How Long Does It Take Your Fish To Adjust?

[snowflake311]

I just brought home 2 cute little 3 inch Keyhole Cichlids. They are not acting cute and active like they did at the store. They just hang out together in the plants and don't swim around.

I know transporting is stressful for them. Then when they got in to the tank my balloon ram who is a bully picked on them.

Its a 36 Gal tank with lots of hide outs. I did a water change before I added the fish so I know the water is clean. Yes I tested it too and its all good. No nitrites or ammonia. I did add 1.5 tea of salt I have read salt can help with stress. Should I do another little water change to get some of the salt out? Could that be part of the problem?

My other fish are all fine and just going about their business happily.

How long does it normally take your fish to adjust to the new life. Most my other fish it only took them a day or an hour.
I'm worried about these little guys. Should I be worried? Or are they just stressed from the move and all the excitement. The tank light is off I am trying to minimise stress as much as I can. I check on them a lot and they are not moving from the plants. They are just resting. I am getting worried because all my other fish I have ever added were always fine that day.


Also if my Balloon ram keeps picking on them. Do you think it would be a good idea to move him to him own tank? Or will they all learn to deal with him? Because when they had their little fights the Keyholes did not back down they don't let the ram push them around.




I hope I am just over reacting and tomorrow they will be fine.

 

[Reesy1989]

I just brought home 2 cute little 3 inch Keyhole Cichlids. They are not acting cute and active like they did at the store. They just hang out together in the plants and don't swim around.

I know transporting is stressful for them. Then when they got in to the tank my balloon ram who is a bully picked on them.

Its a 36 Gal tank with lots of hide outs. I did a water change before I added the fish so I know the water is clean. Yes I tested it too and its all good. No nitrites or ammonia. I did add 1.5 tea of salt I have read salt can help with stress. Should I do another little water change to get some of the salt out? Could that be part of the problem?

My other fish are all fine and just going about their business happily.

How long does it normally take your fish to adjust to the new life. Most my other fish it only took them a day or an hour.
I'm worried about these little guys. Should I be worried? Or are they just stressed from the move and all the excitement. The tank light is off I am trying to minimise stress as much as I can. I check on them a lot and they are not moving from the plants. They are just resting. I am getting worried because all my other fish I have ever added were always fine that day.


Also if my Balloon ram keeps picking on them. Do you think it would be a good idea to move him to him own tank? Or will they all learn to deal with him? Because when they had their little fights the Keyholes did not back down they don't let the ram push them around.




I hope I am just over reacting and tomorrow they will be fine.

It completly depends on the fish?

I understand your concern.

I had 2 gouramis that when I saw them in the store they were loving it. I got them home turned the light off and all the usual stuff. Once they were introduced they were swimming around then almost 10 minutes later they were hidden. Those fish took about 5 - 6 days to get used to the tanks. They only came out to eat, then they would go back and hide in the plants.

3 months down the line and the Gouramis are fine they swim out in the open and dart around and enjoy it.

If your fish are hiding doesn't always mean there is something wrong. Especially if you said that your Ballon picked on them as soon as they got in the tank.

I suggest just leaving the light off for a few more days and let them become accustomed to their surroundings. Once they feel comfortable and safe then they will come out and be the fish that you want it to be. I think that its mostly due to the stress though. Some fish are like that. In my Dads 100G tanks he has over 50 fish and in mine about 30 - 40 and the Gouramis are the only fish i've seen act in that particular way.

No Sweat. Let them get aquainted with with tank first.


Reesy

 

[snowflake311]

That makes sense that the only fish you have seen act like this are the Gouramis. The Keyholes tend to be shy fish like the Gouramis. I will wait it out and just keep an eye on them.

Thanks

 

[Corleone]

Don't bother with the salt. You didn't add much, but don't add more. It actually adds stress to freswater fish, and keyholes prefer soft water (I have mine in a pH of 7.8 or so, and they're fine). It reduces nitrite and nitrate toxicity, and in the past was used to reduce that stress brought by rare water changes, but with regular water changes nitrate levels should never even be stressful, let alone dangerous.

The only fish I had take longer to settle in than my keyhole cichlids were my petricolas. Keyholes are shy to a fault, they really are more like gouramis than cichlids in that respect.

Watch their color. When they settle in more, they'll start changing their color pattern, with mine it seemed to happen when they learned that they were intimidating to smaller fish. You might see them getting territorial markings around feeding time - the black spot will turn into a bar, and they'll get a stripe running back from their eye. That seemed to be a good sign that mine were settling in and feeling more confident.

 

[snowflake311]

WOOHOO they were out eating this morning. The one I think might be a girl did kind of try and push the other fish away. The one I think is the boy stays near the filter were the water comes out so when I try and feed him over there his food would float away too fast but he tried and did manage to get a few.

