Ok first some background.
55 gallon standard 4ft tank. Up and running for roughly two months. Fully cycled with 0 amonia, 0 nitrite and barely registering nitrate.
Filtration: cascade 1500 canister and two hikari sponge filters
Light: across the room from sliding glass door and an aquaneat LED on top.
Located in my bedroom (low traffic)
Stocking list: 8 yellow labs, 8 rusty, 7 Pindani, 2 stupid minnows. All fish are juvy in the 1-1.5" range.
Issue: I may as well have a 6" high tank. The fish always swim at the bottom and barely leave their caves. When I walk by the tank, if they are out, they quickly hide.
That said, they eat their new life spectrum food energetically and seem to enjoy a slice of cucumber every few days.
The fish aren't gulping or "breathing" heavy. They aren't flashing against the sand or rocks.
I can't be positive but I don't think there is any bullying going on. At least everyone's fins are in good shape.
A Pindani had a sore on it's side but has since healed.
A few of the Pindani seem to have white lips. It's only their lips and it's not fuzzy or anywhere else.
Troubleshooting: I rearranged the hardscape to limit a few of their hiding areas. That seemed to work for a bit but then went right back to hiding.
I put in the minnows in hopes that having them swimming in the middle to top of the tank would get the mbuna interested. Again, worked a little bit...until it didn't.
I did a big 75% water change because my lfs suggested it. Can't see that it did anything.
My cascade was making a racket so I turned it off. Lo and behold, the fish came out and were actually swimming around. Then this morning, back to hiding and living the bottom life. On a side note, I had the spray bar in the middle of the tank spraying toward the front of the tank. It seemed to be great for surface agitation but it may have been too much for the fish. If that's the case, tough to get enough circulation in the tank with the rocks.
I added some fake plants in hopes it would give them some confidence, other than one yellow lab that now sleeps in one of the plants...nada.
Oh, I also tried putting a chair and a hat in front of the tank because someone on a forum said it'd work. Yeah, not so much.
So, I've tried all that an no closer to an answer. Anyone have any ideas?
55 gallon standard 4ft tank. Up and running for roughly two months. Fully cycled with 0 amonia, 0 nitrite and barely registering nitrate.
Filtration: cascade 1500 canister and two hikari sponge filters
Light: across the room from sliding glass door and an aquaneat LED on top.
Located in my bedroom (low traffic)
Stocking list: 8 yellow labs, 8 rusty, 7 Pindani, 2 stupid minnows. All fish are juvy in the 1-1.5" range.
Issue: I may as well have a 6" high tank. The fish always swim at the bottom and barely leave their caves. When I walk by the tank, if they are out, they quickly hide.
That said, they eat their new life spectrum food energetically and seem to enjoy a slice of cucumber every few days.
The fish aren't gulping or "breathing" heavy. They aren't flashing against the sand or rocks.
I can't be positive but I don't think there is any bullying going on. At least everyone's fins are in good shape.
A Pindani had a sore on it's side but has since healed.
A few of the Pindani seem to have white lips. It's only their lips and it's not fuzzy or anywhere else.
Troubleshooting: I rearranged the hardscape to limit a few of their hiding areas. That seemed to work for a bit but then went right back to hiding.
I put in the minnows in hopes that having them swimming in the middle to top of the tank would get the mbuna interested. Again, worked a little bit...until it didn't.
I did a big 75% water change because my lfs suggested it. Can't see that it did anything.
My cascade was making a racket so I turned it off. Lo and behold, the fish came out and were actually swimming around. Then this morning, back to hiding and living the bottom life. On a side note, I had the spray bar in the middle of the tank spraying toward the front of the tank. It seemed to be great for surface agitation but it may have been too much for the fish. If that's the case, tough to get enough circulation in the tank with the rocks.
I added some fake plants in hopes it would give them some confidence, other than one yellow lab that now sleeps in one of the plants...nada.
Oh, I also tried putting a chair and a hat in front of the tank because someone on a forum said it'd work. Yeah, not so much.
So, I've tried all that an no closer to an answer. Anyone have any ideas?
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