All the Cichlid are looking really amazing. I liked them. Thanks for sharign such nice pictures.
What is the best looking Cichlid?
- Thread starter couger247
- Start date
Before I got serious about it, I started with the good ole' PetSmart "Various African Cichlids..." 1 Yellow Lab, 1 Orange w/gold stripes (forgot the name, but she's a Mbuna) 1 Pseudotropheus Socofoli. Now I have 5 Peacocks whom are starting to color. Got those very small. 3 Kenyi's, 2 Victorian Flamebacks, and 1 Dwarf Mbuna. Going to add a couple Sexofacitious (sp) and Christmas Fulu's.... And hope like heck the Victorians breed... *LOL*
...Forgot one. Raphael cat... In that tank as well. Maybe moved to another tank but we'll see. Kenyi has buddied up with him in the "House of Raphie." Raphie doesn't mind until Kenyi (named Sprit) starts digging, then he kicks her out.
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
I have a mixed variety of 22 of just about all your common A. Cichlids. My favorite is my Electric Blue male that is getting big now 6", followed by my two bright yellow Bumblebee's which are also comparative large 5.5" . The bumblebees are most active but thankfully spend mot of the time chasing each other race tracking around the 244 tank. The peace keeper is my 5" Blue Kenyi who doesn't seem to tolerate any fighting unless you have his permission. The red Zebra's seem to school together, while my labs seem to stay in the reef until feeding time and even then are cautious not to stray becasue the big Yellow Lab 5" I have with black neck ties doesn't want to see the other Labs out in the open. All this while my school of 5 misfit Tetra Minors leisurely swim out in the open all day without a care in the world, way too fast for any of the community A. Cichlids to even attempt a nip.
*Snaps a slalute to the CWO4* FT2/SS Here. I have to admit I laughed at your story of the Matriarch/Patriarch of your tank. My Angel is the same way in the community tank. If the smaller kids get to boisterous, then she steps in and dresses them down. *LOL*
Just give it time. Once they mature the true aggressive nature will show. First of all what size tank do you have? If it's smaller (55 gallon) then you will be dealing with a lot of aggression. Bumblebees and kenyis do better in larger tanks (such as a 6'tank). I still think it's way too aggressive of a species for a beginner. I wish they didn't even sell these guys in stores.
I'm not trying to be rude I'm just trying to help you set up a successful tank. The best way to have a balanced mbuna tank is to research the fish you want to keep BEFORE buying them. That way you avoid the murdering species and can have a nice looking tank with lots of color and activity.
I started out with mixing a lot of different species in my 55 and once they hit maturity it was an all out war. There was constant fighting and chasing and it was no fun to watch. I got rid of the aggressors, picked 3 species to stick with and got a group of 5 per species. Now I have a very interesting and relaxing tank.
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
The only aggression I see in my 6' (244g tank) is inter species. The bumblebee chases the one other bumblebee, the Kenyi chases the other 3 Kenyi, so on and so forth. But no matter who chases who it all end at the edge of the reef and the pursuer gives up chase for quite a while. But I don't see any other species against species aggression. Only time i do is when I introduce a ne fish, like a pack of dogs they all want a sniff of the new dog it seems like. Other then that if a fish is sick, unless I can get the sick fish out in time which is very hard in this large tank, the sick fish gets recycled, only had one apparently already sick from VetSmart.
VetSmart told me that the best way to keep A. Cichlid aggression down is to keep them in a smaller crowded tank, whey they get along so well in their small 10 gallons they told me. I dont believe that though, as inherently having crowed overstocked fish is a bad thing and the bigger the tank with fewer fish is always the better and healthier in my book.
VetSmart told me that the best way to keep A. Cichlid aggression down is to keep them in a smaller crowded tank, whey they get along so well in their small 10 gallons they told me. I dont believe that though, as inherently having crowed overstocked fish is a bad thing and the bigger the tank with fewer fish is always the better and healthier in my book.
It's also a 244g tank I'm certain that helps keep down aggression. Typically Kenyi and bummblebees are some of the most aggressive mbuna out there.
It seems you have a system that is working for you. Most people overstock mbuna tanks to keep the aggression dispersed. It works very well when fish are kept in no less than a 4' tank. A 3' tank can work but it's iffy. Where this fish come from they live in high density populations so I feel a slightly overstocked tank does them no injustice.
It seems you have a system that is working for you. Most people overstock mbuna tanks to keep the aggression dispersed. It works very well when fish are kept in no less than a 4' tank. A 3' tank can work but it's iffy. Where this fish come from they live in high density populations so I feel a slightly overstocked tank does them no injustice.
