fire mouth cichlid.

Question
I have 4 fire mouth cichlids. 2 are in one tank and are better quality than the
other ones, which are from petco. The two better ones are from a unknown
source because I ordered them through a feed store. Anyway the two better
quality ones are scared all the time and are always hiding. They did it more
after I separated them from the worse quality ones. One would hide under a
plant a and another would hide in a cave. I know the eat because when I am
gone, they eat all the pellets. Anyway I was wondering how to make them
hide less. I think there male and female because they stayed together allot,
and did not fight. Thats why I separated added  them from the other ones in
the first place. I am trying to breed them. I do not want them always hiding
and sacred because I want them to breed.  I added two rosy red minnows and
moved the plant, and it seamed to bring them out a little.

Thanks.

P.S. There in a thirty gallon tank with a penguin filter and black gravel.

Answer
Hi Tyler,
 Give them time to get comfortable and then they will come out more. This could take several weeks.   Also, the more hiding places you give them, the less they will use them, i.e., the less they will actually hide, because they know that if need be, they have a place to hide.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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