acei will check out my hand to see if I have food when I stick my hand in, but its a quick sniff and run. 

I love them, very entertaining! opcorn:


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## cindylou

All my fish are very social it's the initial walking up to the tank then they all come out when you stand there, and they too will nip at my hand when I put it in there to clean..I don't know...Weird..  :fish: :fish:


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## klumsyninja

it's well stocked mostly Juvies. I've been in there switching around the decor on a fairly regular basis maybe I just need to leave it alone and let the tank mature and everyone get comfy in there and used to their surroundings and feed them a little bit a few times to get them happier to see me.. I'll update this thread in a while


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## josmoloco

Mine never hide unless they are holding.


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## BRANT13

my mbuna are always out and about and i can never stop starring into the tank....no boredome watsoever here.....even my multicats are active throughout the day


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## Floridagirl

Mine never hide. My daughter came home for spring break, and her friend was trailing her hand along the tank, and the fish followed. Her friend was amazed and made a game of it for about 5 minutes, back and forth. She thought the fish really liked her. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was dinnertime for the fish! :wink:


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## natalie559

Floridagirl said:


> her friend was trailing her hand along the tank, and the fish followed. Her friend was amazed and made a game of it for about 5 minutes, back and forth.


Mine do this too for me or anyone else at all times of the day. I joke and say they are getting fish exercise!


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## ictoae

I have the exact oppostite problem with mine. If I want to observe them doing anything other than clustering at the top front of the tank, I have to sit still for a few minutes. They think anybody moving anywhere in the same room as the tank means that it is feeding time. Seems the only ones that hide are the ones that I am actively chasing with a net when I'm trying to catch them.


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## earth intruder

Wow, I can't believe we have the same fish!

My Africans are complete _hams_, every time anyone walks by the tank they all rush over to that person and beg for food. The biggest problem I have trying to watch them is that when they see a human nearby, they discontinue their normal behavior and try to get attention.

If I stick my hand into the tank, half of them try to fight my hand, and the other half try to eat it. Totally fearless.


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## fishcyrious

earth intruder said:


> Wow, I can't believe we have the same fish!
> 
> My Africans are complete _hams_, every time anyone walks by the tank they all rush over to that person and beg for food. The biggest problem I have trying to watch them is that when they see a human nearby, they discontinue their normal behavior and try to get attention.
> 
> If I stick my hand into the tank, half of them try to fight my hand, and the other half try to eat it. Totally fearless.


This sounds like my tank also...... 
They don't try and fight my hand but they don't go and hide.
If anyone goes near the tank they beg for food.

My Tank 72 bow 
40% water changes per week

5 Yellow Labs 3"	
1 Zebra Long Pelvic'sÂ 3"	
1 Blue Dolphin 4"	
2 Red Zebra's 4" 
1 Ngara Peacock 2 1/2"	
1 Rubescen Peacock 3"	
6 Yellow tail Acei 4"

4 Giant Danio's 
3 Synodontis petricola	
1 Busyhnose pleco	
1 Busyhnose alibino pleco
:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:


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## Dizzcat

Mine stay in their caves most of the day. At night they all come out and are very active. At night is when the only light on is the tank and TV and they cannot see out very well. They are so busy at night that I am forever pausing the TV just to watch them.

I live alone, so am wondering if its because there isn't many people to get used to? I will see them being active during the day, but as soon as they see me or anyone else they duck into their caves. Its rather frustrating at times when I want to show them off. The only fish to come say "hi" to me is my Rainbow shark. They know that when I turn the light on is when they get fed, so will go near the top, but do not get hyped up like I wish they would.

I also wonder if I could put in a medium sized group of say Tiger Barbs, would that help them to relax? Would one skittish fish cause the rest to be jumpy?

Help me to help my fish relax during the day! They are fine at night, when they cannot see the activity in the room. :fish: :fish:


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## srook23

Mine are half and half I guess. I have a few that like to hide when they see someone around the tank but most of them have no fear and just beg for food anytime they see someone.

My cobalt blue and ndumbi take turns hiding. When one is hiding the other is out and about swimming.

