Cichlid Identification Malawi Cichlid ID – 11/07/09 Hello Crew, I was wondering if you could confirm the species of Cichlid in the attached photos. I purchased them as juvenile Rusty Cichlids (Iodotropheus sprengerae). Everything I had read about them indicated they were relatively peaceful (for Mbuna), and would do well with Labidochromis caeruleus and Pseudotropheus acei. However, before I even let them out of the bag they were fighting amongst themselves; several months later as young adults (one male/two females), the largest male and female wreak havoc in my 50-gallon Mbuna tank (the other female Rusty is an inoffensive creature who has remained much smaller than her colleagues). The large female Rusty (who is much more orange in colour than the other two) was dominant until she had a terrific fight with the male -- scales flying, mouths white. Then they spawned a couple of weeks later and the male harassed her until she swallowed her eggs, and constantly beats her up (you can see her tattered fins in the photos). He has now begun tormenting every other fish in the tank, even those much bigger than he. When I temporarily removed him, the female took up where he left off; especially targeting the Labidochromis caeruleus. I plan on removing these two rogues, but I was wondering if these really are Iodotropheus sprengerae, or if I have a couple of impostors in my tank. Tank parameters: 50 gallon breeder pH: 8.0 - 8.2 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 10 kH: 9 dH gH: 13 dH Weekly water change: 40% Filtration: Eheim 2213 Classic; Aquaclear 70 Lots of rockwork and live plants (Hornwort, Anubias, Rotala rotundifolia, Vallisneria), so there are lots of hiding places. Tankmates: Labidochromis caeruleus (1M/3F) and Pseudotropheus acei (1M/3F). Thanks so much! Carla < The fish in the photos is neither a rusty or a yellow lab. I suspect they were trade-ins. They look like a cross. This is very common in mixed species tanks where fish are allowed to bred with dominant fish in the tank.-Chuck>

Re: Cichlid Identification Malawi Cichlid Cross  11/8/09 Thanks very much, Chuck, I suppose that explains the unpredictable behaviour. It's all very strange; my LFS supposedly ordered them in for me as Rusty Cichlids (Iodotropheus sprengerae), which I specifically wanted for my tank to *avoid* hybridization (since they are the only species in that genus and unable to hybridize with other Cichlids). I will show this e-mail to my LFS and try to return them (even though several months have passed), and perhaps peace will reign in my tank at last. I suppose this is a prime example of why hybrids are so detrimental to the hobby! Thanks again, Carla < Don't use the genus name on a cichlid to determine its potential to cross. The names given to cichlids usually have nothing to do with their DNA but are named due to physical differences like in their teeth. Many different Malawi cichlid genera are quite capable of crossing in artificial conditions like an aquarium.-Chuck>

A few questions, stkg., gravel, FW...   10/9/09
Hi,
<Hello Melissa,>
I have (2) 55 gallons fresh water fish tanks....one is 13 years old and the other is almost 4 years old. My 13 yr. old tank, I have 1 fish....a 15 inch Pleco....who is as old as the tank. I am wanting to get rid of the fish and make it more attractive.
<The problem here is that Plecs are big fish (arguably, too big for your tank) and messy (so they demand massive filtration and a tank without stuff that collects silt or debris). They look their best in huge tanks with just a few rocks and very powerful filtration.>
I'm wanting to put black sand.....and new decor inside. I really am attracted to cichlid fish. The blue and black ones.
<Depends on what sort of cichlids you want. Malawi cichlids are popular, and there are numerous blue-coloured ones, but they are super-aggressive, and beginners often make all kinds of mistakes here, and end up with half the fish killing off the other half. They're also prone to hybridising, which is bad, and they have very specific dietary and water chemistry needs.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_2/malawian_cichlids.htm
A good species to start with is Pseudotropheus demasoni, a fairly small "dwarf" species. Both sexes are blue with black stripes, and you can't usually tell them apart. A 55-gallon tank could hold ten of these if there were lots and lots of caves. Don't add anything, just this species, and you'll be rewarded with a very active, entertaining aquarium. In smaller groups one of the males can become a real bully, which is why you need a big group, to divide up the aggression. If Malawi cichlids appeal, then be sure to buy or borrow a book about them first: they are widely sold, but most of the stock sold are second rate hybrids, and if you choose unwisely, you'll end up with a total disaster.>
Can you advise me on how I would go about cleaning the sand if i do choose to convert over to it .
<The easiest approach is simply to throw out the old sand. Replacing it wouldn't cost much, and this would save you the effort of cleaning it. Old aquarium sand is useful in the garden, so don't bin it. Just stir it into
any soil that needs a bit of extra drainage. Since all the bacteria used for filtration live in the canister filter media, throwing out the sand won't harm your filtration system.>
I have a filter that sits underneath inside the sand. Mangum 350. It is for a 75 gallon tank.
<I don't know anything about this filter at all. It isn't sold in the UK.>
Also, what other fish would you recommend and how many total.
<It all depends on what fish you want.>
Also, my younger tank I have 1 Gold Gourami, 1 red tail shark, 2 Chinese algae eaters, 3 cherry barbs, 4 Cory catfish, 1 clown loach, and 6 tiger barbs. I have had these same fish for a few years. Would you recommend me getting more?
<Your tank is overstocked as it is, or at least, the Chinese Algae Eaters will get too big for a 55 gallon tank, and the Clown Loach should really be in a group of five or more specimens, since they're very sociable.>
I am considering 2 more loaches and i really love angel fish, but I worry my gold Gourami would fight with the angel fish...
<Tiger Barbs would attack the Angelfish.>
I guess i just want to know as well......if any more, how many can fit in each tank??? I clean the tanks regularly. once a month. When I go to my pet store it seems like each person tells me something different.
<Pet stores exist to make sales. Assume any information offered may be good, but could be biased towards making you buy something.>
Thank you in advanced for your help! Good day. :)
Melissa
<Hope this helps. Have a read on Pseudotropheus demasoni, and feel free to ask more questions. Cheers, Neale.>

Dwarf? Red Fox. Af. cichlid sel.   8/20/09
Hi,
I just have a quick question. I have an African tank I have 5 maingano 6 Red Fox, 5 Yellow Labs All were in a 45 gallon hex I just put them in a 65 long today,
<Much better volume and system shape-wise>
but my question is or observation is, that all of my fish are between 1 and a half to 2 and a half inches long except one lonely little red fox and he is not even an inch maybe a half inch long. They all appear healthy even the tiny one, it eats and plays and no one picks on it. How can I make it grow?
<Frequent partial water changes are best, along with more frequent, but smaller size portions of foods... Have you looked into Spectrum brand pellets?>
will it stay a dwarf forever?
<Mmm, not likely, but it may lag the others in growth>
Should I take it out before the others start picking on it? Thanks
<I would not, unless the others are indeed over-bullying this smaller individual. Bob Fenner>

Wish list
Lake Tanganyika Tank Set Up, stkg.    8/5/09
Very informative site. Well done.
< Thank you for your kind words.>
I would like to set up a primarily Tanganyika tank and I have a compatibility question:
What are your thoughts as to the co-habitation of the following? What numbers of each would work best given a 110 gallon tank with plenty of rock hiding spots, sand substrate, and a shell bed?
Benthochromis tricoti-<Large open water cichlid that gets big and can be somewhat skittish. Expensive and does better in groups with more females than males. Can be a problem jumper. Does not need extensive rock work at an adult size. Does best in a species only tank but may get along with other when small.>
Altolamprologus compressiceps Nangu (Black compressiceps)
Altolamprologus calvus (Calvus Black Congo)< Both these fish have the same temperament. I would switch out one of the species for one with color like a yellow calvus or orange compressiceps.>
Neolamprologus brichardi (Daffodil) < Nice fish but can be invasive in a larger tank. When a pair forms they continue to spawn while the older fry take care of the smaller spawns until they take over an entire tank. Forms large colonies in the wild. Very pretty fish. can reduce the numbers to keep other fish in the tank.>
Cyphotilapia frontosa (Frontosa) < No way. Gets a foot long and eats all smaller fish that it will fit in its mouth while they are sleeping at night.>
Neolamprologus leleupi (Leleupi) < Pretty orange or yellow fish. Pairs are difficult to get to pair off.>
Lamprologus similis (Similus shell dweller) < Make a little mound of shells for these fish to get a foot hold.>
Neolamprologus helianthus (Sunflower)< Nice yellow fish that is not as invasive as the daffodils>
Tropheus duboisii (Tropheus duboisii Maswa) < Nice as babies but not so nice as adults.>
Tropheus moorii Ndole Bay Red (Ndole Bay Tropheus) < Very aggressive.>
< Go with six each of all the Lamprologus types. As they pair off you can remove the others because they will be killed. Each pair will form a bond and pick an area to spawn. They will defend that territory and other fish will learn to stay away. The Tropheus are harem spawners with one male needed for several females. I would recommend a dozen of each. Assuming a 50/50 sex ratio this will give you 6 males and 6 females. The dominant male will pick on the other males so they should be removed. This will leave you one or two males per six females. Instead of the Benthochromis look at getting some Cyprichromis instead. Smaller, cheaper and will fill the upper open water area. Are prone to jump so keep the tank covered.
Instead of the frontosa look at getting some L. tretacephalus. Look the same as frontosa but stay smaller and are easy to spawn. Look at getting the book "Enjoying Cichlids" By Ad Konings. Blue peacocks may have a chance. Yellow ones are pussy cats and should be in a species tank The Tropheus may cross breed so make sure you have both sexes. Hope this helps.-Chuck>
Given this as a starting point, how would a group of peacocks hold up (for a little brighter color)?
Thanks for any input and/or recommendations.

