New chiclid

Question
QUESTION: I just rescued an orange chiclid.  He's about six inches long, and seems happy and healthy.  I need to know a few things though.  1) what do I feed this monster fish?  and 2) he keeps picking up mouthfulls of gravel, and dropping it in a pile.  Is this normal?  What's he doing?

ANSWER: Hi Leah:  Picking up gravel and moving it around is his way of making a home. They like to build pits to live in or they will excavate under a rock or log to make a safe home for themselves.  I would take it as a sign he/she is happy.  Feed him flake food, brine shrimp, tubiflex worms and krill... they like them all.  dave

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QUESTION: Right now he's all alone.  Do they do better in groups?  What are they compatible with?  I have a standard 20 gallon set up right now, what can I have in there living comfortably?

He/she (any way to tell?) keeps uprooting the plants.  Is there anything I can do?

Thanks for the help!

Answer
Hi Leah:  In a 20 gallon tank you can safely house just your cichlid.  They are extremely territorial and very aggressive. Mated pairs have been known to kill fish that are three to four times their size.  If you put another fish... even a cichlid in there you will have problems.  On the anal fin... just before the tail on his bottom.... you can look and see if there are tiny dots on that fin.  If so... he is probably a male... if not... he might be a her.  You can send me a picture if you'd like of the fish and his anal fin.... at   davids@the-mermans-garden.com and I will try to sex the fish for you.  Cichlids and plant... and I have to say that I got a chuckle out of your questions... cichlids are famous for many things but the one the most frustrates fish keepers is the fact that they dig up everything.  In the wild they build caves by digging under rocks, logs, etc.  So in an aquarium they become very confused because there is usually only an inch or so of gravel to dig in and that doesn't make a very good cave.  I suspect that as soon as they hit the glass bottom they start looking elsewhere for a place to dig deeper....but there isn't one and thus their quest for the perfect cave is never realized.  They have been known to use their caves to lure their mates in and there is documentation that shows females rejecting mates based on cave status... I know... very 90210 of them... but apparently that is a trait that spans many species.  What can you do about all of this... not very much... but you can offer him/her a three or four inch terra cotta pot that is not painted, place the pot on its side fill it almost full of gravel, and then pile gravel around it and he/she will dig the rocks out and move in.  I think it is important for them to excavate the gravel from the pot.  If  you should ever have the chance to see cichlids prepare to spawn you will be amazed.  They practically sterilize the surface of whatever they are going to lay the eggs on, they tend the eggs and eat the eggs that have gone bad, they guard their young and actually raise them for about a month or two before repeating the process.  They truly are amazing little fish... dave