Hmmmm.... my yellow labs seem to enjoy grazing on algae... so do most of the Pseudotropheus species I keep. Labeotropheus are good grazers, too, but are far from being the only mbuna that eat algae.
Jim
Jim
Salt with Cichlids?
- Thread starter dcallen
- Start date
Jim,
Thanks..The algae is still in it's initial stages of development it's a light shade of green on most of the rocks. As long as it doesn't get out of control then I think I'll be ok with it. With the fish that I have can you recommend a fish or two that would be compatible with my current fish and also eat the algae? Thanks...
-Don..
Thanks..The algae is still in it's initial stages of development it's a light shade of green on most of the rocks. As long as it doesn't get out of control then I think I'll be ok with it. With the fish that I have can you recommend a fish or two that would be compatible with my current fish and also eat the algae? Thanks...
-Don..
You could consider some Pleco's.
Read this section first
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/pleco_connection.html
Read this section first
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/pleco_connection.html
I will no longer add plecos to my cichlid tanks. In addition to thinking they don't look right together, many plecos (esp. common plecos) become poor algae grazers as they mature. Also, plecos are big-time poopers, and I get enough of that from the cichlids. I have a hard enough time keeping the water clean without the pleco adding his share...
It is the rare afican cichlid tank that has excessive algae. Many species of Pseudotropheus would work... maybe Ps. scolofi?
Jim
It is the rare afican cichlid tank that has excessive algae. Many species of Pseudotropheus would work... maybe Ps. scolofi?
Jim
Jim; like you said before "most mbuna feed on algae"
I just love to see them grazing on it.
That’s exactly why I feed my mbuna’s every other day.
Keeping them hungry will make them grazing on it and keep them from fighting.
But to be honest, they also graze on algae to look for some crustacean.
dcallen; Unless the algae becomes really excessive, read up on the "Redfield Ratio" it's about the relationship between nitrate and phosphate in your tank.
Good luck.
I just love to see them grazing on it.
That’s exactly why I feed my mbuna’s every other day.
Keeping them hungry will make them grazing on it and keep them from fighting.
But to be honest, they also graze on algae to look for some crustacean.
dcallen; Unless the algae becomes really excessive, read up on the "Redfield Ratio" it's about the relationship between nitrate and phosphate in your tank.
Good luck.
Jim
I didn't say anything about mbuna not being algae eaters, I was refering to the species of cichlids that he actually has in his tank. He only has one mbuna, the Yellow Lab, and this is an insectivore.
Labeotropheus are the only herbivorous mbuna, all the others do graze on algae but not exclusively.
David
Beware the onset of bright green cyano bacteria 'algae' - not much (anything!) seems to eat it, and it only ever seems to happen in my hardened water tanks. My tap water is 0 KH, 3 GH and I get the sort of algae plecos can chew in that. Can be killed with some bactericides as a last resort though
I don't like to add NaCl to my african tank in any volume at all as people round here seem to think it promotes bloat. Why add stacks of it - it's not very natural, it's got nothing much to do with Calcium hardness. Lets just say noone round here (Norway ) does it and we don't seem to get the same number of bloat problems other people seem to get.
I don't like to add NaCl to my african tank in any volume at all as people round here seem to think it promotes bloat. Why add stacks of it - it's not very natural, it's got nothing much to do with Calcium hardness. Lets just say noone round here (Norway ) does it and we don't seem to get the same number of bloat problems other people seem to get.
Hi Wayne,
I wonder what your pH is like. Isn’t it bouncing up and down??
You don't seem to have any buffer-capacity with kH=0.
I thought that bloat is due to, to much protein.
Interesting to know that salt could be a culprit too.
You could be right, but I’ve never heard of it before
One thing is sure, it’s a good opening for a new discussion.
Jimmy
My out the tap pH is about 7.4 to 7.6 depending on how much it's rained. I live on the edge of mountains comprised of ancient shield material so it has almost zero calcium content. Water pretty much rains down, flows downhill into a standing resevoir and into my tap - they also add almost no chlorine unless there's been a dry spell, when Gh also goes up a notch. But kH is always zero, even when they tried to add it to the entire water supply by filtering thro' limestone chips.
I've also a belief in excess protein and general bad care causing bloat in tropheus and mbuna, but I also have a 'bad feeling' about piling in the NaCl. It can't just be protein - for sure many mbuna get bloat, but they're not all obligatory herbivores - animal matter makes up a varying proportion of their diet. For sure poor water conditions will hurt them and weaken them, but mybe adding salt and causing osmotic problems is the 'straw that breaks the camels back'. It's anecdotal, but when I go to shops, auctions and wahtever locally and talk to people bloat doesn't ever seem to be mentioned, and maybe one of the causes is we get different brands of pH, hardness adjustors here.
What about water chemistry - well tropheus are farmed in florida I believe - has anyone ben to, work at or own a farm - what are the water parameters - not the 'ideal tanganikiyan' I would suspect. Agreed, a topic for a new thread....
I've also a belief in excess protein and general bad care causing bloat in tropheus and mbuna, but I also have a 'bad feeling' about piling in the NaCl. It can't just be protein - for sure many mbuna get bloat, but they're not all obligatory herbivores - animal matter makes up a varying proportion of their diet. For sure poor water conditions will hurt them and weaken them, but mybe adding salt and causing osmotic problems is the 'straw that breaks the camels back'. It's anecdotal, but when I go to shops, auctions and wahtever locally and talk to people bloat doesn't ever seem to be mentioned, and maybe one of the causes is we get different brands of pH, hardness adjustors here.
What about water chemistry - well tropheus are farmed in florida I believe - has anyone ben to, work at or own a farm - what are the water parameters - not the 'ideal tanganikiyan' I would suspect. Agreed, a topic for a new thread....