Stocking A Malawi Cichlid Tank   6/26/09
Hi WWM crew, I am setting up a 130 to a 150 gallon Lake Malawi tank setup, and was wondering what sort of population density I could have in an aquarium like this, and if I am using a sump whether this would mean I could keep more fish because of the increased volume of the tank? I will also be using an external canister filter for additional filtration. I have also read that pool filtration sand is a good substrate for a Lake Malawi aquarium is this true? Peter thanks a lot for your help
<The pumps in the filter and the sump need to move at least 450 GPH, with more circulation being better. There are many variables in your question.
The answer lies in the nitrate levels reached prior to doing your water changes. The nitrate levels should not exceed 20 ppm. If you cannot maintain these nitrate levels then you need to do more water changes or change more water when you do get around to doing a water change. If these nitrate levels cannot be maintained with water changes then you need to decrease the bioload by reducing the number of fish. Lake Malawi has lots of different cichlids ranging from a few inches long to over a foot. You can keep more smaller cichlids and fewer big cichlids in the same volume of water. If you were considering stocking the tank with Mbuna then I would say that about 30+ fish would be just fine.-Chuck>

Stocking A Malawi Cichlid Tank II 6/27/09
Thanks for the quick response Chuck. Yes I am only going to be stocking Mbuna species and was hoping to keep 6 species with 5 specimens from each.
My local fish store told me that in this size tank (150 gallon) that I can choose pretty much any Mbuna species as aggression won't be as much of a factor in a tank of this size, is this correct?
<Get all the fish at he same time. Hopefully they will be small and will grow up together with a pecking order already established.>
I will be doing 25% water changes weekly.
< Check the nitrates often. This should work for a while but check later on when the fish get older.-Chuck>

Beginning an "African" Cichlid Tank 6/2/09
I would like to start a "simple" African Cichlid Community tank I'm new to African Cichlids, but not to fishkeeping having both a 120 reef and a 125 tropical community set-up. (Both thriving).
I recently acquired a 70g tall (36x18x25) tank. Thinking ahead, in generic terms for African Cichlids, I have set it up with about 200 lbs of softball (and larger) sized smooth river-rock type stones and an aragonite sand substrate. There are lots of caves, tunnels, and territory markers.
Filtration is accomplished with a wet/dry system flowing 450+ghp.
I need your help determining which fish to stock. I would like to have 3 basic colors of fish. I think the mix of yellow, blue, and red would be attractive against the black rocks and black background of this tank. I
would like for the inhabitants to be as peaceful as possible. My tanks are wonderful relaxation for me, and I don't wish to deal with territorial aggression, or extended fights for dominance that I've read about regarding
Africans. Is there a "peaceful" mix I could attain ? Would you be so kind as to list what species you feel would be compatible with my desires, and also what levels they could be stocked at ? Thanks, Jim
< There are hundreds if not thousands of cichlid species from Africa but the ones usually called Africans are the cichlids from Lake Malawi. There are lots of yellow and blue fish from Lake Malawi, but red is a relatively rare color. You could go with Ps saulosi. The males are blue and the females are yellow. They are pretty peaceful and don't get too large. Then add some red peacocks. These are not a normal coloration found in the lake but a man made strain. Instead of the peacocks you could add some red zebras. They get a little bigger than the Ps. saulosi and are a little more territorial. A couple of good books to check out would be "The Cichlid Aquarium" by Paul Loiselle and "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings.-Chuck>

Cichlid ID & tank (Chuck, cichlid ID?) 4/7/09 Neale, it's me again! <Hello Summer,> I've been researching the Pseudotropheus demasoni, and I love the look of this dwarf cichlid. I've read a few online recommendations that they should be kept in a minimum of 6 or 12. What's your view on the minimum number I should add to my tank? <Does rather depend on the size of the tank. But assuming a reasonable amount of space, like all Mbuna, colonies are the ideal. Strictly speaking, you want at least one male per 2-3 females, since the males are primarily aggressive to one another, whereas the females are basically peaceful.> Also, I said I have yellow-tail acei, but when I was in Aquatic Design Centre yesterday, I saw their labels and now am not sure what my fish are! <I must confess to occasionally having seen mislabeled and hybrid fish in this store, so be careful.> I've attached a photo. Can you please let me know what type of fish I have? <Could be a rather dull-coloured Pseudotropheus acei, but could equally easily be some sort of hybrid. For African cichlids, the best place in London is probably Wildwoods out in Enfield (Zone 6, Crews Hill train station).> Muchas Gracias, Summer <Do remember you can't mix different Pseudotropheus in one tank safely: they will certainly fight and usually hybridise. Despite their wide availability, I consistently recommend people against buying Pseudotropheus, at least initially. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Cichlid ID & tank Malawi Cichlid ID and Questions... Chuck's bit    4/9/09 Neale, it's me again! I've been researching the Pseudotropheus demasoni, and I love the look of this dwarf cichlid. I've read a few online recommendations that they should be kept in a minimum of 6 or 12. What's your view on the minimum number I should add to my tank? <This little cichlid carries a big stick. For its size it is very aggressive and a group of at least 6 is recommended. Assuming a 50/50 sex ratio, this will leave you with 3 females and 3 males. One dominant male will chase or kill the other males if they are not removed. This will leave you with one dominant male and three females. The harem will keep the male from continually chasing a single female and will spread the aggression out among the others. More will give you a good chance of successful breeding.> Also, I said I have yellow-tail acei, but when I was in Aquatic Design Centre yesterday, I saw their labels and now am not sure what my fish are! I've attached a photo. Can you please let me know what type of fish I have? < It could be an acei. This is one of the least aggressive of the Mbuna types so they don't always color up to their best potential while being dominated by other more aggressive cichlids.-Chuck> Muchas Gracias, Summer Re: Cichlid ID & tank   4/9/09 <Chuck, any idea what the fish in this photo might be? I suggested possibly a poor quality Ps. acei, but just as likely a hybrid. Can you do any better? Cheers, Neale.> < Neale, I totally agree with your conclusion. When kept with other more aggressive cichlids they don't color up much. The Florida fish farmers rarely select for color. My guess would be a poor quality acei in a tank where he is not the dominant fish in the tank. Since it sounds like he just got him it is unlikely the fish is going to show any color for awhile.-Chuck> <Thank you for this Chuck. Cheers, Neale.> Re: Cichlid ID & tank Ps. DeMasoni Questions 4/11/2009 Chuck, thanks for your follow up information! So if I add 6 Pseudotropheus demasoni (which I keep calling demon-osi for some reason, maybe because I have Satan), and assuming a 50/50 male to female ratio, I could expect two male deaths? < Ps. demasoni is actually named after a Friend of mine, Laif DeMason, owner of Cichlid News magazine and Old World Exotic Fish farm. The dominant male will pick and chase the other males. They can soon be found with torn fins and can be removed before there is any more bloodshed.> Oh how sad that would be. I've read that it's difficult to sex them. Do you think I could determine sexes, and identify the dominant male in hopes of returning the other two males to the LFS? < Males are darker than the females. Their black bars are wider and they can get slightly larger than the females.-Chuck>> The 'possible' acei cichlids in my tank are the most peaceful, even more so than the Yellow Labs. Neale, my garden and vegetables are growing like crazy! I attribute their proliferation to my aquarium "super juice". My neighbour agrees and thanks me for a constant supply. Kind regards, Summer

Re: Back up generator & tank update – 04/07/09
Neale, thank you for the insight and the new article link. Glassfish eating neon tetras?!? This hobby is certainly not boring.
<Not for those glassfish, at least.>
Do you have any suggestions for blue Mbunas other than the Placidochromis that would be happy in my tank?
<Pseudotropheus demasoni is the most recommended "dwarf Mbuna" and while not peaceful, it isn't big enough to be genocidal either. It tends to ignore non-blue, no-vertically banded fish. Interestingly, the Yellow Lab is a variety of Labidochromis caeruleus that is rare in the wild; the usual Labidochromis caeruleus are blue, so if you can get those, then they're just as good as Yellow Labs. Other Labidochromis species might be options too, such as Labidochromis sp "hongi".>
On another note, it's the time of year to plant vegetables and such, which I enjoy. I tried to find information on WWW regarding the benefits of reusing aquarium water, but failed to get a hit. So, do you know if there
is evidence that using aquarium water removed from the tank is "liquid gold" for watering houseplants, gardens, etc?
<Do use aquarium water all the time... is rich in nitrate and phosphate.
But won't be high in iron and other trace elements.>
Water is a hot topic and tagged to become a scarce resource in the next decades, so we aquarists needing water for our tanks should definitely pay attention to this subject!
<Quite so! One reason I recommend rainwater for soft water fishkeeping.>
Cheers,
Summer
<Cheers, Neale.> 

