electric blue hanging out at top of tank

Question
QUESTION: The past few days my electric blue cichlid has been hanging out at the top corner of my tank, right over the air bubbler.  I have four cichlids, a female kenyi, a male bumblebee, a female peacock and my male electric blue.  Ph, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia have all been tested and appear as normal.  It is a 29 gallon tank with numerous hide outs.  But I have read that the electric blues ten to hang out in the middle, open water anyway.  Don't see any other visible marks.  He is still eating also.  What could it be?  Thank you

ANSWER: Hi Angela,
  Almost certainly one of the other fish is attacking him.

-- Ron
   rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
   Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I do have a lot of rock.  Usually, the bumblebee hangs out in a hollowed out ship, the kenyi in the rocks and the peacock under a log.  Is there anything else you would suggest?  The kenyi has been the main aggressor usually, particularly when holding, but she is not right now.  In fact, it has been the electric blue that she has mated with three times.  Any suggestions, this is a new development and we have had them for 9 months now.  Thanks again,
Angela

Answer
Hi Angela,
 I guess the problem comes with the term "a lot" of rocks.  To me, when a tank has "a lot" of rocks, it means that the tank volume is literally half filled with rocks (not counting any gravel).  For example, in a 30 gallon tank, you would have 15 gallons of rocks.  That is the kind of world that these fishes come from, i.e., they live in the spaces around, under, and between rocks.

 I am curious how you know that the kenyi has mated with the electric blue.  Mating in those kind of cichlids lasts only seconds.

 What you are seeing is perfectly consistent with the fact that one of your other fish is attacking the electric blue.  The dynamics of a fish tank (i.e., who is chasing who) can change overnight.  It is part of what makes them a challenge, but also part of what makes them so interesting.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>