It is clearing out the gravel piece by piece and has also managed to move 2 small decorations to cover the hole. It is very interesting to watch but I have no idea of the purpose.
2007-11-25 05:25:10 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
It is a golden mbuna. I have 2. How do I know if it is a male or female?
2007-11-25 06:09:35 · update #1
It is a nesting behaviour and perfectly normal. His next step will be breeding with the female/s you (should) have in the tank. Even alone they will do the digging though.
What type of African is it? The term "African" in itself means nothing, as this group of fish covers a huge assortment of fish which can have very different behaviours and needs.
*edit: Look up the fish "Labidochromis Caeruleus" (just copy and paste). Is this your 'golden mbuna'? If so it is very difficult to tell what gender they are. Males tend to have more black on their finnage, but this is not a guarantee. Mainly you know through behaviour - males are more aggressive then females. Also males tend to grow larger, but you can't tell this untill they're older.
2007-11-25 05:29:15 · answer #1 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your African cichlid is preparing its personal spot of residence in your tank.
Oscars and cichlids can be picky about their personal areas, and have been known to redecorate. Some lone females prepare 'nests' for their eggs whether they spawn or not, so your cichlid just may well be a female preparing her 'nest' regardless of whether or not there is a male in the tank. Don't disturb or put things back the way they were. This is a good way to keep a fish interested in the tank environment. The fish may redecorate again and again.
If you want to keep your fish's interest up, try feeding live food periodically such as live slugs, swatted flies, and snails out of their shells. I have gotten instant "hits" (meaning if there was a hook on the live cricket I threw in the fish tank, I would have hooked a 6-inch cichlid at Petsmart!) by tossing in live crickets and moths. One or two a week is all they need.
2007-11-25 05:36:29 · answer #2 · answered by enn 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'm no expert, but i do believe they do that when they want to lay eggs or something. I have heard they are diggers. I've had oscars that did that. I couldnt keep any decorations in the tank.
2007-11-25 05:30:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
to mate. but whats really funny is the female keeps the eggs in her mouth until they are little fish then she lets them out. if that happens you might want to get a little tank as the male might eat them. yum yum.
2007-11-25 05:34:23 · answer #4 · answered by NONAME 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its breeding behavior have you a male and female African cichlid?
2007-11-25 05:29:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
getting ready for a bad storm or winter not knowing but for real one i had done that was right before we got storms.
2007-11-25 05:51:29 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