Help With Auratus!

[zaman]

hi, my newly added auratus are fine but what i dont get is why they don't acclaim territories?!?? they are approx 2, 2.5" inch
thay all are in front of the tank waiting for something to drop in to bite it.

 

[jgray152]

You may have an issue with females not being very aggressive but if you have a male, give it time, it will claim your entire tank!

What other fish do you have? Also how large are they?

 

[Colin_T]

they are still young fish and probably haven't matured yet. Give em a chance, they will turn nasty

 

[dthoffsett]

At 2-2.5 inches they should be sexually mature. Most likely they just need a little time to settle in, and as jgray asked what other stock do you have and what size tank are they in?

 

[jgray152]

It took some time for my aratus to turn black and mature even when he was large.

 

[zaman]

it's only auratus and one cyanearhabdos (dont know how to spell it), well i can tell the males from the females, because the males are becoming brownish black in color.
the color may be affected from food right i feed them flakes and some bloodworm's.

 

[jgray152]

Male aratus will turn from their pretty yellow, white and black colors to all black with a cuple white stripes down their sides when they mature. Nothing to do with feeding.

 

[dthoffsett]

it's only auratus and one cyanearhabdos (dont know how to spell it), well i can tell the males from the females, because the males are becoming brownish black in color.
the color may be affected from food right i feed them flakes and some bloodworm's.

What you are feeding them shouldn't effect their color, however, bloodworms can lead to bloat in mbuna as they are primarily herbivorous, so I'd stop feeding that.

 

[zaman]

oh thanx to hear that you saved 'em.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

what else do you have in with auratus ???
there is only certain malawis you can add as this is a highly aggressive fish!