Now What????

[TheShifty's]

Alrighty then!

I have a 55 Gallon set up for African Cichlids. I don't know what I was thinking, but I put my Raphael Cat in there as well, to act as cleanup crew....

Yeah.... I didn't realize at the time that the Cichlids clean up their own messes. I go as far as to sneak down around midnight when all lights are out and try to sneak some food in for my "Raphie Boy." No go. Cichlid kids smell the food, and are all over it, in the dark....

*Sigh* I acclimated him for a good 2 hours to the Cichlid water, so my question is this... Should I pull him and re-home him in my BP or Community tank? Or will he be ok and find enough grub to eat in the African Cichlid tank?

 

[blue2fyre]

I would remove him. Mbuna are tough tankmates and may harass him. You are most li9kely going to have to remove all the decore to catch him. Good Luck.

 

[TheShifty's]

Surprisingly they have only tried to kick him out of his house once. The yellow lab, of all things, was the culprit turned victim. Raphie simply wiggled a few times and the yellow lab was outta there, figuring out real quick that the spiny body was makings for a very bad day.

One of the Kenyi females has buddied up with him, and hangs out in the "House of Raphie," however when she starts to dig, Raphie gives her the boot. He's okay with her in there as long as she isn't tearing his house up.

 

[blue2fyre]

Are your mbuna young? I think this will all change once they mature.

 

[TheShifty's]

Yeah.... I'd say the oldest may be 9 mos. at the most. I see where your going though, and it makes sense. The Kenyi's are pretty mellow kids, of course I have quite a few cichlids in there of various species so they all stay failry well behaved, with the exception of the Socofoli. He's wanting to find a nice young lady to spawn with, so he is a little on the psycho side at times, furiously digging a pit, chasing the others away from his little hiding spot. I have to laugh at him though, he'll swim near one of the others and start shaking and wiggling like he has a bad case of Parkinson's... *LOL*

My main worry is that he isn't finding enough food. I didn't know the cichlid kids foraged as much as they do. So, taking your advice, i'll probably move him, and his little cave home in with the BP's.

 

[efors]

I would remove him. Mbuna are tough tankmates and may harass him.

:iagree:...he will slowly starve to death if he stays with the mbuna guys.

 

[TheShifty's]

Alright, pulled all the rocks out, caught him, (fish bag over net) and acclimatizing him to the water in the BP tank. My Mrs. BP kids are kind of slobs, so I think he will do well in that tank.