Newbie question

[DG]

Hello all,

Just joined up to the forum (which i've been reading for ages) which i reckon is brillient.

I've got a simple question. I bought the main lot of my malawis about 3-4 months ago which were:

2 x Male Double red zebras (Maylandia estherae)
2 x Male Melanochromis johannii
2 x Male Labidochromis caeruleus
2 x Male Pseudotropheus socolofi
2 x Male+female Melanochromis auratus
1 x sucking loach + 1 x Sailfin pleco - veterans from my old setup

White sand, spagetti rock(as i was sold), white rock with loads of holes, large pebbles and wood and slate + plastic plants.

The male aratus was a 3"er. He had to go cos he was shredding everyone fins, mainly the pleco and loach's.

But the thing i noticed when i got this lot that they all kept scraping their sides on the sand ie like scratching themselves. The was no problems with water condition or any bugs etc. But they stopped after a week or two.

Then a month ago i bought a pair of Pseudotropheus "acei", then a few weeks ago a pair of Pseudotropheus demasoni. They all did the same thing for a few weeks. Strange hey? You reckon they are just playing with the sand?

Second question, i've noticed that sometimes one fish will swim infront of another (usually the same type) and do this sort of shivering movement. I first thought it was having a seizure!! But i've noticed they all do it now and then.

But they are all living happily now :)

I've tried and tried to find the answers on the net but have had no luck.

Any answers?

Thanks
DG

[jonah]

I think they're just displaying to establish tank herarchy. Don't worry about it unless the scratching becomes constant and remains that way. The seizures are definitly displaying.

If the scratching is parasitic you'll probably see white spots on the fins or some other noticible sign of infection.

Glad you finally joined the forum. :D

[fOx]

To add to the above post (which is dead-on) the fish are "marking" their territory and setting up a hierarchy. They do this to show who's boss... it's nothing to be worried about, until mating time, because then the scratching turns to fighting... which is never fun!

fOx

[angelhf13]

I know from recent experience that the "shivering seizures" is also a sign of spawning....I have a pair of Saulosis, and the male does this little "mating dance" in front of the female that looks like a full blown seizure, and not but a few days later, the female will have a mouth full of eggs!

[merlyn2221]

How do I love Jonah? Let me count the ways! :lol:

Jonah you always have the answer that is right on the money! :D

Each time I introduce a new tankmate, they all go through the scraping thing. I have also noticed this while they are getting ready to breed.
I equate this behavior to a thing all cats do (because I have cats).
You know how they mark stuff by rubbing their faces/bodies on it? Then another cat comes right behind them and does the same thing. It's the same with my fish.
"Look how big and beautiful I am. I'm rubbing this rock, etc. and this is my turf. You'd better stay away!"
"I don't think so, because I'm more beautiful than you and I'm rubbing this rock because it's going to be my territory!"

I just got 7 new fish and everyone in my tank is doing it. It looks like they are having little seizures. Then my pair of lombardoi that are ready to spawn do it like a hundred times a day with each other.

They are in need of little fishy counselling to get out thier aggression! :lol:

[jonah]

How do I love Jonah? Let me count the ways! :lol:

Jonah you always have the answer that is right on the money! :D



Thanks, but my wife get tired of me being right all of the time. :rofl:

Whenever she asks my opinion I have to figure out if she really wants it or does she want me to just aggree with her. Luckily I've had 18 years of practice with her. :confused:

[Boilermaker]

Whenever she asks my opinion I have to figure out if she really wants it or does she want me to just aggree with her. Luckily I've had 18 years of practice with her.

I hear ya Jonah, I remember what the old Hollander told me years ago, there a diff. breed of cats.

Even the kitchen floor I'm doing this weekend, I made sure that she picked out everything a month ago, but it will still be a surprise.

[merlyn2221]

Jonah, you have figured out the secret to a long and happy marriage! :lol:

And you too, Boilermaker!

Now can you talk to my husband and tell him what's what :confused: :mrgreen:

[jonah]

Even the kitchen floor I'm doing this weekend, I made sure that she picked out everything a month ago, but it will still be a surprise.

I was going to ask if you were brave enough to pick out your own flooring. Even I wouldn't do that. :lol:

[DG]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Reassuring that your fish are doing the same things as well :)

As i'm typing, i can see the little demasoni rubbing the sand for all he's worth. Poor guy wont have any scales left by the time he's finished.

I reckon that these malawi's are the best fish i've ever had and most colourful.

[merlyn2221]

I second that DG.
I have had fish my whole life, yet these seem to have more "fishinality" to coin a term. Each one acts differently, and each one responds to me in a different way. Color wise, they are also the most beautiful.
It's very interesting and enjoyable to watch them and interact with them.

[DG]

The only fish i've ever had which displayed any behaviour were a pair of angels i had. They were spawning and were so agressive, from being the most timid and shyest fish in the tank. Attacking anything that came close including my hand!!

But nothing beats these malawis.

[lil-crab]

If you see white specks like sand grain, then your fish have the ick. i know cause i have this problem and using jungle ick guard w/ salt.

[Nanobot]

Just looking at the first post... i too have a sailfin plec... are they ok in Malawi tanks??

[jonah]

Sometimes they do okay, and sometimes they get chewed up. It's a bit hit and miss. Many people use bristlenose plecs instead. I guess they're extra spikey and can protect themselves.

The pH requirement is different, but plecs don't seem to picky about the pH.

[Nanobot]

If he was of a large size would he be able to hold his own better?

[jonah]

It would be more likely to be left alone, but there's no guarantee of how the cichlids will act with it.