camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I am getting more and more frustrated with not being able to use the full height of my tank. Is there any Tangs about that is regularly mid to high water swimmers. Or is there a way of promoting mine higher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Whenever I have kept tropheus they have always cruised around all levels of the tank.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Mine are not really going abouve the level of the structures. How high were your structures Ryan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I just had rocks and stuff scattered around the bottom, nothing more than half the height of the tank. What tropheus do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Moliro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 my trophs use all levels of the tank and if anything spend more time in the top half than the bottom. To me that sounds like they're scared to venture out. all the other species tend to stay near the bottom most of the time, shellies, leleupi & altos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Possibly, but the frontosa are also the same. I have tryed several different ways of scaping the tank, none have really done anything different. I expect a certain degree of "rock hugging" but it is such a waste having that large amount of water empty. It is almost making me consider changing from Africans back to Americans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Can you post a pic of the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 There is a video and pictures of the old set up here viewtopic.php?f=4&t=62583 I will take a video and more pictures tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nudge Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I had the same thing with my trophs when they were small (3-5cm) they all seemed to just hang around the rocks now they are larger 6-8cm they are way more active all levels of the water column, I think mine have become more active as the males have matured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Mine are around that size, they are defintly active as heck. The ground activity isnt the issue its the mid/top section without anything in it that is annoying. Is there any thing that will fill that gap in NZ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 You might have to look non tang to fill the gap, either some haps or even something robust and schooling like rainbow fish or I have used things like coumbian tetras etc in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 I had a feeling I would get that answer. I really do not want to back to Malawis with this set up. A hap and peacock tank is on the cards, but not in this set up. Another option I have would be change the tank they are in, I have one that is around 100mm lower, 100mm wider but a foot shorter. It also has a lighter background, which I think will aid the fronts colour. If I changed they would not be on "display" but I would suspect it would mean the entire tank is used, so at least it would not be wasted water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 I think some thing is freaking them out. I know my fish stay low our try to hide when something different happens like my kids run part the tank and even if a stranger starts checking out my tank. They certainly do it when I approach the tank holding a net so it may be just you haha. Seriously though they do do that when frightened, can you rig up some way of covering the tank front, maybe with a blanket our a card board screen for a day or two and have a peep hole so you can see what they are doing, I think you'll find they be behaving how you want them to if they become comfortable in their environment. If that's the case I'm sure it'll just be time until the style in and use all the height of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 Mine do the dash anytime people approach, I am use to that. I will try find a couple blankets and give that a go. However my house is very quite during the week, no kids at home, just me studying during the day and night sitting on the couch not really moving much at all. So I find it hard to believe that it would be external influences causing them to stay low. But I will give it a go, just so I can rule it out. I also wonder if there is too many fish in the tank and to many hiding holes/rock work etc and not enough open water, causing the fronts to get the hebe gebes and making them stay low and at the back. This of course is a difficult one to counter with the T's lele's calvus and the such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 it's not numbers i don't think. i have around 45 fish in my tank and they're all over the place. You don't have too much light do you? I just think there is something they don't like that makes them do that but i can't work out what it is. I have no doubt that it will change over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 it's not numbers i don't think. i have around 45 fish in my tank and they're all over the place. You don't have too much light do you? I just think there is something they don't like that makes them do that but i can't work out what it is. I have no doubt that it will change over time. I would probably have to agree with smidey here, I have had tanks like this too, the fish just seem to be really skittish in there for no apparent reason.. It can be lighting or position of tank or even tank mates. I have found fronts quite skittish maybe everything else is skittish because they are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nudge Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 I notice your fronts are quite dark have you always used a dark background? maybe try pulling a few rocks out maybe a pile at each end with the middle all open, if there is less in the way of wood and rocks in the tank then maybe they will come out of hiding and use the whole tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 You don't have too much light do you? Light is dim, I prefer that look over the super intense bright look. I have found fronts quite skittish maybe everything else is skittish because they are? The fronts are defiantly skittish, I can live with that. The rest of the fish are not skittish unless they get spooked, they just do not use the top/middle region of the tank, they are very very active as they should be. Lots of darting in and out, territorial scraping, active eating and the such. Yeh the background came with that way when I got the tank. I stocked up with rocks and wood so the smaller fish could have some refuge from large mouthed fronts. I also figured that the cuckoos would appreciate the rock work for there darting in and out. I read somewhere before that fish like cuckoos will actively come out more if there is more refuge for them. The last lay out was relatively open, at least I thought that it was for an African tank. Once I try Smideys idea, I will have a look around for some rocks that will fit the bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 Try to add light, if it's too dark they might be weary of the night time predators. I know if I turn off the lights at one end they all scoot to the dark end and sit on the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 I never thought of it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted November 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 I am trying the higher light method today, and so far so good. Cuckoos are going much higher, the fronts are poping out a bit more and the leleupi darting about more. I also did a large water change, so this may have helped as they are generaly more active for me after a big water change. I will move my lights from at the front to the middle later in the day and see if this makes a difference as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfishhead Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 I found my frontosas like to hide under the rock too. It makes me want to remove all the rocks in my tank.... They always stay close to the bottom. I have huge top water space wasted! I found Malawis are much more active than fontosa, they swim every where in the tank. The big giraffe is not afraid of anything... When I come close to the tank they just jump on and shake their tail like a dog... Bite my figer when I put figer in the tank before feeding... I may try change tank layout and see what happens.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcculloch Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Thats why we need cyprichromis in this country!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Thats why we need cyprichromis in this country!! Again.. I agree they would be awesome for this purpose I will be very interested to hear how the lighting goes it is not something I have considered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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