rescued cichlids?

Lady G

Lady G

It's a mafia thing, nothing personl
Oct 6, 2005
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gingersassatelli.bodybyvi.com
I'm not sure if I truely "rescued" these guys or not but I was at my cousins house and she was going to FLUSH them because they were killing off her other fish and making a mess of her plants and decor!!! I couldn't stand the thought off her killing them so I brought them home with me. I'm not sure really what I have here and because I got a new computer until I get a new cord for my camera I can't post any pictures so I'm going to desribe them in hopes someone can tell me which ones I have.

She got them from wal-mart and they are just labeled as "african" cichlids. I lave one very bright yellow with a black stripe across the very top of it's top fin, a grayish colored one with lighter vertical stripes over it's entire body, an orange one with one black vertical stripe one it's left side, and a bright blue one. From these descriptions can any one tell which african cichlids I have?

Now I say I'm not sure I truely "saved" these guys/gals because the only free tank I have is a 29g and I know to be happy they really could use more space, it will be a while before I can afford another tank b/c I just got done setting up a 55g and I had the bottom of my 30 crack and had to run and buy a new tank for those fish.

They are all around 1" right now and I have some eco-complete cichlid sand mix on the way so I can get the pH up, I know I need to get them some rocks and caves and am looking on aquabid and other places to order some (I don't have a LFC besides wal-mart).

Sorry this is so long but can anyone help me/give advice/ect?

Thanks in advance,

Gin
 
Those are various types of Mbuna. African Cichlids, highly terretorial. I hate it when people sell them to unsuspecting customers. :sad:

They're really awesome when kept in a species tank, though.

Definitely get rocks/caves and such, they love to dig too. PH should be higher, and be careful about their diet. I forget how to tell, but some of those are mainly herbivorous, I believe. Spirulina works great. I've also seen many commercial African Cichlid flakes/pellets available.
 
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I would do as much research as you can on African Malawi cichilds. Try having a look at:

http://www.malawimayhem.com.

The only cichlid I can tell for sure that you have is a Labidochromis caeruleus aka "yellow lab", which is the one that is yellow with a black stripe in the top fin. The other descriptions are too vauge to know for sure, due to the fact that many malawi mbuna look similar (there are hundreds!). A good thread to check out is this one http://www.malawimayhem.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3107, which ID's common malawi cichlids found in those "mixed african" tanks.

Getting your pH up there is important, and baking soda is a quick fix for raising it to 8.2. But make sure to add it slowly so you dont stress the fish, and test it as you go to make sure you dont add too much.

Add lots of rockwork, the sooner the better. You dont need to buy from a LFS, just a landscaping store or your local river will do. Just be sure to rinse off the rocks pretty good, and boil them if your really concerned. Having caves is extrememly important to make these fish feel at home and reduce aggression.

And your right, a 29 gallon will be too small for them long term. But for now, its okay, especially because they are still only 1". But they grow quick. Plan on getting that 55 gallon for them though, they will really need it. Hopefully you wont loose any to aggression due to the smaller tank size.

Also, be careful what you feed them, because they are vegetarian and should be eating spiraluna and a good "african cichlid flake/pellet" food. NLS is wonderful.

Well I think that about covers it.... oh... and tell your cousin to in the future do her research before she buys new fish. :duh: ;)


:)
-Diana
 
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Thank you, I am going to go to the sites you recommended and see if I can find them, once I get the cord for my camera to work on this computer (darn up grades!) I can post some pics they are very gorgeous fish, so I really do hope I don't loose any, I am going to watch in the papers and stuff for bigger (cheap) tanks, I do have a 55 but it is pretty well stocked I was thinking about adding 1 or 2 to it but I don't think I will because it is pretty stocked.
I didn't think of landscaping places or just going down to the river :duh: , here I was looking at places on line that want to charge WAY to much for shipping because they are heavy items ;)
I beleive they have they have the spirulina at my natural store I go to would that work? I'll have to look into it and see what it is first I guess. I did through some zuccini in their tank earlier when I fed my other fish and they were going to town on it :D
Yes I gave her a good talking to about fish buyin :mad2: (although here I was taking the fish I really didn't know much about :girl: )

Thanks again, I have to go check out the sites now!

Gin
 
Ok after looking at the pictures this is what I think I have:

1-yellow lab (that is definant)
1-red zebra (that is what my orange one looks like but with a black stripe)
1-pindani or cobolt zebra (I'm not sure on this one)
1-bumblebee (I'm pretty sure that is what my striped one is)

I think the bumblebee just looks "washed out" because of the white sand in the tank I have but the bug eyes and body shape and everything match that one. The substrate I have coming is dark and I think will make them look much better.

If I separate them into 2 tanks what would be a good combo of them and what would be the tank min?

Now I think I know what I have, I have to go and look up their food needs and such.

Oh about the baking soda, how should I add it like a tsp at a time?

Thanks for all the help I really want to keep these guys!

Gin

p.s. after looking again I am sure my blue is the pindani since mine has black on it's fins.
 
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