Oscars V Mbuna Cichlids  4/1/09
I just converted my 100g saltwater tank to freshwater. Been running for a week now, cycling all over again (no patience) fishless and will remain so for about another 2-3 weeks.
<OK.>
Changed the lights to two t-12 fluorescent (not wanting any live plants).
<Depending on light intensity, algae can be a problem in cichlid tanks.
Under dim lighting, diatoms are usually the thing. If the water movement isn't strong, blue-green algae is common as well. Hair algae tends to crop up in tanks with high levels of nitrate/phosphate. Unfortunately, the pretty green algae that looks so nice on rocks (and is eaten by the Mbuna) requires very strong lighting. In other words, lighting may be more important than you think.>
Love Oscars but did not know if I had the space to keep two and if anything else would be able to go in this size tank with two Oscars.
<Best to keep Oscars singly, to be honest. Males are feisty, and because you can't sex Oscars unless they're spawning, getting two at random has a 25% chance of ending up with two males. If you get a boy and a girl, a 50% chance, then the problem is that they will spawn, and you're suddenly lumbered with hundreds of unwanted baby Oscars. Much better to get one Oscar, and then fill out the tank with some large dither fish (big barbs for example) plus a suitable Loricariid Catfish and perhaps a Bichir for the bottom, if you like oddballs.>
I am running the Fluval fx5 and will be getting a surface skimmer as well.
<Sounds good. With big tanks and big fish, I recommend 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, and ideally more. The Fluval FX-5 should be ideal. Do keep the receipt though, or buy from somewhere with a good returns policy (e.g., a local store rather than mail order) because while Fluval filters are generally good, and I've often used them, the odd lemon does seem to come off the production line.>
I have also been looking at the Mbuna Cichlids but not sure how many would work to stop aggression and how many I could get away with in this size tank ( I would want the most fish possible if i went this route).
<Some personal thoughts are here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_2/malawian_cichlids.htm
Follow the links to other articles and FAQs. I'd HIGHLY recommend spending some time tracking down any of the Konings or Loiselle books listed here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/bksfwbrneale.htm
You can pick some of these up secondhand for very little money. People make
huge mistakes with Mbuna all the time, and instead of the colourful "freshwater reef tank" they were expecting, they end up with a bunch of muddy-looking hybrids that batter the heck out of each other. Among other things, social behaviour and hybridisation should be considered. For beginners, there's a lot to be said for choosing the smaller ("dwarf") Mbuna alongside relatively peaceful species such as Yellow Labs. Whatever you do, don't scrimp on the rocks, since the more cover you have, the better the fish will behave. Overstocking is an option, but it has costs in terms of water quality, and like all cichlids, Mbuna (and Malawians generally) are sensitive to nitrate. The all-too-common approach of adding "one of everything" tends to result in [a] the dominant fish killing the weaker species; and [b] lots of hybridisation. Hybrids are a bane on the hobby, and have really helped ruin this particular niche. Spend money on quality fish. Choose fish from different genera to avoid hybridisation, i.e., only one species of Pseudotropheus (including what are sometimes called Maylandia and Metriaclima), one species of Melanochromis, one species of Aulonocara, etc. Decide if you want just random colour or interesting behaviours; if the latter, then creating a proper harem makes sense, with one male and multiple (not just one!) female. Quite possibly,
concentrating on a single species would work well, as here with Placidochromis:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/placidochromis.htm
You could mix these with Labidochromis and Aulonocara quite easily, resulting in a mix of blue, yellow, and red fish without any risk of
(serious) aggression or hybridisation.>
The ups and downs of the two choices would be appreciated and any information you could give me on doing a 100g Mbuna Cichlid tank would be greatly appreciated as well.
Jacob
<Cheers, Neale.>

Do you know of any? 3/27/2009
Source Of Rift Lake Cichlids For Importation 
Hi. Do you know of any African cichlid exporters that are REPUTABLE? or can you put me in contact with someone who does know of them?  I have my license to import and I don't want to be scammed as I know there are a lot of them out there. Thanks Kevin
< Depends on which lake you are looking to import from. For over 20 years the late Stuart Grant ran a compound off the coast of Malawi and was a solid businessman sending quality cichlids all over the world. His wife and children have been running the business now and are doing a fine job. They can be found at lakemalawi.com. They ship to certain areas of the US already and will not ship if you are close to one of their existing customers. Lake Tanganyika is another story. The lake is far from the airports. Due to the economy flights have been cut going into many parts of Africa. The Brichard's have been shipping fish from Burundi for many years but their selection is rather limited to many pond raised fish with few wild fish exported from that area of the lake. There are many, many fly-by-night collectors in the lakes with good intentions of shipping hundreds of beautiful wild cichlids all over the world. Unfortunately the logistics and cost associated with these transactions far exceeds the price many are willing to pay for these fish. I would recommend that you talk to Laif DeMason at Old World Exotic Fish in Homestead Florida. He has been dealing with these guys for over 25 years and gets in many wild fish from both lakes. I would recommend buying from him instead of trying to bring fish in yourself and save yourself lots of grief. Freight from Africa to where I live on the West Coast is close to $200/box. After you pay for the fish and the freight there is not much left for a profit.-Chuck>

Cyprichromis, stkg.   10/11/08
Hello all and thanks in advance for your help. Wondering if you could tell me how many Cyprichromis Tri-color I could put in a 90 gallon. They will be the only fish in the tank. Thank you very much. Phil
<Mmm, I would try one (or two) male/s and a handful of females, allowing room for growth and reproduction here. Much more to be perused of worth by inserting the string: "stocking density for Cyprichromis" in your search tool/s. Bob Fenner>

Re: Cyprichromis, stkg., sys.    10/14/08
Sir, I did enter the search string but did not come up with the information regarding stocking level. I believe I have done this correctly. An additional question. What algae eating species would be appropriate with Cyprichromis. I am looking just to keep algae off Texas holey rock. Thanks much. Phil
<Hi Phil. Cyprichromis are open water, sardine-like fish so the watchword here is "space". Apart from a few Vallisneria around the edges of the tank, they don't really need much by way of decoration. So choose the biggest tank you can get, or more specifically, the longest tank, so they have ample swimming room. The size of the school is critical because the males can be bullies even though they're also a schooling species that becomes nervous when kept in too small a group. It is widely recommended you keep groups of 8 or more specimens, with more females than males, ideally 2-3 females per male. A school of eight 12 cm Cyprichromis leptosoma for example will need a tank upwards of 300 litres (80 or so gallons). There are some smaller and/or less feisty species that might not need *quite* so much space, but don't try and wedge these fish into substantially smaller tanks. Do also remember to offer lots of water movement, ideally using filters and/or powerheads so that the water turnover rate is upwards of 8x the volume of the tank, ideally 10x. In other words, if the tank is 300 litres in size, use a filter (or filters) delivering turnover around 2400 to 3000 litres per hour. When choosing algae eaters for any Rift Valley tank, a lot depends on the other species in the aquarium. Assuming all you were keeping was Cyprichromis, then Nerite snails, Ancistrus catfish, and perhaps even Amano shrimps would all be viable (the shrimps might be eaten, but are cheap and so would be worth a shot). But other cichlids may be more or less hostile to such algae eaters, either viewing them as food or competing with them for space in the rocks. I'd perhaps grab some Nerite snails and see how they worked; a couple of dozen or so should keep a 300-400 litre tank nice and clean. They will thrive in the hard, well oxygenated water your Cyprichromis desire. Cheers, Neale.><<Outstanding! B>>

Fish in a 55 gal. (African community; selection)  9/23/08
Hello,
I have a 55 gal. (48" long) that will hopefully soon serve as a happy home for some interesting fish. I plan to get an Armored Bichir, African Butterfly Fish, and African Knife Fish. Is there another good fish, I'd like another "oddball", that would be compatible with these three or should I stay with the ones previously mentioned? Thanks in advance, Larson
<Hello Larson. I'd actually suggest three different options. In the first instance, a school of large but peaceful tetras would act as "dither fish" encouraging the other fish to stay in the open. Congo Tetras would be ideal. You might also consider one of the Climbing Perch; I'd recommend the lovely Ctenopoma acutirostre, a peaceful species that gets to about 12 cm or so under aquarium conditions and is easily maintained on bloodworms and other insect larvae. Finally, a Synodontis catfish would be fun. I have a particular fondness for Synodontis decorus and Synodontis eupterus, two beautiful and peaceful members of the genus that thrive in large community tanks. Both tend to be pecked at by nippy fish, but with your placid tankmates they should be fine. Do see Bob's article on fish selection; it's got a great review of a system owned by an aquarist with similar interests to yours.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstksel.htm
Cheers, Neale.>

Picking New Malawi Cichlids - 4-11-08
Hi there, I'm wondering if you could help me pick out some new fishies!
For the last few years we've had an African Cichlid tank: 4 foot, around 300L (80 gallons) with lots of rock. The fish I have currently are Ps. saulosi, Ps. acei (Yellow-Tail) and Synodontis catfish. The saulosi have bred (a lot) and the Synodontis have used them as a host. I would like to keep the catfish, but want to switch from lots of little fish to a simple colony of large fish.
I want to have 1 male and maybe 5-6 females. I would like them to be suitable hosts for the catfish and would also like for the females to
be colourful/interesting too (ie not dull and brown/grey).
I like the look of say Frontosa, but not fond of the big-ugly-lump- head thing and I also understand I'll need something from Lake Malawi or Victoria for the catfish. I don't particularly like Yellow Labs as they're a bit too bright if you know what I mean. And I had some C. moori once and they look a little pale and boring, and then there's the lump issue with them too. Something with blue would be nice though. I'm considering venustus...but not sure about the females... Am I too picky? Any suggestions? I've been searching and searching but can't seem to find anything. Just need some species names...happy to do the research on how to care for them!
< If you like the N. venustus then look at them as well as the other species of Nimbochromis like N. livingstonii or N. polystigma. They get about 10 inches with the males turning blue when they area breeding. All the other times they will be some sort of mottled brown.>
Also wanted to ask about the Synodontis and in-breeding...I started with 5 and now have over 15 (that I can see). Should I introduce
some new stock and sell some old ones, or is it not really an issue?
Thanks in advance for your help! Cheers, Monica
< Not really an issue.-Chuck>

Peacock cichlid
Stocking A Malawi Peacock Cichlid Tank  03/15/2008
Hello all and thanks for what you do. Wondering if you could suggest stocking level of an all peacock tank in a 90 gallon. Thank you.
<In the wild they only get about 3" TL, but they get much larger in the aquarium. If you go with the blue varieties then you could go with about a dozen. The yellow ones are not as combative and will get pushed around by the more dominant blue varieties.-Chuck>

