Aspito tri dwarf cichlid male is not behaving normally

[kiddjam]

Aspito tri dwarf cichlid male is not behaving normally.....
the fish is about 4cm long, beautiful colored high fin, about two weeks ago it behave weirdly: not fighting for food and eating madly like it used to, oh, and almost NEVER was I see him in the aquarium swimming, he just hide away..... I thought he was dead, but the female is OK.... I guess it is not the issue of the environment.... I feed frozen blood worm and tetra new crisp food......

But the male's attitude is still quite aggressive toward the female and other cichlid like blue rams......
Today I observed a freaky dance of the male toward the female, (note that I haven't see them breed since I never gave them a pot ppl did), the male dash forward and backward, while his mouth bursting open and close, and the usual side show of his high fin and colorful body.....
Also I feed them today, and the male finally swim up to get his food, I feed them and he seldom fight for them... the worms....hm... so after a while, he pick on up eventually, one weird behavior happened, he did not swallow the worm, instead, he sort of "chew" it, sometimes the worm go out of his gill, and back out the mouth, for about one whole minute, he done eating it into his stomach....

Ladies and gentlemen, any idea?

 

[Mike Wise]

They original shyness that you describe is not unusual for apistos. Some fish just take longer to get used to a new tank. You male appears to be courting the female with the display that you describe. A. trifasciata is one of the unusual apisto species, that sometimes breeds in the open (underside of leaves, wood, etc.), so a cave really isn't needed. His eating behavior isn't unusual to me, either. Most apistos only reluctantly eat dry foods. There are mixed opinions on frozen bloodworms. Some claim they are dangerous; others not. I personally suggest that you try live foods or at least frozen brine shrimp. See if he eats it more readily.

 

[kiddjam]

They original shyness that you describe is not unusual for apistos.......

thanks Mike

I do heard of people breeding A. trifasciata in open space... hehehh, I think my female isn't liking the male after all these years.....