cichlids:mixed up and lovin it!

[valjeangotback]

I am a newcomer to keeping cichlids, and after some cycling difficulties and some specimen losses, my tank is doing fine. I recently bought two fish at a local pet store, and because the store was not "aqauarium specific", i was sold an African and a South American cichlid and was told that they could live together. Several experts told me that it would never work, but i have persisted, keeping the ph at about 7.8, a good moderate range, i think, as Africans need high ph and South Americans need lower ph. I am thrilled to say, that they are doing fine now, and trhiving. The Afican loves to dig in the gravel bed, is there anything I can add to the tank to provide further stimuli and fun?
Also, any thoughts and advice would be greatly apprecitated!

 

[fdiaz78]

Sounds great, hopefully everything turns out great. How about some pics when you get a chance?

 

[peifc]

The reason experts said it will not work not because of water chemistry. They are talking about their fish language.

 

[valerie]

What sort of SA cichlid and african cichlids are we talking about?

- Also how big are these fish? Sometimes things work when they are juvies but once they hit maturity watch out.

 

[rich]

yeah you might have an angry SA that could decide to go to war with his brother from across the sea. hope its not a jag and a shellie, that would be bad news. haha fish tank humor, **** thats geeky.

 

[Dragon_Lord_Tia]

if it was a jag id say it would be gone now lol same with a RD

 

[resk]

to rock dwelling africans, there is nothing more fun than rocks

create lots of caves and crevaces for your africans and they will amaze you on a regular basis

they are very industrious fish

 

[valerie]

Originally posted by resk
to rock dwelling africans, there is nothing more fun than rocks

create lots of caves and crevaces for your africans and they will amaze you on a regular basis

Not all africans need rocks there are planty of sand and deep water fish that never use rocks. It depends on what type she have.

 

[ryan]

thrive is a long term word. they may be okay for now but i doubt it will stay that way. Both types are aggressive but in different ways. SA are face to face bruisers, whereas africans are darting hit and run aggressors. This is of course assuming you have a lake cichlid. Good luck, but I fear that in time the two fish will begin to mistake each others body language and you will only have one left. Either way it would be a good idea to do a little research and find out exactly WHAT you have, maybe you have a jewel and all will be well; maybe both fish will get too big for your tank; without knowing what you have it will take nothing short of dumb luck for them to end up "thriving"..

ryan

 

[valjeangotback]

Thanks Guys!

Thank you all for you speedy and helpful responses!
I am pretty sure that the South American is a pink convict, and I'm not quite sure what the African is- he's a solid, soft yellow color with yellow fins, body shape not long, but not like that of a discus. They were both purchased at a local general pet store, so i'm sure thay are common species, i've just not been able to find a picture to match my African. They are smaller in size, both young; I only hope that they won't become aggressive toward each other in the future! Thanks again, everyone

p.s. Check out my "wanted" thread in the classifieds!