crazyzoo Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I rescued a Pleco that was going to be flushed down the toilet (its 30cm), and had to buy a new 4ft tank for it cos it fought with my other bigger Pleco....anyway I set up this tank with rocks, added Plekky....and 13 Blue Dolphins.....never see Plekky and dolphins don't do anything....seriously thinking of getting rid of dolphins unless I can make tank actually interesting to look at....any suggestions (in comparison my other tank is full of Clown Loaches, Gouramis, Angels and Cookie (Pleco)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 that's a pretty big toilet! i dont like dolphins personally. i prefer the demasoni and e. yellow combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 when I was thinking of getting some, I did some research and apparently they are shy unless there are fish bigger than them in the tank. Not sure if that's actually the case though. Maybe PM mystic, I know she used to have some (maybe still does) and her tanks are great and interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 add some contrasting coloured fish & fit a black background. I would add electric yellows, red zebras & peacocks or red empress (something with a varying colour) which should give a few things to distract your eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 My dolphins are pretty laid back, but they seem to like swimming in groups together with my giraffes - agreed with smidey add some colour to the tank. We hardly ever see our plecos to, they usually start coming alive later in the evening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Dolphins are usually pretty confident open water swimmers that hang out together... As I said in your other thread about them being skittish I suspect it is where the tank is, they don't like sudden movement (ie tanks around doors) or direct sunlight on an angle tends to make them freak out. As everyone else has said you need to add some colour, blue dolphins are cool I really like them as the get older a nice colour and shape. Probably a good place to start would be the yellows, they're easy to get and yellow is a good contrast to your blue you already have. Then you have to look into what else you like, maybe a colony of one type of peacock or a few males, maybe some mbuna, it all depends what you like and what will work. Have a look around on the net, have a look in other peoples tanks petshops etc and get some names of fish you like and then see if they will work with what you already have in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I don't think it is where the tank is positioned as they were absolutely fine when the Gourami was in there, but Gourami was yellow so maybe I will look for some yellow cichlids...to hopefully get them swimming again and put some colour into the tank. I would like some red too....so what do people recommend for yellow and red cichlids that will be ok with my dolphins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 You can't beat electric yellows for yellow Red you can get from red empresses, but you will only ever have one really colourful one (dominant male) in the tank, you might be able to find some maleri reds which are actually red I have some nice ones here after trying a few different places to find some that are actually red not orange.. As Smidey suggested you could go down the red zebra route too, I find the orange/pink to be a nice contrast between yellow and blue. It can sometimes be hard to get fish to come out once they are skittish, when you add new ones they seem to think it is a big scary place too because the existing fish are hiding.. Another option for red could also be red rainbow fish I have kept them with africans before and they are big/fast enough to get out of the way and they look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Thanks for your help....I see "prettypaige" has some lovely Electric Yellows.....pity I don't go near Bulls. I will have to keep an eye on some Wellington traders. Those Electric Yellows look awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 that's ryan, lol. he does have good coloured fish. pm him above you :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I have a red jewel in with my africans and the red colour stands out pretty nice, so that another fish to concider aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Thanks Mystic...I just asked a question about your Jewels on Trade Me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Well what do you know....just purchased 4x 10cm Dragonblood Cichlids and put into my tank with the Dolphins.....Dolphins are ecstatic....they are happily following the nice yellow fish round and round the tank!!! My tank even looks brighter (must be cos I can actually see the fish), so now I'm definitely more enthused. Now for something red.....that won't get eaten lol. ps Plekky still hiding under rock but gonna get peeved off soon as one of the Dragonblood keeps swimming over his face :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Hpoefully they behave! At the moment everything seems ok....lets hope I still have all the fish in the morning. Still keen on some red ones too though.....will give it a couple of weeks to make sure everyfish happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Glad to hear that the fish are out and about I have had no aggression problems with dragonsbloods.. But I have the recently imported line I believe that mystic had a very old line that I have heard were quite agro, maybe different lines and different aggression levels or maybe I have just been lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 All fish still accounted for and I can't see any aggressive behaviour.....just swimming around, certainly no chasing! Thanks for everyones advice.....tank much improved already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted April 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Oh well if that happens I'll just have to find a new home for them......I've got a spare tank hanging around somewhere. I mght have to give those pretty jewels a miss then....I don't want them eaten....but they so pretty ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I didn't check the second page ... but I have some jewels (off mystic) if you want to swap for a few dolphins? otherwise as most have said the yellows ... I also know a good supplier of them (if nobody else has offered) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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