Cichlid ID  01/14/2008 Hi Crew, I have a person selling some Cichlids and does not know what type they are and me either. Can you help me please? He needs to get rid of all 9 fish ASAP and will give them all up for US$24, what do you think about the price? I want to also add around 10-20 small (around 1 inch) Pseudotropheus saulosi in a few weeks when I get my shipment, do you think its safe to add them after these other unidentified cichlids are added first? My tank is 200 Gallons. Thanks in advance Ghulam <Hello Ghulam. The fish with the orange/brown patches and yellow spots on the anal fin is some sort of Pseudotropheus, likely Pseudotropheus zebra. But do bear in mind standard stock is often hopeless messed up in terms of genetics, and this fish may well be a hybrid. So fine as a pet, but unless you can 100% guarantee it is one particular species, not recommended for a breeding project, and DEFINITELY do not pass on any fry produced by this fish to other hobbyists. There's too many hybrid Pseudotropheus in the hobby already. The big orange fish with the huge mouth is some sort of "Tilapia", possibly Oreochromis mossambicus but equally likely one of the hybrids such as "Golden Tilapia" widely used in the aquaculture business. A nice enough fish, but big, messy, and fairly aggressive. Also potentially huge (20-30 cm) and very, very messy. No-one in their right mind PAYS for a tilapia for a fish tank -- that's a fish you take off someone's hands as a favour! As for your other question: NO, you NEVER, EVER mix two different Pseudotropheus species. Only a lunatic would do that. The problem is you'll end up with masses of hybrid fry that SHOULD NOT be passed on into the hobby. Furthermore, the levels of aggression in the genus are high but variable, and punchy species like Pseudotropheus zebra will often kill males from less aggressive species. When stocking Pseudotropheus, you choose a SINGLE species appropriate for your community, and then choose species from other genera that it WILL NOT hybridise with, such as Labidochromis, Labeotropheus, Cyrtocara, etc. Obviously do not mix Pseudotropheus with fish from closely related (possibly identical) genera such as Maylandia or Metriaclima; taxonomists may argue about the differences here, but Pseudotropheus, Maylandia, and Metriaclima all think they're the same thing and will freely fight/breed with one another. Cheers, Neale.>

Madagascar export  11/13/07
Greetings:
I currently have a license from the US Fish and Wildlife to import fresh water fish and I really want to import native Madagascar cichlids and/or rainbows for personal collection. I know of an excellent aquarist in Madagascar but have no exporter. Do you know of anybody interested on exporting fish from Madagascar?
Regards
Jose Gonzalez
<Will post your note. I would contact Paul Loiselle... is he still with the New York Aquarium? As he has the most extensive experience here... and I'll send this to our own cichlid expert, Chuck Rambo for further input. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

A question regarding African cichlids... sel.
.......again. I have a 75 gal Malawi tank and I have a slight problem with my adult male cichlids coloring up. I have an all male tank and it's not too crowded. If I do go ahead and overstock my tank like the forums suggest, will my cichlids color up again (considering the focus is on several fish rather than each fish individually)?
<Likely so... though there are going to be constant vigilance (on your part) issues of watching out for too overt aggression... and damage...>
I have two HOB filters and one canister xp3 totaling 1,250 gph. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jay
<Books and Net reading. BobF>

Melanochromis auratus 10/22/07
Sexing Mel. Auratus
Hello, I recently bought 5 Melanochromis Auratus African Cichlids. They are about 2 inches long. I am wondering when the males will start to show their male colors or at least the "dominant" male?
< Usually at around two inches the males start to darken up.>
On one of them I have noticed a small black "speck" that seems to be getting bigger on the lower part of its tail. Also on another I have noticed a little black coloration on the fin on the lower middle part of the fish. Could these be signs of a male growing into maturity?
< Male M. auratus males will usually change color in a couple of weeks when they are the dominant fish in the tank. Certain areas may darken before others. Females usually don't change at all.>
If not when do you think I will start to notice the dominant male colors. Any other suggestions on breeding these fish or determining the sex would be great! Thanks!
< In the wild males are usually fully colored by two inches. They grow slower in the wild and a two inch fish in the wild is actually much older that a captive raised fish the same size. Sexual maturity is usually a matter of age and not size. Raise the water temp. to 80 f and that should accelerate the change.-Chuck>

Less-aggressive blue-colored haps, sel.   7/21/07
Hi crew,
Thanks for the earlier reply on blue-colored Mbunas. Both the recommended species are hard to find in the LFS around my area.
Are there any less-aggressive blue-colored haps to recommend for a tank that currently houses electric yellow labs and peacocks? From my knowledge, the electric blue ahli isn't too aggressive, but is there any way to distinguish it from blue species of peacocks? I find that the color and body shape quite similar, although the peacocks have greater likelihood of coming in more than 1 color. Is it possible or common for electric blue ahlis to come in more than one color, or for peacocks to be pure blue?
Thank you.
<Greetings. I find it hard to imagine you *can't* find Cyrtocara moori -- it is known as the Malawi Blue Dolphin and among the most widely traded Malawian Haplochromines in the trade. If all else fails, ask your retailer to get some in for you. Although big (around 20 cm) it is a gentle giant, provided you only have a single male specimen. The problem for you is that Aulonocara and Labidochromis are both at the low end of Malawian cichlid aggression. If you add significantly more aggressive species to the tank, they stand a very good chance of being killed. It's as simple as that. Pseudotropheus zebra for example will usually dominate any Labidochromis caeruleus in the tank. Pseudotropheus demasoni is *sometimes* kept in communities with more placid cichlids because, while highly aggressive, it is [a] small (~8 cm) and [b] tends to be only aggressive towards fish that are blue. Pseudotropheus demasoni is light blue with dark blue vertical bands, so very pretty. So that's one species you might want to take a gamble with, assuming your tank was sufficiently large (not less than 150 litres). Sciaenochromis ahli is another fish that *tends* to be violent towards other blue fish while largely ignoring other types of fish, but again, this depends on the aquarium. Given the large adult size of this species (~20 cm) and its piscivorous habits, it isn't a fish for every tank. Allow at least 200 litres for this species. Both Sciaenochromis ahli and Aulonocara spp. do have a somewhat similar shape and both come in a wide variety of colours. But as a rule Aulonocara have a smaller, more dainty mouth reflecting their niche as micropredators, whereas Sciaenochromis have much bigger mouths better suited to their niche as piscivores. But any halfway decent aquarium store will keep them apart and properly identified anyway, so this shouldn't really be an issue. Hope this helps, Neale>

Stocking A Rift Lake Cichlid Tank  6/23/07
Hey WWM crew, hope all is well. I was doing some research on here regarding the "appropriate" stocking of African rift lake cichlids... but still have a couple questions. Hope you don't mind answer them. It seems as though the jury is yet to reach a firm consensus on the "best" approach for ARL tanks. Understocking, overstocking, biotope-systems, etc. I've read that ARL cichlids are found in nature at a ratio of approx. 10 - 20 fish per square meter, (cichlidrecipe.com states 12-18 I think.) Is that number more or less accurate, and can it be responsibly applied to a captive setting? This translates roughly to 5 - 7 fish for a 55g, 7 - 10 for a 75g. Sound appropriate, or is still too vague without knowing specific lakes/genera?? Please assume that filtration needs are met, rockwork is adequate and 25% weekly water changes are performed. Chuck seems to be a big fan of overstocking ARL tanks, recommending 100 fish for a 215g, 50 - 75 for a 90g. (I'm assuming that these would be 1" to 2" specimens, specific ones removed later as they mature/pair?) Paul mentioned that he felt that his 90g tank was barely adequate for 5 ARL cichlids. And Bob advocates that it is "almost always better to understock." No surprise there. Thanks again for your time, and sorry to be so general in almost asking for a "fish per gallon rule."
-Tyler
< All of the above assumptions you have mentioned are correct. There is no wrong or right answer here. What you are reading is what works for that particular aquarist. A great deal of success depends on the number of species, sex ratio of each species and age they are all introduced. No two aquarists have the exact same tank set up. So each aquarist has a different version of what works for them. Generally I would recommend that the tank be filtered at a rate of 5 times the volume of the tank per hour. I prefer the hang on power filters over canister filters because they are easier to clean. A 25% weekly water change would be fine if the nitrates are kept under 25 ppm. As far as fish selection goes, there may be as many as 1500 species of cichlids from Lake Malawi alone. This depends if you are a lumper or a splitter. Unfortunately less that 1% of the species available are found at stores. You usually find a dozen species that are colorful and easy to breed. These common fish species usually are very aggressive and very territorial. I would only put these fish together under special circumstances. I have seen 100 gallon tanks with 300 adult Lake Malawi cichlids in them. Not all of them are aggressive and there were probably close to 20-25 different species. The owner did a 50-80% water change every week. The tank was an explosion of color that rivaled many salt water tanks. Look into books on Lake Malawi cichlids from Ad Konings to find out about specific species and then start top put together you tank on paper. Almost all of the species from the lake can be obtained through private importers or through the American Cichlid Association's Trading Post. Once you have a want list together you can write back and we will probably make recommendations to fine tune your set up.-Chuck>

Cichlids... African... sel. mostly  4/8/07
Hi, really like thank you in advance for such great job been done so far.
This is my first e-mail to you in regards to my tank set-up.
I'm planning to have only a few species of cichlids in my 175 gallon bowfront with a 30 gallon sump system. I would only have adults size of 5-7 inches average in this tank. The type that I have chosen will be 8) super red empress, 8) blue dolphin, 8) albino Taiwan reef, 2)Wild Placidochromis phenochilus Tanzania and 10 more different species in similar size.
Pls kindly advise
<... Umm, advise in terms of what? The overall likely compatibility of the listed species? With adequate cover (likely rock caves, overhangs... these all should fit here... and there's enough room/space for some agonistic, spawning behavior w/o too much damage likely. I would place the more easy-going species ahead of the more aggressive... likely in three "batches" with a few weeks between... Bob Fenner>
for I shall be transferring these in a week.
Warm Regards.
John.

