cobalt blue zebra

[Importskyline22]

Alright, i recently got a cobalt bolue zebra cichlid for my 55g tank. I have had him for about a week now. HE is still very small, only about 2 in. ANd is just starting to get his colors and stripes.

So here is my questions. Are they genrally shy fish? Cause he is always hiding somewhere. i never see him roming around the tank and in the open. THe onyl time he comes out is when i put food in the tank. Then he is all over the place, but will go right back to hiding once he is done eating.

All my water params are fine. I checked them at home and then let the lfs check them to be double sure. The guy said my general hardness is a little low, but thats the only thing out of place.

Do you think buying 1 or 2 more will perk him up and make him come out?

THanks.

 

[YoFishboy]

If he is the only fish in the tank, he is going to be very nervous....assuming your tank is well cycled, I would add more stock. If you go all male mixed mbuna, with lots of rock work and filtration, you could go with 15-20 more in a tank that size. Add some Seachem Stability as you add more fish for bacterial boosting. One of the few additives that does what it says.

 

[kay-bee]

They're social fish, so yeah, he could use some company (10-15 is probably adequate). Add in groups of about 4 (so you won't temporarily tax your biofiltration) and stock with the less aggressive species first, and the most aggressive species last.

....HE is still very small, only about 2 in. ANd is just starting to get his colors and stripes....

The stripes you're seeing might be stress bars (they'll go away once there are other mbuna in the tank which will raise your cobalt's comfort level).

 

[tarheels910]

I would add a group of 5-6 more cobalt blues. Then later add maybe 5-6 yellow labs and 5-6 red zebras. Maybe a peacock or a few will stand out and spice up the mix.

 

[Importskyline22]

Thanks for the advice!

Ill will be getting 2 more today. they are 7.99 a pop here for the small ones so i cant buy alot at one time.