My red zebra is totally fearless. When I put my hand in the tank to do anything he bites me and if I cup my hand he'll swim into my hand and just lay there...weirdest thing I've ever seen.


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## klumsyninja

I just did a rescape.. it used to be a huge mound of stones from left to right with a ton of caves and now there's more open space and less caves and already I see a big difference.. Maybe I just gave em too many caves so they made good use of them.

Nice to see them all out and about.

(Big variety of responses regarding this thread though. I'm impressed with the number of people responding too. Thanks for all of your input.)


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## klumsyninja

srook23 said:


> and if I cup my hand he'll swim into my hand and just lay there...weirdest thing I've ever seen.


How cool is that!!?


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## Floridagirl

Hope they get more friendly for you.


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## earth intruder

srook23 said:


> My red zebra is totally fearless. When I put my hand in the tank to do anything he bites me and if I cup my hand he'll swim into my hand and just lay there...weirdest thing I've ever seen.


Haha, mine don't let me hold them, but they let me pet them if I want to.

It seems like many of the people with shy fish live alone, could that be a deciding factor? I share a house with 4 other renters and we often have groups of people over, and my fish are *extremely* extraverted.


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## srook23

I suppose it could have something to do with it. I have a 3 year old daughter and she's always in front of the tank either banging on the glass or just running in front of the tank. When someone walks by the tank the fish follow them. At first they would run when my daughter would go up to the tank, but now they all come out and think she is going to feed them.

My red zebra is the only one that will swim directly into my hand. There are several that will come up and "nibble" on your hand. My red zebra, bumble bee, tiger barb, elongated jewel spot, red top albino, and rusty are all biters.


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## cichlidaholic

Just saw this thread, but it sounds like you've got the problem solved!

Now you see why my tanks are never loaded with rocks and there's always open areas.

All it takes is one skittish fish to make them all disappear. It doesn't necessarily mean that anything is wrong.

Everytime we put tanks on the lower level of the tank stands, the fish become skittish for awhile. Adults eventually adjust, but juveniles seem to do better at a higher level.


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## Dizzcat

My fish are no longer skittish!! :dancing:

I think I figured out why mine always ducked and hid whenever I came in the room, thus having a semi-boring tank.

I think the reason is because I got all my fish very young, under the 2" mark, and since I live alone they did not get used to people moving around a lot. I got them all within a 3 week time frame, so they grew up together. It is my most dominant fish who is the most skittish, my male Yellow Lab. :roll:

2 weeks ago I was finally able to upgrade to a 55 gallon tank. When I first set it up I put all the rock on one end and tapered it off so the other end was open. That didn't work, they stayed on one side, not even exploring the rest of the tank. So yesterday I did a clean and moved it so there is one pile on each end. I left out some rock, and most of my PVC caves.

I also took back a young guy that was so skittish and shy I forgot I had him most of the time. I traded him for a big beautiful male, I think its a Hongi (will post pics to get help with that in another post). Well, this guy grew up in a tank in a fish store with a lot of people around. He is not afraid at all and he is bigger than all my other fish. So, I noticed that when I would come up to the tank, the others sort of looked to him and when he didn't duck for cover they didn't either! They are all over that tank today, none have hid all day long! My Acei are schooling and swimming near the top like they are suppose to. Its awesome!! In fact, half the time you see this big male swimming and all the fish following him! I think as I get more fish now that I have a bigger tank that will help too.

YAY! No more "empty" tank! Maybe people will stop asking if I actually have fish in there :lol:

I have been having so much fun watching them all swim back and forth, thru the rock bridges and caves. This is awesome! opcorn:

It was tips from reading this topic that fixed it for me, thanks everyone! :thumb:


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## srook23

Good deal. I was going to suggest getting a 3 year old! lol

I was watching my girl last night and she had this stuffed bird and was dancing around with it making all kinds of noise...I said "go show the fish your birdy". She went over to the tank and started banging the thing on the tank and wherever she'd put it on the tank they'd just follow it...soon as she started walking over they all came out...she was moving all crazy jumping all over and they love it.

