Salvini Hiding Away

stoneage

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Mar 2, 2003
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12 days ago, I purchased a Salvini Cichlid and even now it spends 99% of its time hiding in caves. It appears to be surviving by scavenging for left overs after the other fish have finished feeding. Its main problem seems to be the dominant Cichlid a 6inch male convict who chases it round the tank every time it catches a glimpse of the Salvini. Will this fish ever pick up the courage to come out into the open or should I take it back to the LFS. The tank is fairly large at 400 litres.
 
Eventually, it will be the convict running from this fish. Salvini has always known as shy but aggressive fish.
 
How big is that Sal? You have an 6" Convict that is fully grown and an adult fish. If the Sal is only 3 inches or so he is a baby compared to the Convict. Also the Convict was in the tank first and sees it as his territory. Let the Sal grow up (if he isn't fully grown yet) and see how things pan out then. Also Sal's aren't exactly known to be the most outgoing fish in the first place.
 
As long as it has some hiding places from the Convict were the Convict can't get in to it should be fine. Yes, and loosing color is dew to the stress most likely.
 
dont worry, in time you will have a (still hiding all the time) extremely dominant salvini and a (very torn up) submissive con.

salvini are true BA's with wicked teeth even at small sizes (4in and up)

ryan
 
Iam not sure I like what Iam reading in the last post, there are several other cichlids in this tank, a 4 inch Geophagus Surinamis and a 3.5 inch Yellow Severum. I dont wont these relatively mild mannered fish injured or killed.
 
It was the same with my tank, I had two 6" Midas and a 5" Convict in the tank when I added the Salvini at 3". Now the Salvini is the second largest fish in the tank and it no longer hides. Sure, it is still a bit skittish. But now it chases the Convict into the corner (where it often stays).

Salvini's are highly aggressive cichlids for their size. They have a "hit and run" style of attack, you don't see them coming. I would be concerned about the other tankmates, long-term.
 
The salvini's out and about and feeding in its own sneaky way. It starting to develope pale colouring again, black, silver, red and yellow with a few blue flashes.
 
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