Help with Cichlid tank  3/16/2007
Hello-
<Hi there>
I need help figuring out what is happening with my Red zebra (even though he is orange:-)).  
<Okay>
First I have just set up a 29 gallon tank with Malawi cichlids.
<Dangerously small volume... with time, growth, behavior here...>
  I have 2 Kenyi, 3 exasperatus, 3 red zebras, 3 Acei, 1krib and 1 cat fish from lake Malawi he has spots on his body and striped on his tail).  When I put my 3 Kenyi (all small1 inch to 1.5 inch) into the tank one seemed to come down with something- he passed quickly. the other two seemed to have cotton mouth- one on the mouth itself and one on his one fin.  I treated with the antibiotic that turns the water red can't remember the name)
<Likely Tetracycline... regular water changes...>
with M. green.
Everyone seems great and I did my first water change today to start taking out the meds.  My Red zebras have always had a black belly area (the pet store guy said it was normal) but tonight I noticed one has a protrusion( it looks like it is part of his internal area).  The one side is slightly "swollen" and the other has a distinctive "lump". He seems at this point to be eating and active.  I am thinking it is constipation, I was feeding some small cichlid pellets that float and have switched to Spirulina flakes and tropical fish food with occasional brine shrimp (frozen).  Any help you can give would be great.  Thank you so much!
Christie
<What is your water quality? Do you use salt additions? If so, of what sort? Bob Fenner>

Re: Help with <African> Cichlid tank – 03/18/07
My water is great-- Nitrates 0-5, Nitrites 0, Amm. 0, Ph 7.6-8.  You are correct with the Tetracycline treatment.
<Easy guess>
  I have used salt additions ( aquarium salt) 1 tbls to 10 gallons of water.  I also (last night before this was noticed) added some natural rock with a hard salt present on it... I could not even scrape it off with a knife with out breaking part of the rock off.
<Likely not salts, but carbonates... lime...>
It is used to provide caves.  I boiled the rocks for about 2hours.
Also last night one of my aceis was swimming erratically but other wise seemed fine.  This morning they both seem fine and the bump seems to be gone.  I am thinking I may be feeding the wrong food...
I would also like to touch on the comment of the volume being too small... I was told by numerous people that this would work in my tank - is this not correct?
<Not IMO... I only keep African Cichlids nowadays... (just travel too much...). I encourage all to start with nothing smaller than 55 gallon tanks if possible, keep only one species per... two males max. and females as they develop from a batch of younger individuals...>
I do plan on upgrading to a 55 gallon tank with in the next year.
<Good... do know though that many of the Cichlids hailing from the same "Lakes" will cross- inter-breed>
But bought these fish based on the tank I have now (I feel that is the best bet).  I do have rock work, caves and numerous fake plants.  Any thought are greatly appreciated.
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
The tray on cichlids, parts on Africans... Bob Fenner>

Tanganyika community tank   11/8/06
Dear WWM crew, I love your site and appreciate the down to earth approach of your question answering.  I was wondering about suitable stocking levels for a 55 gallon aquarium.  I have 2 Julidochromis marlieri (originally purchased 3 but one was picked off), 1 tropheus duboisi, and 2 Neolamprologus brevis.  I know I should get more Marlieri's to get a group and stunt aggression, but was
wondering if maybe some more Dubois's would be too aggressive, or possibly some Neolamprologus brichardi?
<Mmm... well, in a system of this volume and shape, I myself would keep just three species... and "good" mixes of genders of these>
I have heard that overstocking/understocking is best,
<Mmm... re the over-stocking option... not a pan-goodness approach... too often results in troubles... aggression effects, losses if/when something additionally mal-influences social dynamics, the overall physiology of a/the system>
but would like to know the minimum recommended group for each species.
<Here... given what is offered re the system, current species make-up... a trio of the three species. Can/might still be troubles given a reproductive event... or two>
I would also appreciate any suggestions on other desirable species to stock.
<Perhaps some other non-cichlid indigenous fish groups... Mochokid catfishes?>
I want to do a tang. tank but am not bound to this idea.  
Would Neolamp. lelupi's, Labidochromis' be ok?
<Again...>
Also I am interested in becoming an aquarist and would like to know what I can do to possibly help myself along the way before I finish college.
<In what ways?>
I would also appreciate any recommended reading for fish keeping.
Sincerely,
Matt Tompkins
<See the names Ad Konings, Paul Loiselle... and in turn seek out these venerable writers in-print works, their further reference, citation. Bob Fenner>

Medication That Will Stain Silicon - 10/11/06
Thanks Chuck.  Will the malachite Green permanently discolor my decor or just the sealant in the corners?
<Different brands of ich cures have different strengths of malachite green. I have seen aquariums that have been stained with Malachite Green so when you use this medication it is always possible it will stain objects.>
I have plastic and fabric type fake  plants in the tank along with plastic rocks and caves.  One last question  Chuck........I really enjoy my yellow lab's personality and it seems a lot more  active than other types of cichlids, which species is most like the  yellow lab as far as being active and personality goes?  I would like to  fill my tank with other species of cichlids that mimic the yellow lab. Thanks again
< Your Yellow Labidochromis swims among rocks looking for little invertebrates to feed on. Other cichlids to consider as take mates would be Melanochromis johanni, Ps. saulosi, Cyno. afra, Cypt. moori, or almost any open water utaka type.-Chuck>

Re: Malawi Tank Recommendations 10/11/06
Hey Chuck, I did some research on the fish you recommended to me.   They look very much like the Zebra species, are they as nasty and aggressive as  the Zebra?
<Most of the Mbuna or rock dwelling Lake Malawi cichlids are aggressive. This is because the guard a territory or rock on which their food, algae, grows. If they don't defend it then it gets eaten by the other fish. The fish I have recommended are not as aggressive as these zebra types and don't get as big.>
The Africans I have in my tank right now seem to be more  passive.  Will these that you recommended do well with mine (yellow lab,  peacock, Dimidichromis compressiceps, and a couple of clown  loaches)?
< The compressiceps will get big but generally won't bother fish he can't eat. The clown loaches actually prefer soft acidic water but I guess are doing OK in your tank.-Chuck>
Thanks, Jeff

Re: Ice Blue Zebra Cichlid With A Yellow Lab   10/11/06
Thanks for all of your help Chuck, your leading me in the right  direction. One last thing, what about the "ice blue zebra", is he less  aggressive than the other in the family and can I mix him with what I have now  (yellow lab, peacocks)? Thanks
< The Ice Blue Zebra is one of the most aggressive cichlids there is from Lake Malawi. As a smaller fish he would be OK. But he grows up to 5 inches plus and has a mouth full of teeth that can inflict a lot of damage very quickly.-Chuck>

African Cichlid Tank crowded time bomb - 09/14/06
Dear Marina and volunteer crew,
<Hi there... Marina's long since absent>
First off, I would like to compliment you on all the valuable information available on your website. Last night was my first visit and I learned a lot from a hour reading and a little searching. I have a few questions and if you can help, that's great, if not, I learned even more putting this together. Some background:
I, my wife and daughter are first time aquarists.
We have 58 us gal. Hagen aquarium
Commenced set up July 25, 2006
Cycled the tank with limited seed stock (no fatalities but lots of learning)
Tank settled down after about three weeks and we started buying Malawi cichlids We have 19 fish
<Mmm, going to be trouble/crowded in time...>
to date and are struggling a bit with species and male or female We have attached some photos and kept each one under 70kb
<Not here unfortunately>
We run two canister filters (Fluval 305 and EHEIM 2215) One power head with filter for cleanup after feeding Water change 40% per week now that tank is settling in (gravel is vacuumed during the water change) Lights are Aqua Glow / 12 to 14 hours per day Ammonia is zero Nitrite is zero Nitrate is less than 5 PH is 7.8 to 8.0 Temperature is 78 to 80F Buffer is good Small amount of green algae starting to form
Our questions are as follows:
Can we reasonably sustain this amount of fish in the aquarium?
<Not indefinitely... even w/o a description of species... "African Cichlids" can be crowded when small (not sexually mature), and with very regular maintenance, feeding and possible removal of "alpha types" kept for a while... but... eventually mayhem, reduction in population here>
Our  goal is
a community tank, did we choose a good mix for the community?
<Once again... you don't state species... and there is a huge range of easy-going-ness to not...>
Any advice on potential problems based on our fish stock? Do we have any natural mating pairs? Our OB zebra seems very energetic when lights go off and she swims back and forth  
and up and down through the bubble stream of the air stone for almost an hour each night then settles down. All other fish take their places and settle down as soon as lights go off. I know we have two jewels and these are River origin but so far are handling the chemistry, any comments?
<... need more data>
We feed two times a day, morning and evening. The food type is Nutrafin Max, spectrum grow and spectrum Thera + A, is this adequate?
<Yes>
We are just trying to do the best we can for our fish and appreciate any advice.
I am constantly amazed at how the time passes, our family has a new 48' wide live color screen. We get so much enjoyment out of watching our community grow and every cichlid seems to have a distinct personality. One thing we
are finding out is that aggressiveness is part of who these fish are, we are learning to accept that.
<Need to keep a sharp eye... and remove real troublemakers... Likely the Zebra first here...>
Thanks in advance for your advice and comments.
Finding Nemo.......
Sorry, one correction. Water change is 20% per week not 40%. Its late
Miles
<Do consider another tank... at least for "time outs" and the odd fish that will need to be removed enroute to being shipped out permanently. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Ways to avoid breeding?  8/25/06
Hello, and thanks for a very helpful site!
< Howdy! Bob and the crew do a wonderful job! >
I have set up a 20 gallon tank, which is cycling now (no fish yet).
< Good idea. >
  I'm considering stocking it with some small varieties of cichlids.  This is not a hard and fast choice, but I am considering them because my tap water is hard (about 120ppm total) and with a high pH (about 8.4).
< It is wonderful to see you have researched your water source before purchasing the wrong types of fish. >
My concern is primarily this - I keep reading about their breeding habits, and while it sounds fascinating, I simply do not have the real estate at my disposal to accommodate the resulting fry.
< Quite understandable. >
  Is there a configuration I can keep that will be less likely to breed (like all females)?
< The idea is sound, but unfortunately, they are not easy to determine sex at a young age. >
If I did find myself with lots of offspring, what could I
feasibly do with them?
< Most fish stores will gladly accept locally grown fish as trade for food and supplies. >
And are there any other varieties of fish I could keep in my present water conditions where this would be less of an issue?
< Possibly some brackish water fish? >
I want whatever fish I end up with to be happy and comfortable in their home, but I don't feel like I can support an endless baby factory either!  Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks!
< Consider some cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Most of them stay fairly small, and if you chose members from different genera, they would not be as likely to breed. Good luck, and best wishes, RichardB >
-Tara

