Jewel Cichlids In Community Tank? Yikes!!!!
Hi, I was wondering if I could put a Jewel Cichlid in my 55gallon community tank? I hear that it is not recommended, but I want one so bad and I do not have the capabilities for another tank. I currently have 2 4-5" iridescent sharks, 3 young angels, 2 zebra danios, 2 pink kissy fish (forgot the name), and 4 platys. Would it be at all possible? Everyone in the one thank gets along well now...I am more concerned about the compatibility between the Jewel and my sharks, angels, and kissy fish. Can I have some feedback. Thanks for your help. Sarah
< While jewel cichlids may be very beautiful, easy to take care of and very tolerant of a wide range of water conditions, they are incredibly aggressive. They would start out by eating the danios. Then they would be picking on all the other fish until they were outright killed or died from a secondary disease caused by the excessive wounds inflicted by the jewel fish. Jewel fish go well in a tank with other cichlids , especially those from Central America. BTW, when you start missing fish, its the sharks that are doing it.-Chuck> 

Ps. Saulosi
Hi again Chuck! My Oto is now in my 12gal nano cube with another one and they seem to be enjoying each other. :) Thanks for the info on the rock but I have one problem with your suggestion on the Ps. saulosi. It seems everywhere I check I read that this is an aggressive fish that wouldn't do well with Peacocks. I'm confused. I'd hate to introduce a fish that would bully my others to the point that there would be no peace. I have read that Tanganicodus irsacae is a good eater of hair algae. What do you think of this fish and it's personality? Eileen
<Typically most Lake Malawi Mbuna are aggressive and would not work , but in this case these fish come from a reef in the middle of the lake and are actually very mellow for mbuna. So much to the point that your peacocks will probably bully them around. Try them and you will see. Just make sure you have the real species. Some stores don't know there fish too well.-Chuck>

A Little Freshwater Carnage 2.27.05
Hi, we're new to the whole aquarium life, and have a 30 gallon freshwater tank with 7 cichlids and one algae eater who we call Homer.
<Hello, Ryan helping you out today.>
Not sure if there are different varieties of them, but ours is brown and bumpy, and about 4 inches long. About a month ago, we noticed that the cichlids were picking on Homer, and then, much to our disgust and amazement, realized that his actual eyeball had been taken out of its socket! 
<That's pretty gory!>
We immediately put him into a separate sick box where he could safely recover. After a week of separation from the others, Homer was put back into the tank and seemed to be getting along well with one eye. Today he got wedged between the coral and a ship in the tank, and we noticed that his good eye had been scratched. We were gone for most of the day, and upon returning home, realized that his other eye has now been taken out as well. He's in the sick tank once again, but we're really concerned for his well being once he's healed up enough to be released back in with the others.
<Not a great idea...I would take him back to the pet store, and start managing the nutrients more aggressively to impede algae growth.>
Have you ever heard of this, and what are his chances of living with no eyes? We realize that the cichlids are aggressive fish, but is this a normal occurrence, and how do we prevent it from happening again in the event that we need to replace Homer? We're desperate for any information you can provide. 
<It breaks down like this: Cichlids, with some exceptions, are aggressive and territorial. You're keeping these fish in a small enclosure- This much water in nature would be just a piece of ONE fish's territory. So, natural war will be ongoing with this selection. Now, a 30 gallon tank is great for single species tanks, or less "touchy" tenants. I'd figure out what species of fish you're keeping, and then make a few changes. Good luck! Ryan>

Mbuna compatibility
Hello.
I am hoping to set up an African cichlid tank, and I would like to now if the following list of fish is compatible. The fish I am hoping to keep are Labidochromis caerulens, Maylandia estherae, And Pseudochromis saulosi. I would be keeping them at a ratio of 3 females to 1 male for each species, would this be an acceptable mix? I would also like to know what size tank you would suggest as optimal for a group of this size/species mix and what order/how many at a time should they be added to the tank. Any response would be greatly appreciated and I thank you for your time.
< Your mix of fish would work fine. The Labidochromis and Ps saulosi are actually very easy going fish for Malawians so I would make them the larger fish and put them in first. The estherae will get bigger and be the most aggressive fish in the tank so I would add them last and make them the smallest of the group to start. A 30 to 40 gallon would probably work. If you let them get full size then the estherae will be getting up to 4-5 inches and then would really need a 40 to 50 gallon tank.-Chuck> 

