chiclid fish

[Capt_kulafu]

hello

i'm wondering about chiclid fish they are tricky to setup? is it fresh or salt water? how about the fish they are expensive too?

thanks

[dsaundry]

Depends on what type of set-up you are looking for, they are all freshwater more or less. If you are going for African or South American. South American fish, Angels{yes they are in the cichlid family} should really only be kept with angels and maybe a pleco or some snails. If you try Salvini cichlids, or Texas Cichlids, Jack Dempsey, Green Terrors, Oscars, etc you can mix them with caution. If you get a pair that mate they will defend their brood viciously....Don't recomend plants with cichlids unless they are artificial as the live ones tend to get moved around a lot. African cichlids are a little different as most require a slightly different care, They are really beautiful and smart/aggressive fish, they also require higher ph levels so do your homework on your species. They tend to be quite expensive if buying at your local fish store, so check out local breeders, maybe try BCAQUARIA as well. They usually are mouth-brooders and breed easily, so again do your homework before rushing out and buying any fish. Then most important....have fun, they are great fish, if I wasn't so commited to sw fish, I would be into the cichlid family in a snap....:biggrin:

[Capt_kulafu]

thanks for the info


Depends on what type of set-up you are looking for, they are all freshwater more or less. If you are going for African or South American. South American fish, Angels{yes they are in the cichlid family} should really only be kept with angels and maybe a pleco or some snails. If you try Salvini cichlids, or Texas Cichlids, Jack Dempsey, Green Terrors, Oscars, etc you can mix them with caution. If you get a pair that mate they will defend their brood viciously....Don't recomend plants with cichlids unless they are artificial as the live ones tend to get moved around a lot. African cichlids are a little different as most require a slightly different care, They are really beautiful and smart/aggressive fish, they also require higher ph levels so do your homework on your species. They tend to be quite expensive if buying at your local fish store, so check out local breeders, maybe try BCAQUARIA as well. They usually are mouth-brooders and breed easily, so again do your homework before rushing out and buying any fish. Then most important....have fun, they are great fish, if I wasn't so commited to sw fish, I would be into the cichlid family in a snap....:biggrin:

[Capt_kulafu]

maybe i have to switch from marine to chiclid!!!

[paddyob]

..have fun, they are great fish, if I wasn't so commited to sw fish, I would be into the cichlid family in a snap....:biggrin:


+1

The Africans are incredibly colorful too. Make for a nice species tank.

[outacontrol]

You can get some really nice cichlids from the Edmonton Aquarium Club auctions, there will be another one in the spring, probably march.
Another good source for cichlids is Alberta Aquatica web forum like Canreef.

[jzz30tt]

I keep a lot of cichlids, what information do you want. I can send you pictures if you'd like too.

[Capt_kulafu]

yup i'm newbie in chiclid do you have picture can you post it here pls...

thanks

I keep a lot of cichlids, what information do you want. I can send you pictures if you'd like too.

[cale262]

Go check out www.Albertaaquatica.com (http://www.Albertaaquatica.com) ,...Alberta based and 99% freshwater...

[reefwars]

I tiger oscars and mine were around 6-7 " they are by far very personable and fun fish to have, mine would jump about 6" from the water and grab a pellet , ge was dead on every time alk j had to do was wiggle it so they are trainable lol . They get huge though as do some other cichlids so read before you buy. My oscars would eat any fish that hits the tank they are only compatible with a very few species:):)

[cale262]

Here's my O, he's in a 6' 125g with 4, 5" Silver Dollars...He's about 12" and I've had him for about 3 years now...was only about 2"s when I picked him up. Have to agree with reefwars, they are great fish and get to know thier owners...Oscars require a large tank though, as a general rule of thumb = 50gal per fish (read: high bio load) and I don't think I'd keep one in less than a 75g...silver dollars make an excellent dithering fish as long as they are bigger than the O's mouth (x2) but are dumb as rocks (8gal per sd), thay also get along great with pleco's...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg293/cale262/Aquaruims/IMG_1456.jpg

some of my Mbuna (rock fish) South africans in a 50g breeder...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg293/cale262/Aquaruims/Mbuna4.jpg

and some s.african lk.vics (dayglow) in another tank...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg293/cale262/Aquaruims/IMG_1171.jpg

[cale262]

Here's my 90g hitec planted with a mix of southamerican chiclids (ca dwarfs, koi angels and mixed tetra's)...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg293/cale262/Aquaruims/IMG_1799.jpg

[cale262]

Oscar FTS,...a little old as I used to have two O's but when they became sexually mature they started to dislike eachother, keeping more than one in a tank can be a crap shoot.... so one had to go...

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg293/cale262/Aquaruims/Otank1oct08.jpg

[Capt_kulafu]

awsome pictures!!

[rocks]

Hi, I are you still thinking about Cichlids? I have some African Cichlids and I am getting into saltwater. Maybe we could trade some frags for cichlids??? I would also absolutely love 2 mandarins. I have yellow tail acei's, blue dolphins, electric yellows, a colbalt blue, flamebacks. They are all pretty docile and compatable, they are all in the same tank, no problems.

[ALang]

HI, I am selling my beautiful cichlids, they are Malawi (Africans):
daffodil, Nyasa peacock, bright neon orange Zebra, etc...$40 each.
Should come and take a look, as they are a little hard to take pics of, they are fast, and I have lots of rocks.
PM me if interested.