Fish Flashing and Stringy Feces in Some Tanks at LFS - Is this Common for LFS's or Should I Buy Elsewhere?   8/2/06
Hi Crew,
<Cindy>
I have been fish keeping African Cichlids a little over 3 years now.  I've grown from one 50 g. tank to a total of 6 tanks.  I get my livestock from a local high end independent retailer.  As my hobby has grown, I find myself spending more and more time at my LFS buying supplies.  I'm there once or twice a week.  I enjoy looking at the fish and visiting with the fish guys while I'm there.  Every time I've been there, over the past 6 months, I've noticed problems in a few of their fish tanks.  I'll see several tanks that have fish flashing, maybe a tank with fish rocking, and I always see a few fish here and there with stringy feces more than triple their size that
won't seem to detach.  Is this common of all fish stores?
<Way too common, yes... There are myriad, continuous health issues in retail and wholesale settings in the aquatic livestock business... too much "mixed" life that goes un-rested, un-quarantine, untreated and mis-treated...>
Am I just becoming more aware, or should I be looking for another store for future livestock?
<I strongly encourage you to "shop around", to take on all aspects of providing preventative measures wherever you purchase new livestock>
I see this store occasionally take back large fish that have outgrown someone's tank and immediately after temperature acclimation, release them into tanks with breeder livestock.  I realize they only have a limited number of backroom quarantine tanks, but I would expect fish coming from someone's unknown tank conditions to be quarantined before introduction to other livestock purchased from distributors.
<This source of trouble pales in comparison with the weekly coming and going of shipped wild and distant-cultured stocks... there are seasonal and permanent pandemics that one can identify in our interest...>
I heard it can even be dangerous for a LFS to mix livestock from multiple distributors.
<Yes>
  The fish from one distributor have been exposed to and built immunity to certain bacteria while the fish from the other distributor have been exposed to different bacteria.
<One way of viewing, stating this... it's more "their" systems that have expressed immunity if you will... akin to "A boy in a bubble"... Realize that almost to a one, more than 100% of all the stock goes through any given wholesaler/jobber/distributor's systems weekly...>
  When you combine the fish, and the bacteria they carry, you risk illness as they cross contaminate each other with bacteria
they have no built in resistance to.
<Nor much chance/opportunity to develop/acquire such>
What should someone look for when selecting a good LFS to purchase their livestock?
Cindy
<The bazillion dollar question. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwdis3setsfactors.htm
and the linked files above... Much to state here, and thank you for this prompting. Bob Fenner>

How Many Cichlids  6/20/06
How many of each should I add in my 60 gallon tank? bumble bee cichlids,
< Ps. crabro-Get big and turn dark, almost black, no more than three.
Powder blue cichlids,-Probably the cobalt blue. Pretty fish that stays blue and is moderately aggressive. Probably six.
Mel. auratus,-Males turn dark while females remain looking like the young. Get eight then leave one male and remove the rest. Should give you one male to five females.
Electric yellow labs. Pretty fish and peaceful too. get at least six.
These numbers are for a tank that has plenty of filtration and weekly routine 25% water changes. If you are not prepared to do this work then you should cut down on the number of fish.-Chuck>

Adding Cichlids to a 60 gallon Tank  6/20/06
bumble bee cichlids, powder blue cichlids, auratus, and electric yellow labs. From all of these fish, which group should I add in there first, then second, etc.....
< Get all small ones and add them all at the same time and let them grow up together.-Chuck>

Stocking A Lake Malawi Cichlid Tank   3/18/06
I have a 90 gallon tank. What is the average number of African rift lake cichlids I can keep in there without overstocking? I have heard that it is better to keep these cichlids a bit on the crowded side because it keeps them from being overly territorial. Is this true? Thanks for your help.
< The key to a stocking rate depends on how often you do water changes, how much water you change, the efficiency of you filtration and total water movement. These fish are aggressive and territorial. I would recommend that you get all the fish at once while little and let them grow up together. The filter should pump at least 500 gph. Try and get that look different from each other. If the nitrates exceed 20 ppm between water changes then you need to reduce the number of fish or do more frequent or larger water changes. Females will less aggressive than males. I would say 20 to 25 adults (4") in a 90 gallon tank with lots of rock work and 30% weekly water changes would be OK.-Chuck>

Starting A Lake Malawi Cichlid Tank   2/26/06
Hello, I've been researching Lake Malawi Cichlids, and I have a few questions that remain unanswered.  It's my understanding that a crowded tank works  best.  
Once the tank is cycled, what is the best method for initial  stocking?  Clearly you can't put them all in at once.  Further, I have  seen it written that
when introducing a new species to an established tank that  you should re-arrange the tank--but as I slowly stock a tank, I don't exactly  want to be doing
this every other week--any advice on stocking a new cichlid  tank?  I'm tired of buying books only to not find this info! Thanks, Katie
< Buy small immature fish under two inches to stock your tank. Make sure they are all pretty close to the same size. Over that size they begin to get very territorial because they are old enough to breed, then you need to do the rock thing. Cool down the water temp to the mid 70's to slow down their metabolism. For long term stability try and buy fish that do not resemble each other. Check out a book called "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings at CichlidPress.com-Chuck>

Formalin stain? Stocking African cichlids, Dips... a peripatetic aquarist 8/9/05
Bob or Other Professional - Please help!
WILL FORMALIN STAIN WHATEVER PLASTIC IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH?  
<Not generally>
The store says 'Yes," and your web site says 'NO."  Would it be better to use rock salt?
<For?>
A local store says they keep the nets soaking in a mixture of rock
salt and water.  That after it evaporates or does something, it's ok to put
them or whatever you are sterilizing in the dip.  If so, how much rock salt to how much water?
<A very saturated solution... like a couple of cups per gallon>
How long soaking w/out damaging net and or containers or other ornaments or equipment?
<Not likely to damage them>
How long to rinse so it's safe for the fish to come into contact w/ it again?
<A minute or so>
The Pleco really helps to clean the tank.  w/out him the algae turned into
fungus on the plastic plants attached to ornaments.  There's only Plecos and Chinese Algae eaters, right?
<... what? For algae eating? No... many more animals, species>
I switched from the algae eaters b/c I heard that at adult age they suck the slime off of the others in the tank, and one
fish was missing.  The upside down catfish doesn't help to clean too much. WHAT SIZE Pleco would U recommend?
<I don't suggest placing Loricariids with Great Lakes African Cichlids... they're incompatible behaviorally and do better in very different water make-up>
I have One zebra (1.5 inches long) , two
yellow labs ( 1 fem 3 inches long & 1male 3.5 inches long),) 1 upside down
catfish SIX INCHES LONG & I believe a Peacock (3 1/2 -four inches.)
When I find the right size yellow labs, how many more can I add to the tank?
<Please... write just one question per email... and provide your system information... what size system is this?>
Only one or two if it will be three-four inches?  Is there anything wrong w/
buying a fish from a small store?
<... has nothing to do with size>
They have a 2 wk guarantee.  Someone told me that they wouldn't recommend I buy from there but they have one female
lab the size I need.  No one else has one now.  I guess as long as the place
appears to be clean and the tank they take her from appears to be alright,
it's ok even though the store is small.  On the other hand, if it's a dirty
place and they don't look like they are talking care of the fish, then I'll
skip it.  Am I correct w/ my assessment of the situation?
<IMO, yes>
This fish stuff is difficult to keep up w/ once something goes a little
wrong.  IMP:  ******Since I lost the Pleco, the peacock had ich and was
treated w/ RID ICH.  ****WHAT TYPE of med is best to cure and prevent ich from returning?
<This is posted on WWM>
It cleared up after seven days, and I continued treatment for another three days like the company recommends but the ich returned on
the tenth day!  Then I said freak this.  I replaced the filter and he seemed
to get better but he was never dipped in anything and the rest of the tank
has been suctioned (cleaned) but nothing else was done.  Also, I bought two
new smaller yellow labs, and kept them on one side of a divider for a couple
of days.  After ten hrs in my tank, there was a little white bump that
appeared on one fish, but NOT like ich.  It appeared to be like a whitehead.
The next night, I brought them back to the store and am wondering If I
should  dip the divider in the cleaning solution (whatever I end up using.)
just to be sure before I place in any other new fish--I'm just trying to
protect any new fish from what I just described.
<I see... a dip might be a very good idea>
Thought it would be a good idea to dip the equipment such as nets, ornaments w/ plastic plants, plastic
containers, etc. in something to sterilize them just in case they are
contaminated w/ something.  What do you think?
<Also a good idea>
Thank you!  You're the best!
I'm just worried about the fungus growing back.  I cannot keep cutting down
the plastic plants b/c there will be nothing left!
<? Cutting them? Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnornart.htm>
      YOUR RESPONSE:  Skip the Pleco, add filtration*******(don't know what
else there is to do*****  more maintenance to your regimen ******MORE WATER
CHANGES?? Okay*****
<And more algae scrubbing, yes>
I would not use a net dip here... for sterilization or for cleaning your ornaments... too toxic, too much
trouble... there are articles and FAQs files posted on WWM re set-up, maintenance of freshwater systems,
go, read there Okay, I'll read there.
<Good>
  WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
No, I am Not a commercial retailer just someone at home w/ a 29 gallon tank.
<Ahh, then if you only have the one tank there is little use for dealing with toxic dip chemicals...>
There are NOT a lot of fish going in and out.  I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEANT
BY NOT USING A NET DIP.  Do you mean NOT TO DIP THE NET IN ANYTHING?  Just
rinse under hot water?  I did read a few different ideas about sterilizing
which is where I got this idea to use formalin to begin with.  Are you
suggesting I DON'T STERILIZE ANYTHING?  Just rinse in hot water and don't
worry about it?
<Yes>
I think I read that as long as they items thoroughly dry
that nothing can stay on them.  Is that true?
<For the most part, yes>
I just thought it would be a
good idea to sterilize but if you recommend Not to, then please let me know.
ONE MORE THING, PLEASE ..........I have some Cichlid Salt.  When am I
supposed to use this, and how much?
<When you do water changes... likely about a teaspoon per gallon... the instructions should relate this>
Is there a test to determine when this
is needed or I just put a little in the tank after water changes are done?
Thank You!!
<You can measure indirectly with a hydrometer... but if you just approximate the replacement rate during water changes you'll be fine. Bob Fenner>