Freshwater Planted Tank... water chemistry and African Cichlids
Folks...I have a 72''x24''x30'' 220gal tank. Would two 48'' x 260 watt CP's be adequate for plants to thrive in a 30'' deep aquarium?
<Just barely>
My thought was to place both fixtures over the middle of the tank, bright light over the center, dimmer on the edges. Plants such as Amazon Swords, Tiger Lotus and Aponogeton would be options. If this will not work, I wouldn't mind building a shelf closer to the surface for large pots of plants.
<A good option... though high-light intensity plants will grow with these fixtures, wattages at the thirty inch depth... it will be slow/er than if there were more light>
Water question, pH of 7.3, TDS 655 PPM from Milwaukee Testers. KH of 3 degrees, DH of 5 degrees from drips into test tube device. To me the PPM and the DH don't seem to match.
<Don't let this throw you... dissolved solids can easily be minerals that don't contribute to hardness... If interested, you can have your water tested, or if it is supplied, the company (check your billing paperwork) will provide you with a free analysis of its content>
From the drops in the test tube method, it looks like plant water. From the TDS method it looks like poor water for plants. How can I maintain a PH of 7+ and perk up my KH and use CO2 in a planted aquarium. (African Cichlid planted tank)
Thank You for this site...Mark
<Ahhhh! Now we're getting to useful specifics! I would change your orientation here... and stock the system with plants that are tolerant/appreciative of the same hard, alkaline water conditions as the fishes they are to be kept with.... Please see here: African cichlid Planted Tank Bob Fenner>

Need Help With Some African Cichlid Compatibility
First of all I would like to say that you have an informative and helpful website. But I do have a question for you that I could not find on your site. I currently have a 125 gallon tank with 6 Pseudotropheus demasoni making their residence within. I am looking to add another cichlid species to the tank; and I would like to get your advice on the two other species that I am thinking about.  The first one is Neolamprologus pulcher "Daffodil" and the second is Sciaenochromis fryeri "Electric Blue Ahli". The Neolamprologus pulcher is a rock dwelling Tanganyikan and the Sciaenochromis is a Hap. from Lake Malawi.
My Pseudotropheus demasoni is a Mbuna from Lake Malawi.  I have heard that you should not mix species from the lakes and that the Haps. should be kept separate from the Mbuna. Do you think that I would be able to keep any of these with my demasoni successfully? And if not what type of cichlid could I keep with them?  I have thought about other Mbuna's but I am worried about cross breeding.  Any input or advice would be helpful. Thank you for your time and a great website.
< The daffodils (AKA Neolamprologus pulcher) would get their extensions on their tail bit off and would be constantly harassed by the very aggressive demasoni. The Electric blue would be fine as long as the tank was big enough. If the electric blue get too big they may eat smaller fish. The electric yellow labidochromis would get along fine too.-Chuck> 

Mixing Frontosas
Hello,
I have 3 Frontosas ranging in size from 3 - 4 inches including the  tail.  
They are hard to find in my area and my LFS was able to find 2 of  them and the
third one I found while visiting my sister in another State.   Recently, while
visiting my sister again, I found a beautiful male Frontosa in  her LFS
again.  This one is about 6 - 7 inches including the tail, and is  offered at a
really great price. I felt sorry for him as they had him  housed in only a 10 gal
tank, however, I was hesitate about buying him  because I was not sure with
him being larger than the others if they would get  along.  Do you think they
would be okay or would I be taking a chance with  he lives of my other Fronts?
< Frontosas come from waters deep in  Lake Tanganyika. They will get up to a foot long and some males even exceed that. You will need a tank of at least 100 gallons to successfully raise all of these fish to adulthood. As far as keeping them together now, if your tank has numerous rocks and caves for the smaller fish to get away then there is a pretty good chance they could be placed together depending if your current tank is big enough. Be aware that the bigger fish is probably a trade in that someone else didn't want. Maybe because it was too aggressive to keep in their own tank. When we make recommendation they are typically generalities, but actual individual fish especially cichlids do have their own personalities and may exhibit aggressive behaviors not usually associated with other fish keepers experiences.
Thanks,
Carol