I agree though, one skittish fish can make the whole tank skittish and one fish that's very sociable can make the whole tank sociable.


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## earth intruder

srook23 said:


> I was watching my girl last night and she had this stuffed bird and was dancing around with it making all kinds of noise...I said "go show the fish your birdy". She went over to the tank and started banging the thing on the tank and wherever she'd put it on the tank they'd just follow it...soon as she started walking over they all came out...she was moving all crazy jumping all over and they love it.
> .


That's hilarious - my fish do the same thing (although I don't have a three-year old!). But if they see anyone, even on the far side of the room, the all swarm over to that area and start begging for food. They even beg from my _dog_ for food when she stares at the tank!


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## cindylou

That is funny about the three yr. old so I got an idea..I have a doll that is about 2 ft. tall and I just propped it up in front of my tank and all the fish are sneaking out to see who or what this is.. :lol: :lol: I hope it helps  :lol: :lol:


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## srook23

IDK, maybe there is something to the kid thing. I know my fish are far from shy...then again I guess they are used to her beating on the tank all the time...they just think it's normal to have people running around and doing crazy stuff.


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## Dizzcat

Kids make sense. When I first set up my community tank with my Bolivian Rams, I was babysitting a 3 year old. I watched him everyday until he started kindergarten this year. They are never shy of people! I set up my Mbuna tank last summer, after I stopped watching him. Now he only comes over for an hour after school and they hide the whole time. So, my Community fish are NOT afraid of people because of a crazy-active kid, yet the Africans are since there is none.

Hmm... I think I will get a doll to stare in the tank :lol:


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## cindylou

I think the doll will help they keep lurking around looking at it... :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## klumsyninja

After that re-scape last they are all out and about.. it's a different tank completely.

I had the continuos mound with many many caves and hiding spots and now I have a big pile on the left and a few big rocks on the right with lots of open space..

Huge change in behavior!

hmmph what I thought was just going to be a thread where I could gripe and get a response or two has turned into a huge dialog. How cool is that...

And it's helped a couple tanks! woot


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## cichlidaholic

klumsyninja said:


> I had the continuos mound with many many caves and hiding spots and now I have a big pile on the left and a few big rocks on the right with lots of open space..
> 
> Huge change in behavior!


I've never had good luck with the continuous mound thing, and I've never seen that fish seem any "happier" with more rocks than less.

Removing rocks will also curb aggression in some instances. I think sometimes the fish see the continuous mounds as "MINE...ALL MINE!"

Basically, we don't go to all the trouble we go to for these fish to have them hide out in the rock piles all the time!

Now, if anyone wants to come and load up all this excess rock in my storage building... :wink:


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## klumsyninja

I just want to say that I love this tank again.. Its awesome, that rescape made all the difference in the world.

I really enjoy watching them all mess around in there.

It's a great tank and I look forward to upgrading it from a 55 to the 110 quietly waiting in the garage...


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## cichlidaholic

Sometimes a little change is all it takes!

When do you plan to set up the larger tank?


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## klumsyninja

meh, Im in no hurry... soon ish? I want to maybe do a diy BG and an UGJ so we'll see how it goes..


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## spotmonster

Dizzcat said:


> Would one skittish fish cause the rest to be jumpy?


Yes, for sure. It could be one fish. Also, you can "train" them. One of my tanks is right next to my couch. I run my finger along the glass and play with them sometimes. It will help after awhile.


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## Woundedyak

Mine hid all the time until I moved the tank to high traffic area. Now nothing fazes them. I have a 30gal jewel tank in the back room that doesn't get much traffic. If you even blink the room,they are gone. So I started to put a bar stool in front and on the sides so the cat can sit there and hearses them all day long. It's actually working.It takes alot for them to get spooked.


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## calleja_aquariums

Maybe go to big als and ask someone there what to do? Thats what i do they always give good advice! you must go to big als right? we live near each other, i go there a lot, the one in mississauga though.

you probably just need some dither fish in there, something or someone in the tank is scaring them or is nervous and its a dominos effect!


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