Basic cichlid setup 8/5/05
I've been surfing around this forum, and I have been impressed with the
thoughtful insights you are providing.  However, I haven't found the answer
I am looking for.
I have an empty 29 gal. that I am cycling right now.  I'm looking to begin
stocking it in 2 weeks after I return from a vacation.  Due to the hardness
of the water where I live, I am strongly considering African cichlids.  In
the past, I have had a 20 gal, that had two socolofi and one honngi (sp?)
along with a Synodontis cat.  (Gave them away because of a move.)  For my
29, what would be some of your suggestions for a good set up?   Questions
that follow with that basic request:
<I would look to the many smaller species of African Cichlids and set upon a species only set-up for this small tank. Perhaps some Lamprologines, Steatocranus... Bob Fenner>

Lake Malawi set up 8/4/05
Hey
I am about to set up an African rift lake tank and the tank I have is 4ft and it holds 60 gallon. I would like to no how many fully grown lake Malawi cichlids I could hold in it?
this would be greatly appreciated
>> If you are adding rock dwellers (Mbuna) you can calculate with 12-14 fish. If you are thinking of Haplochromines or Peacock cichlids I would consider 8-10 a  good number. If your filtration system is very good you could add 3-4 more fish. Good Luck, Oliver

Mbuna Recommendations for a 29 Gallon Tank
Hello, I have a 29 gallon tank and I'm planning to breed Mbuna in it. Somebody told me that I could have up to 12 fish so I think I'll put in 10. What are some good fish to put in there? I'm looking for nice bright colors.  Thanks, Mitchel
< Ps. saulosi would work well. The males are blue and black while the females are bright yellow. Labidochromis caeruleus from Chisimulae is another good one. The males are a bright light metallic blue with black stripes and the females are a bright white. Melanochromis parralelus males are black with horizontal stripes while the females are white with black stripes.-Chuck>

New African Cichlid Tank
Hey, I am trying to set up a new African cichlid tank. The tank I have is 29 gallons. So far all I have is one Peacock. I was wondering what could I mix with it. Fish I have been thinking about are a jewel, electric yellow, zebra, maybe a jack Dempsey. If you could give me some examples of fish that would go together and fit in that tank for a while before I get a 55 gallon later; that would be really nice .-Tyler
< If you peacock cichlid is the main fish you want to keep then you should only add cichlids from Lake Malawi. Of your choices the electric yellow Labidochromis would be fine. The zebra gets big and very territorial. Look for more peaceful Malawi cichlids like Ps. lanistacola, Ps elegans, Ps. saulosi and Ps. acei. Try and keep all the fish around the same size.-Chuck>

Finding Krib Cichlids
I need help finding a pair of Kribs. I am looking for a mated pair that I can buy for a reasonable price, I looked over the internet but could not find any good sites. I appreciated your quick response last time. Thanks! Christine
< Captive bred Kribensis from Asia are actually very common here on the west coast. I would call around the stores in your area first. They can usually get them if they try. If that doesn't work then there is always the internet but shipping is very expensive. Look at aquabid.com. It is like eBay for fish. I know mainlycichlids.com can get them at a reasonable price, once again shipping is a real costly issue.-Chuck> 

Looking for Buffalo Head Cichlids
I am looking for African blockheads to purchase, Steatocranus casuarius. I cannot seem to find anyone who has any or can point me in the right direction. Can you help me? Pat
< These fish usually only come in once or twice a year. The good news is that they are around now. First I would call around your local stores and make sure that they can't get them. If that doesn't work then you can go on the internet. Look at aquabid.com. It is like eBay for fish. You might get a good price but shipping will be expensive. Check out mainlycichlids.com. They are in the San Fran bay area and they had some last week.-Chuck> 

Cichlid Issues
Hello, I was planning on moving my 10 Mbunas from a 30 gallon cube to a 72  bow.
< Nice tank>
My plan was cycle the 72 without fish, but the hyperdominant saulosi nearly killed my brooding female (he chopped part of her gill off and suffered fin damage). The rest of the bunch started to attack her/eat her fry while she laid upside down in a corner. I was forced to move all them in order to save the brooding female. She was recovering just fine and successfully released a few fry within a week, but the hyperdominant saulosi nearly killed the submissive male (he got fin rot, hanging scales and white stuff) in the 72 and had to remove the injured from the main tank. The conditions in the new tank are horrible at the moment and if there is any hope for the fellow, it would be to transfer him to the tank with the female and fry. I placed him in the tank with the recovering female and fry, but within hours he was brutally fighting with the female and now she has a dark bruise/mark around her mouth area from the fighting. 
There are little ones swimming around, I don't know what to do..
< Place the extra male in a large net with a couple of marbles in the bottom. Then set the net in a tank and you have an instant divider.>
Now the hyperdominant male chases another lone female relentlessly in the big tank. He chases off all the others and corners the poor thing. I got 2 Msobo females as distraction (no saulosi at LFS), but that didn't work. I can't overcrowd or get more females because it's still cycling. I'm afraid he might injure/kill her. Any tips on easing the cycling process?
< Add Bio-Spira from Marineland and you should be up and going in no time at all.>
Here are my conditions in the 72 cycling tank:
I have a Millennium 3000 and 2000 filter, 200 watt heater, play sand substrate, some caves and lots of small stones. The ammonia has started to declined (currently at .2), but the nitrite is at 7
< Too high, should be zero.>
and nitrate is at 40.
< Nitrate is too high. Do a 50% water change, clean the filters and get it under 25 ppm .>
I just did a 15% water change. Hardness 120, Alkalinity 120, pH 7.6, temp. 82 degrees.
< Too high. Drop the water temp to 75 degrees until the tank is done cycling. The male is trying to breed all the time. The cooler temps will slow him down and he won't be so bad.> 2 Ps.. saulosi (m&f), 3 estherae (all f), 3 Kenyi (m&2f), 2 Ps.. deep (f).
Thanks for your help.
< You have chosen almost all the meanest Lake Malawi cichlids you can find. In the wild these fish are crowded and they should be that way in the aquarium too. Check out the FAQ's and you will get some ideas on how to stock your tank and what to stock it with.-Chuck> 

Juvenile Malawi's
Hi,
<Hello>
I just have a quick question I hope you can answer.  I have recently started a Malawi tank and was able to find someone locally who breeds some fish from this lake.
<Neat>
  I picked out the following F1 juveniles;  5 Metriaclima estherae (1 blue male, 4 females), 3 Labeotropheus trewavasae (1 male hopefully - he is starting to get the orange top - and 2 females).  The estherae's are all about 1 inch and the trewavasae's are about 1.5 inches with both males a little bigger.  My question is when will the female estherae's start to turn orange and if the trewavasae is a male when will he start to get his blue as they are all colorless right now.
<Likely within a month, two>
I can't find any info about how fast they grow or how long it takes to reach maturity and this is my first time with cichlids this small as all at the LFS are bigger and have their colors already.
<Mmm, well, you can/could "speed things up" with frequent feeding, partial water changes... a bit high temperature... But better to take your time here... your animals will live longer, better lives for it.>
I also have 6 Aulonocara st. (cobue) on hold from this guy and won't be ready to bring home for another few months and just wondering the same question as with the others.
<These "Peacock's" grow more slowly, color up later... likely a few months for them>
The cobue's will have a separate tank from the others as I am hoping to witness all of these fish breed at some point.
Thanks
<They likely will. Bob Fenner>

Cichlid Tank Stocking
Thanks again :)
I have been looking around on the web and what kind of fish are available locally. I have one more store to check out but so far I am leaning towards Mbuna. The fish that I can find so far are Pseudotropheus greshakei, P. Socolofi , Labidochromis caeruleus and some marked as Zebra's. How is the compatibility of these 4 ? I was hoping I could get 5 different types any suggestions for another ? Do you think 5 of each kind is ok or too many for the tank ?
>>>Hmmm...what was this again, a 90 gallon? In a tank that size that is pushing it. I'd say 20 is the upper, UPPER limit. Some of these, especially the Greshakei get to be 5" give or take. Now, overcrowding them a bit does help with aggression, but you have to find a balance between that, and an unmanageable nitrogen cycle. I would keep it down to 15 or 16 fish or so. Also, look online. You will not usually find quality Mbuna at a store. Look for the different Cynotilapia afra morphs, zebra morphs, etc. Most of the zebras in local stores are garbage. I've gotten lucky, but almost ALL of my quality fish came from breeders. That is one disadvantage with choosing this group, you lave to look around for the quality ones. I would write back, and ask for Chuck Rambo. He is a crew member here and will be able to give you better guidance as to a source for these fish than I can. It's been a while since I've looked for any.
Jim<<<

African cichlids
hello sir or madam
My name is Jeff and I have a 75 gallon aquarium and I plan to get African
cichlids. I have done my fair share of searches and so forth just like any one
else but I cant seem to find a compatibility chart and how many fish I can get
in my tank question answered. I would appreciate information if you can, please
< Depends on a few factors. When you say African cichlids do you mean cichlids from Lake Malawi or cichlids from Lake Tanganyika? You should not mix them together. If you are going for Lake Malawi fish then they need to be crowded to disperse aggression. They require hard alkaline water at about 77 degrees F. The filter should turn the water in the tank over at least 5 times per hour so some serious filtration and pumps will be required. I would say at least 30 plus fish could go in this set up. The key to the compatibility is to make sure that the colors don't match one another. Blue fish with black bars do not like other blue fish with black bars etc... A very good reference book is "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings. It is a little expensive but a very good book that will prevent you from having problems in the future.-Chuck>
        a major fish fanatic
        Jeff

Tanganyikan cichlids
Hello
I have been reading your site and I think its great.
I think I am going to get a 30 or 35 gallon aquarium and want to make it a
Tanganyikan setup.
I am new to African Cichlids and would like to find out if these fish would
be compatible with each other.
I want to add 2 Calvus, 3 brichardi, 2 Lemon cichlids, 4 shell dwellers and
a Tanganyikan Spiny Eel.
Would this be okay? Can I add some more? If so which ones would you
recommend?
< Skip the eel, when it gets big enough it will eat the shell dwellers. Look for a Julidochromis species like ornatus or transcriptus to add to the mix. They will all be fine until two become a mated pair then they will defend their fry against all the other fish, so be prepared.-Chuck>
Thank you for your Time!