Neolamprologus buescheri "Zaire gold" Tankmates
I am considering putting my buescheri's in a larger tank (current 25 gal hex) once they pair up and begin breeding. Are there any larger cichlids I could use as tankmates which could put up with these aggressive little devils but not kill them in return?
< Buescheri's live deep in Lake Tang. around large dark boulders. I would look at schools of Cyprichromis as possible dither fish. Make sure that the tank is well covered because these fish will jump through any microscopic opening in the tank. A recently discovery I have made is using Zacco barbs. They are closely related to Barilius and are active open water fish. As long as the fry stay close to the rocks the barbs will not bother them.-Chuck>
Thanks,
Cpt

Re: Neolamprologus buescheri "Zaire gold" Tankmates
Thanks for the quick response, never knew of the Cyprichromis, very interesting. Not really what I am looking for though. I already have dither fish, I'm looking more for a larger display fish. I like the Altolamprologus but the slow growth rate and my inexperience with the species concerns me, Any suggestions along these lines? I would prefer to stick with Lake Tang. but a good substitution from elsewhere will do.
Thanks again,
< Try J. ornatus. They don't get too big. Any of the lamps would work until the Buescheri started to breed. Spawning pairs are best left as pairs. Look at O. ventralis to fill the open water column. Males look great but the females are a silvery-grey color. Maybe some of the Xeno's would work it you get the smaller species and have some open sandy areas. Malawi cichlids can handle the hard water but they are like a bull in a china shop and have a mouth full of teeth that inflict a lot of damage very quickly.-Chuck>
Cpt

Malawi cichlids
Hi I'm a new aquarium owner.  My tank is a twenty gallon with a BioWheel (Penguin) filter. My tank has just finished cycling it seems.  Currently, I have three Electric Yellows and one lombardoi. It seems that my lombardoi has chewed off the tail fin of my electric yellow and part of a second yellow's tail fin.  Currently I've placed the lombardoi in an isolation net within the tank to give the others a break.  Will this help curb his aggression by reintroducing him as the new fish in the tank?  < No. When you put him back in the twenty he will go back to his old terrorizing self.> How long should I keep him in there? < As long as you want to keep your electric yellow labido's alive.> My electric yellows don't seem that aggressive (so far) can you recommend some fish that would be more compatible with them that don't grow too large? < Stay away from the Zebra types. They will get too big and too aggressive. The Acei is a good choice. It lives in large schools in the lake and grazes on algae from fallen tree stumps and logs. Pseudotropheus saulosi is another good one that does not grow too large. The females and fry are yellow but the males are blue with black stripes and black fins. Melanochromis parallelus is another I would try. The males are black with blue horizontal stripes and the females and fry are white with black horizontal stripes.> I had an acei that seemed ok with them but my lombardoi killed it. I've been told that I should add more fish to control aggression with dispersion. I do a water change (20%) weekly and feed every other day.  I'm getting mixed information regarding how much to stock a small tank such as this....Some say max four cichlids....and stick to smaller species...others say as long as you keep the tank clean and have hiding places put more in to control aggression.  Should I get rid of the lombardoi? Right now my fish are no more than an inch and a half long.  I have two electric yellows that are tiny (3/4 inch). Also, will my poor electric yellows tail fins grow back?? He's having  a hard time swimming without his tail, poor thing. Id appreciate any advice you can give a newbie like me.....Thanks.....Michelle  
< It is best to add the fish when they are small so they can all grow up together. Mbuna do need to be crowded to disperse the aggression from breeding males. Keep the water temp in the mid to high 70's. Feed them Spirulina flake food and let them eat the algae off the rocks. This tank really is growing to be to small after awhile. Hopefully you can move up to a 50 some day. Try and keep the nitrates under 25 ppm with water changes. The fishes fins will grow back if they have not been chewed down to the base of the tail. If you really want to get into Malawi cichlids then a good book would be Malawi Cichlids By Barron's, under $10. If you really want to get into them there is a more expensive book by Ad Konings called " Back to Nature Guide to Malawi Cichlids." It can be purchased online at Cichlidpress.com. It is an exceptional book that is well written by one of the best.-Chuck"

