Eating Problem

[Mr. Convict]

Hi, i dont really know much about chichlids, but i really like them, and enjoy them...

Yesterday i bought a pseudotropheus (black with blue stripes like in ferris's pic, beautiful fish) and i put him in, he seemed normal, explored and found his own cave etc. but he hasn't been eating much.. , when i feed them, the other fish rush and eat, and he just floats there watching the food and he would swim up a little, and then just swim down.. he's only been eatin tiny bits of food that sinks.. is this behavior due to him being just moved? Will he start eating normally in a few days?

Please help, as a really like this fish and don't want it to die

Thanks in advance

 

[denis coghlan]

That is no convict, try "Pseudotropheus Zebra (OB)" (please correct me if I am wrong ferris?).

Could you please also give some tank details as it will help us help you. e.g. Size, water stats (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and pH), filtration and can you please list the other fish in the tank .


tanks

 

[Mr. Convict]

Yeah i researched and saw its not a convict, edited my post

The tank is around 30G i think (got it as a gift so not exact) i dont have test kits..

the other fish are just 3 yellow labs (> 2 inches), and a parrot (dont know why)

I'll observe it over the next few days and post accordingly..

if anyone else has any ideas, i would be greatly appreciated

 

[Boids-n-more]

Quite often when i get new fish they don't eat much at all the first day and sometimes the second , but after that they normally pig out with everyone else.

 

[Ferris]

If its exactly the same as my avatar, its a Pseudotropheus Demasoni. If the stripes and colouration is not as defined its probably one of the Elongatus species or maybe a male Saulosi. It is often difficult to acclimatise Mbuna to a new tank, give him a couple of days and he should settle in, just keep an eye on things.

 

[denis coghlan]

If its exactly the same as my avatar, its a Pseudotropheus Demasoni.

Looks like I have egg on my face! thank you for the correction ferris!

 

[Ferris]

Looks like I have egg on my face! thank you for the correction ferris!

 

[Mr. Convict]

It's exactly like your avatar, i could've swore u took a picture of my fish

I thought maybe he was intimidated by the other fish's rushing, so i put food on both ends of the tank, he ate, but as soon as one of the labs came by, he just darted back into his cave, and this morning, he didnt even come out at all .. so i'll observe him over the next few days.

ps. even though he hasnt eaten much in the past few days, his colours are still really vivid

Thanks to all of you for your help, i belive in few days he will become normal, and i will post otherwise

Cheers

 

[Ferris]

If it is a Demasoni, he'll soon be the tank boss, they are one of the most aggressive Mbuna species. Funnily enough though, they always seem to work well with yellow labs as tankmates, despite the fact that labs are pretty much at the bottom of the aggression scale.

The theory is that the Demasoni don't perceive the labs as any threat and therefore leave them alone. Don't expect him to grow into a monster though, they are also one of the smallest Mbuna species.

Just don't buy any more, they just don't tolerate their own kind, especially the males. Also try and avoid adding any fish with similar colouration.

 

[Mr. Convict]

Yeah, i was just watching him chase the parrot out of his cave..

still isnt eating with the other fish, but i'm sure that'll clear up in a few days

What's they're maximum size? even if it wont reach it in my tank and one last question, i need some kind of catfish (corydoras, pleco etc.) for my tank.. but i want one that'll stay small enough to stay in it.. any suggestions? and if u have a pic please?

thanks

 

[Ferris]

You have a parrot fish in with Mbuna? That needs to change and fast, these fish have completely different requirements, not a good mix i'm afraid.

 

[Mr. Convict]

Yeah, its gone now, i was just holding it for a friend when he went on vacation, had nowhere else to put it... and since he was in when i put the demasoni in, i included him in my post

The demasoni is the tank boss now.. lol, he pigs out, and controls a big part of the tank

thanks for everyone's help

 

[Ferris]