Make cichlid behavoior?

I recently put a flower pot in my tank and turned it sideways and put it under the gravel
Some rocks go in (on purpose) and my male arutas cichlid takes out the rocks one by one by his mouth
normal? And why?

 

Do you mean the Auratus mbuna cichild? If you mbunas love to landscape to there liking. I like seeing when mine move the sand around with there mouth.

 

Cichlids like to rearrange the tank to suit their tastes. He either doesn't like what you did, and is 'fixing' it, or he's modifying it in to a breeding site (even if you have no females).

 

No I have one female... He goes crazy in front of her. He wants to mate
I don't like his rearrangements
should I keep it how he does it

 

Good morning,

I would let the fish do what it wants to do and see what happens As mentioned above, you may see some spawning. (if you are prepared for eggs/fry that is)

Take a photo of how the fish likes it and how he has rearranged and take a photo of how you like it and we'll tell you who is the better decorator.

Ken

 

Haha ok

 

Yep, Mbunas love to landscape. you could change things back around like you had it, but my bet is he will change it again. I like Ken's idea. haha, its all in fun.

 

I had a black belt cichlid that would pick up gravel and spit it all at the end of the tank that was next to the window.

So, no gravel in the other 3 feet of the tank, and all the gravel as a sloped pile on one end.

They will do what they want, even if we do not like it.