Who to put with 3 Daffodils?
Greetings-  I just wanted to ask your opinion of what might be the best to
add to this setup:
55 gallon running 4 on the back filters (350+ gallons an hour)
9 ph
Medium rock areas
1 Neolamp. Cylindricus at 3.75 inches
3 Neolamp. ³daffodils² ranging from about 2.25 to 3 inches
Got some bad info from a store- told me they were selling me a Tanganyikan
threesome when they were Mbuna. The Daffodils won¹t give them a moments
rest. There are three of them that I plan on removing tomorrow. Anyway, I
just wanted to get your opinion on what to put with the Neolamps. I was
considering 1 Frontosa (slightly larger than the Daffodils) or a small
school of Cyp. Leptosoma.  I¹ve just had one mistake after another so far
and I really don¹t want to make another!
< The daffodils (Neolamprologus pulcher) from lake Tanganyika really do like to hang around the rocks in large colonies. Other rock fish that could go with them are any number of Julidochromis species. Other lamps like lelupie or trets would work well to. Stay away from Frontosas because they get too big. Tropheus are expensive and like to be in large schools and require an almost all vegetarian diet. The Cyprichromis would work but make sure that the tank is well covered because they like to jump out for the littlest things.-Chuck>
Thanks for your help...
Stephen

African Cichlids and Crab compatibility
Hello WWM,
I was wondering if you know a couple of African cichlids that will not
bother crabs. I read that most of the cichlids will tear them up. I have
a fiddler and a red claw and I would love to add a couple of cichlids.
Thanks for the info, you guys are the best.
< Crabs are found in Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika naturally. The heavy shell and claws are more then enough to keep cichlids away. The problem is when your crabs shed. The have an external skeleton that must be shed for them to grow. When this skeleton is shed they are very soft and vulnerable to attacks by cichlids. They essentially become mobile banquet blocks. Unless you can set up an area for them to hide for awhile until their shell hardens then they will indeed be preyed on by the cichlids.-Chuck>
-Rich

Sick cichlid or territoriality?
I recently acquired some cichlids.  I have an African cichlid (yellow)
that was doing o.k. after the transportation from my friends house on
Saturday.  But this morning I noticed he has a red mark in his lip and is
at the bottom of the tank upside down.  Once in a while he'll move but
usually drops to the bottom upside down.  This is all new to me and I've
been looking for help on the web without much luck.   I don't want to lose
him, what can I do.?
< If you have tried to add this new cichlid to an existing cichlid tank then I think he has smashed his head on the glass trying to get away from the other fish that already have established territories. Isolate him in another tank and add some rock salt and treat for wounds. He may not recover from the trauma to the head. -Chuck>
thanx
Anita Breen

Re: Sick cichlid or territoriality?
Thank you, all the cichlids were transported from my friends house, they
were all in the same tank for three years, however their new tank is
smaller.  I will try the rock salt and keep my fingers crossed.
< Sometimes these things happen with cichlids. They fight over new territories and Your yellow Labidochromis is not one of the tougher fish. Good Luck.-Chuck>
thanx
Anita Breen

African cichlid compatibility & dither fish
  I am relatively new to keeping cichlids and have a few questions. First, I currently have 4 Labidochromis Caeruleus (Yellow Labs), 1 Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty),
1 Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Peacock),  3 Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Maingano),
3 Pseudotropheus Estherae (Red Kenyi),  3 Sciaenochromis freyeri (Electric Blue Ahli), 2 Synodontis eupterus (Catfish), and 1 Plecostomus (Algae Eater). They are all about the same size 2.5" - 3" and are in a 35 gallon tank. I have several rocks, and caves constructed out of flat stones, and petrified wood of different sizes. Plenty of places to hide. The substrate was labeled "especially for African Cichlids" - some sort of crushed shells and stone. The filtration system consist of a Whisper sized for 20 - 40 gallon tanks and a Regent sized for 30 - 60 gallon tanks. I know that it sounds like a lot, but all the Pet stores say to "overcrowd" and "over-filter" the tank. Is this just some ploy to get me to buy more?
< Your pet shops are giving you very good advice. In the wild these Lake Malawian cichlids are very territorial. They guard large areas of rocks on which algae grows. The territory and algae represent food to them. So the larger the territory the more food is left for them and their mates. These fish also have teeth that are used to scrape algae off the rocks and also does a great job in taking scales and fins off of other fish. If you only had a few fish in the tank then the larger one would continually chase the smaller ones around until they were dead or starved to death. When you crowd the tank then the dominant fish must chase them all and not just pick on one. A large group of active fish produce a lot of waste and need a lot of oxygen too. The filters should pump at least 3 to 5 times the volume of the tank in one hour.>
Also, are all these fish compatible with one another?
< All the cichlids come from the same lake so you are ok there. The catfish are not really needed and eventually with have their fins torn up by the cichlids.>
(So far I have had no problems at all, but it's only been 4 days) Last but not least, what are dither fish? I have been told to put 5-6 Danios in with the cichlids as "dither fish"...why? Won't they just eat them or at
least kill them? What role, if any will they play in the tank?
< Dither fish are usually fast active swimmers that are chased by the dominant fish in the tank. They help use up the energy of the dominant fish so they will be too tired to chase the real fish you want to keep. I use Zacco barbs in Rift lake tanks. They get about three inches and travel in a school of about 20 in the upper levels of my 100 gallon. They look good and are heavy eaters and always seem faster that the cichlids. Others would be rainbows or giant Danios.>
In the very near future I do want to upsize the tank to at least 75 - 90 gallons.
< Good idea> This is just a start for me, I bought the tank complete for $20! < Good Deal too!>All I added was the fish, substrate, and the Whisper filter. Thanks for your help!
< If you are interested in learning more about cichlids then the American Cichlid Association is having their annual convention in Denver, Colorado in July. For more info log on to www.aca2004.com Chuck>

