Odd behavior...?

[Selestia]

Greetings and salutations;

I do not raise cichlids of any sort, but I do take in animals that other people can no longer take of--for any reason.

This has put a cichlid into my aquarium.

I do not know what kind she is, but she seems quite happy in the 55 gallon tank with the other fish that I already had, including Tiger barbs and Bleeding Hearts. She gets on quite amiably with the others, in fact.

However, she seems to have a certain habit that I am starting to find quite annoying. She has this habit of picking up the pebbles on the bottom of the aquarium, sucking them into her mouth, then spitting them out at the glass of the tank. My little nephew finds it hilarious, but it has uprooted several of the plants in my tank, not to mention the floor filter system.

I must say, though, that it has made an interesting terrain.

At first it was just in one area in the "dark" end of the aquarium where she likes to lurk. We were assuming she was going to nest, but we have had her nearly three months now. But she does it continuously, because she dug another hole and capsized a large rock hidey-hole for the catfish OVERNIGHT.

If anyone could explain to me this particular behavior, I'd be most obliged. I'd hate to put her in her own tank just because she doesn't want to play well with the others and ruin their tank...

Many thanks,

Selestia

"They say that one out of four drivers drive like maniacs. Well, if the three of us are okay, we need to worry about the idiot that's still out there." -- On 'Sunday' drivers.

[Ken Boorman]

Hi Selestia,
I commend you on what you do. I think it is admirable

You have discovered the favourite past-time of most cichlid species - excavating! There is not a lot you can do to stop this behaviour unfortunately. I would make sure any rocks are resting on the bottom glass, instead of gravel, so the digging won't undermine any of the formations you have created. I am afraid you're going to have to keep smoothing out the pits that have been dug, if you want an even surface. You are probably lucky the cichlid is getting along with the other tank inhabitants. How big is it? Is there any chance you could show us a pic of it so we could try to identify it for you?

Good Luck,

Ken

[Selestia]

Much obliged for the response!

Give me a few days and I'll get you a picture. IDing this fishie would be a great help since I'm picking up that each different species has its own quirks. I honestly don't mind the unusual landscape...I'll just have to readjust the layout a bit. It's a 55 gallon tank, and she shares it with a handful of Bleeding Hearts, about the same in Tiger Barbs, a plecostemus and two catfish.

She is, by far, the largest one in there at about five-six inches, but she doesn't scare the others, and they all seem pretty passive of one another. She even lets me rub the top of her head. ^_^

Thanks again!

--Selestia