Re: Tanganyikan cichlids
Ok, Ill skip the eel, thanks for the info!
Does this look better?
2 Altolamprologus calvus
3 Neolamprologus Brichardi
4 Lamprologus brevis
2 Neolamprologus Leleupi
2 Julidochromis Marlieri
and 3 Synodontis multipunctatus
I'm glad I have found such a reliable source of information. Thanks!
< I think this grouping is much better. Especially if you get them small and let them grow up together.-Chuck

African cichlid additions
Chuck,
      My yellow Labidochromis did not survive, but thank you so much for
all your help and for the promptness.  This is a great website and I'm
enjoying the ones I do have left.   I spend a lot of time just watching
their behaviors and they are amazing.  Thank you again.
< If you ever want to add new cichlids to your tank then you need to move everything around just before you turn out the lights. This way in the morning all the fish are busy establishing new territories and will leave the new fish alone for awhile. -Chuck>
thanks
     Anita
Anita Breen

African Cichlid stocking question - 12/21/03
Hello Fish Experts!! <Far from an expert>
I'm hoping you guys can guide me in the right direction when selecting additional fish. <We'll see>  I am having difficulty researching on the types of fish I can get for my 90 gallon tank that is compatible with what I already have.  Currently I have 10 African cichlids about 1-2 inches.
electric yellow <Great fish. One of my all time favorites>
auratus
snow white socolofi
bumble bee
Kenyi
cobalt blue
red zebra
2 daffodils (one albino) and one other one I'm still trying to figure out.
I also have 2 Opaline Gouramis that I had saved from a relative who's tank was so bad that all their fish died except for these 2. <Ummmm.....they're not gonna stay in there right?>  It's only temporary that they'll be in my tank until my relatives get theirs cleaned. <OK. Good to hear> I know that they're not compatible and I have no quarantine/hospital tank but surprisingly, they're still alive with all the cichlids, given all the floating plants for shelter and differences in pH. <Not for long>
I haven't gotten any additional fish for my tank because I'm not sure on what to get.  My main question is "Is it okay to have the same species of African cichlids but one of every race, like what I already have?" <Can be done depending on the species. Check out this site. Lots of info http://www.cichlidrecipe.com >  Should I get additional cichlids of the same race to add to my tank and how many of each race? < I like the Hap and Aulonocara species and be sure to plan for adulthood not the size you buy>  I want a few more daffodils and electric yellows. <Labidochromis would be fine in a small group but not sure about the daffodils.> Is it okay to add some barbs and how many if I decide to not get anymore cichlids? <Hmmmmm....hard to say. Do some research here as I have limited experience with barbs.>
The level of aggression is not so bad, they occasionally chase each other (especially during feeding time) but none of them seem to be suffering from injury or anything like that. <Not always physical but mental as well> I don't want an all cichlid tank but I know that I might end up that way since my first fish were cichlids and considering how many I already have and the fact that they're so aggressive, I don't wanna get any kind of fish and have the cichlids end up killing them. <Good idea> Fortunately, none of the cichlids are getting picked on by the others. <Don't be so sure. Keep an open mind and eye towards aggression>  Only the Gouramis seem to be suffering a bit with their "feelers" being nipped.  I didn't know if they'll grow back but they did and pretty fast too!! <Oh yeah. Amazing regenerative properties>  I will be removing them soon...hopefully. <Do your best>  Any advice given on what to add will be greatly appreciated and hope you all have a Wonderful Holiday Season!!! <Will do. Look to cichlidrecipe.com for some great stocking ideas for your 90 gallon. There are a great many different cichlids that should be able to keep up with the frantic pace of your other inhabitants. Happy Holidays ~Paul>  Sandy

A Whole Gang of Africans
<Ryan helping you out today>
Please help!
<Will do>
I have:
2 bumble bees
2 jewels
5 Kenyi
2 electric yellow
1 red zebra
3 big/weird lipped cichlids <This is important-search fishbase.org and similar sites to find out what they are> (not sure 2- dark blue black/ 1 - pastel pink/orange)
2 Plecos
Can I add a frontosa to this or will that end in a disaster? Also, my jewels seem like they are getting ready to lay eggs.  One turns bright red and they are rubbing all over each other.
<Great! Always a good sign, but it's highly unlikely you'll be able to raise fry with this setup.  Lots of great info out there on breeding cichlids.  One site I like for some cichlidophiles is http://www.aquatiqterrors.com.  As for adding the frontosa, it really depends on your tank.  For your current livestock and a frontosa, you'll need 200+ gallons to pull this off.  Best of luck! Ryan>
Please advise
Thanks,
Ashley

What are African Cichlids? - 5/23/03
   This a completely stupid set of questions. <there are no stupid questions>  Are African cichlids fresh, brackish or salt water? <They are considered freshwater organisms. There are some trace salts and minerals in the waters of the lakes from which they come from, but not enough to make them salt water fish nor true brackish for that matter> Would a typical freshwater filter, lights, etc, be sufficient to have them thrive? (90 gallon tank)<Absolutely. You just described my Aulonocara tank. They key is to research the fish you want and then to get them as young as possible. Pay special attention to their full grown captive size so as to not overstock>   How many 2-4 inch fish could I keep in 90 gallons, with a decent rock layout? <More than likely, unless you go Tanganyikan, most cichlids from the African lakes range from 6 inches and up captive adult size. I think the current thought is about 1 inch per 3-5 gallons because of freshwater fish metabolism is a bit higher in part due to their general aggressiveness>  I love your site, and appreciate any advice you can give on these terrible questions. <No worries. Thanks for the kind words. Please go out and pick up a book on African cichlids as well as do a search in google or your favorite search engine for more information on them. Here is a site that I absolutely love as a start: http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/ Take care James. Paul>
James

African
Mr. Fenner
<Anthony Calfo in your service while Bob makes his annual trip to Graceland>
Having spent the last week surfing the web for suggestions I am more confused than ever about a couple things, I actually have two questions:
I have just set up a 75 gallon tank to be used for African cichlids (which ones????)
<pick one lake group and stick with it. Malawi would be best bet>
I envision a tank with lots of rocks and many 2-4 inch brightly colored fish. I have gotten a lot of ideas so far but would really like to know what you'd recommend. I especially like the blue and yellow varieties.
<yep, Malawi bread and butter colored cichlids: Zebras, Kenyi, Johani, Fulleborneii, etc>
Is it possible to put some shell dwellers in there too? 
<nope...too shy...too plain...and Tanganyikan>
I'd love to have a 75 full of shell dwellers but can't afford to buy enough of them to "fill" the tank.
<again. not active or colorful compared to the Malawi cichlids>
Also the tank is full of "African cichlid gravel" with crushed shells etc. What fish would you suggest for this tank. What fish should I get first to cycle the tank etc. Well I guess that is more than two questions but....Thanks, Peter
<add no more than three fish twice monthly to build the bio-filter slowly. Best regards, Anthony>

African Cichlids
Anthony, Thanks for the prompt reply I will start setting up my shopping list.
<quite welcome>
Of the compatible fish, which would be the best to start with. Are there
some that will tolerate the tank cycling process better than the others?
<actually all are quite durable. Try to add more than one at a time to temper aggression>
Also I was thinking of a Pleco and a couple small cats to help with the
housekeeping. Any ideas? Thanks again for the really prompt reply.
<Plecos and Corys are a bad choice for true African water... look instead at African Synodontis species... a little pricey for some, but beautiful. Anthony>

Re: Please Help Me Decide
Anthony; Haven't seen Martha yet but am keeping an eye out for her.
<I'll keep watching headline news to see if you do... hehe>
Sorry to be a pest but I really want to get this right the first try (for Africans at least).
Thecichlidrecipe.com list the following as a good setup. There are fish in there that I have no idea about. Could you let me know what you think of the setup. Haven't been able to find all the fish that you mentioned earlier. The listing is rather vague. I gather that most of what you mentioned were Mbuna, ??? 
<exact-o-mundo>
Would you be able to give me a little better example of a good tank of fish. at least give me the scientific names for the fish you mentioned and suggest a few others. 
<Predominantly Pseudotropheus and Labeotropheus... some Haplochromis and Labidochromis would be a nice contrast too>
I am hoping to get the first 12 a week from tomorrow and the exact fish will depend on availability at 2 or 3 stores I plan to call once I get suggestions from you. I really like a shopping list for the final tank and I'll but what I can find for now and add the rest later. Also, do I need to keep at least a trio of each species I get?
<only if breeding is an issue>
Could you take a look at the values below and let me know what changes I need to make to prepare for the new arrivals?
<water could definitely be harder (add cichlid salt and buffer) and the Nitrate/Nitrite should be near zero>
Thanks YET AGAIN! Peter
<quite welcome, my friend. Anthony>

Malawi Cichlid Exporters
Hi
I'm a Danish breeder of cichlids from Lake Malawi and I'm looking for addresses from exporters in Malawi. At the moment I only have the address to Mr. Stuart M. Grant, but I know that there are others. I've heard of a company called Malawi Aquatics Ltd and they should be located in Chipoka, but I can't find any info about them. Can You please help me with addresses?|
<My best help is to refer you to a friend, associate in the trade, Mr. Pablo Tepoot of New Life Enterprises. In Florida his business numbers: 305-245-1906, fax 305-248-7450. I will cc him on the Net, but he has told me he rarely checks same... no doubt from his many business commitments: Raising African Cichlids on their two farms, make fish foods, writing/publishing/distributing books (including two on Cichlids). Be chatting, Bob Fenner>
Best Regards
Carsten K. Larsen
www.malawicarsten.dk