Do you think if I take my bully Ram out and moving all the stuff around in the tank then put him back. Will that help calm him down? He is one of the reasons it is going to take longer for these fish to adjust. He is such a bully. He leave them alone as long as he does not see them or as long as they don't go too close to the bottom of the tank. OR do you think once the Keyholes get adjusted they will not be bothered by the ram? They are a bit bigger then him. You know what's funny the only fish my Ram does not mess with is my Clown Pleco. When she tells him to back off he does.

Thanks guys I'm still learning the ways of the new wold Cichlids.

 

[Corleone]

Moving stuff and reintroducing the ram will probably calm him. Right now, he's claimed the whole tank because nobody's challenged him before, and now the new fish are invaders in his turf. Breaking up his territory markers will put him on an even field with the keyholes, since none of them will have established territories.

Plecs can be mean when they're messed with. My bristlenose is as peaceful as can be, but if my keyholes or synos try to mess with him, he punches back, and usually wins.

 

[snowflake311]

Moving stuff and reintroducing the ram will probably calm him. Right now, he's claimed the whole tank because nobody's challenged him before, and now the new fish are invaders in his turf. Breaking up his territory markers will put him on an even field with the keyholes, since none of them will have established territories.

Plecs can be mean when they're messed with. My bristlenose is as peaceful as can be, but if my keyholes or synos try to mess with him, he punches back, and usually wins.

Thanks. I am going give decorating a try today. I will post an up date on how it went later.

 

[Nick16]

i have a quick question, i have seen keyholes with long flowing fins and short fins. is one male and female? if so which is which? or if not are they different types etc?

 

[Corleone]

Males have long pointed extensions on the dorsal and anal fins, my male's extends farther than his tail fin. My female has pointed fins as well, but nowhere near as long as the male's.

 

[snowflake311]

Males have long pointed extensions on the dorsal and anal fins, my male's extends farther than his tail fin. My female has pointed fins as well, but nowhere near as long as the male's.

I have read the same thing about the fins. Also the size the males are larger then the females and the females tend to be a little more round. Also I read something our the heads the males are bigger and fatter.

I rearranged the tank I finally added my other larger bogwood. Oh man it was like Christmas for my plecos. My little bristle nose was all over it the moment I put it in. It's not like they don't already have a piece.

As for my new keyholes they are not hiding like before. They go out and explore now they still hide every now and then but for the most part they are doing pretty well. They don't look as stressed as before. They are not at all afraid of people. Like my ram. When ever I walk by fast the ram freaks out and hides. These guys are not like that. As for the Ram he is still being a jerk. BUT I think the other fish are learning how to deal with him. I also have the tank set up so the line of sight is never that direct. This has helped.

Now I'm freaking out that all my fish are going to die. I am going to post another thing about my problem that I hope is nothing. I feel like such a bad fish mom.

 

[snowflake311]

My fish are not going to die I was over reacting. I am on maternity leave so my fish have become my job and if any little thing might look like it's going wrong I freak out.

The keyholes are doing awesome. It's been 3 almost 4 days. They have adjusted well. The Ram is not being as mean as he was before. They are all setting in and knowing there place in the tank. I will post some photos of them soon.

Keyhole cichlids might not be colourful or flashy but they are AWESOME fish. I love their personalities and watching them interact with each other. These might become my new favourite fish. So far I just love them. I don't care that they are not flashy they do have really cute faces with cute personalities to go with them.

I would highly recommend them.

 

[Corleone]

Hehe, glad you like them. They're my favorite fish, too. I consider them the centerpiece of my tank, even though most people notice the angelfish or pearl gouramis first.

Have you noticed much color changing? That's my favorite thing about them. I bet once they get borders established with the ram, you'll really see some displays.

 

[snowflake311]

Hehe, glad you like them. They're my favorite fish, too. I consider them the centerpiece of my tank, even though most people notice the angelfish or pearl gouramis first.

Have you noticed much color changing? That's my favorite thing about them. I bet once they get borders established with the ram, you'll really see some displays.

Yes I have notice some color change it happens fast. Like one day the Keyholes were taking turns picking on each other. When one was getting picked on the black spot would be gone. Then when the roles changes the other ones spot was gone. It was so weird. These guys are not white like some of the keyholes I have seen. I am noticing some green in the fins I love that.

Here are some photos of them. When I bought them I knew they were not in perfect condition. But I could not help myself. They had ragged fins when I got them. So they don't look their best. One might even have a little bit of fungus. I am treating the tank and keeping it very clean. I'm doing 2 30% water changes with the vacuums twice a week to keep them happy and healthy. They are getting better everyday. I am thinking in a month or so they will look awesome.


Don't mind the water drops on the glass.

This is both of them. The one on the top I think is the male. He is larger with a bigger fat head Can't go by fins yet they are still growing back
http/i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj223/p...keyholepair.jpg

There is the Balloon ram being a jerk.
http/i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj223/p...sh/thechace.jpg

Then they go their separate ways and it's all good.
http/i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj223/p...yafterchace.jpg

Those are the new kids in the tank. They like to show off the camera.