Re: African cichlid compatibility & dither fish
WWM FAQ Crew <crew@mail.wetwebmedia.com> wrote:
Thanks for such a quick response! However, you have now raised another question. I have tried to research "Zacco Barbs" and my efforts have proven unfruitful! The closest I can come is "Zacco Danios" @ www.aqualandpetsplus.com They are a green with six black vertical bars, extremely attractive specimens. If in fact these are what you are referring to, the next question is where can I buy them? I live relatively close to Houston, and San Antonio. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.
< These are the same fish. I found them in the Bay area. They are expensive but they work really well. You could also use rainbow fish or other barbs. I went to Lake Tang a couple of years ago and found a fish named Barilius ubangenese, Not quite sure of the spelling. Anyway, I found that these Zacco barbs are very closely related to the fish I saw in Africa.  Try Amazonia in Houston or Austin. Can't remember which city. Caroline gets fish from all over the country and could specially order some.-Chuck>

Chuck Portends Mbuna Doom?
My friend bought a Kenyi Cichlid (Pseudotropheus lombardoi) for a 10 gallon tank all by himself. He moved away and left me with the tank.  Well, I've been taking care of him for 5-6 months and I recently upgraded tanks to a 30 gallon with much nicer filtration and heating. I am wondering how I can stock the tank. if it's even possible to. He's been living by himself for long periods of time (with the exception of two agile sucker fish- one who is dead now) and I am wondering If I can add any other types of cichlids to the tank. He is a VERY aggressive fish, often times just looking around for another fish to butt heads with. I provided about 5 cave-like areas in the tank; he has staked one area out as his own at one end of the tank. I am wondering if it would be safe to add any types of larger cichlid to the tank (just so he would think twice about messing with them). I am really curious what species/kinds of cichlid are compatible with him. Thanks for your time! 
< Lake Malawian cichlids from the rocky areas are referred to as Mbuna by the natives and by avid cichlid enthusiasts. In the wild your fish eats algae off the rocks and actually stakes out territories. The larger the territory then the more algae there is too eat. Females are allowed to feed in his territory and this will allow the male to breed with them. So you can see in the wild that this adaptation works well. In the confined space of an aquarium this does not always work out. If you really want to add fish with him then you are going to need to spend some money and do some work. First make sure that the filter is moving at least 5 times the volume of the tank every hour. So your 30 gallon tank will need to move at least 150 gallons an hour. I would not recommend a canister filter. I find they are too much work to service so I would go with a Marineland 330 or better. They hang on the back of the aquarium and are easy to get to. Undergravel filters will not work because the cichlids will dig down to the filter plates making them useless. Make sure the heater has the water adjusted to 77 degrees. At any temp above that the males will keep trying to breed will always aggressive. Now you will need to buy at least 10 , yes 10 more Mbuna at least the same size at the same time. Buy the new fish at the end of the day. When you come home then you should do a 30% water change and rearrange the aquarium making all new territories. Add all the new fish and then turn out the lights for the rest of the night. The next morning I would slowly start feeding small amounts of Spirulina algae flakes a couple times a day. You large male will now have to chase all the other fish around and will not pick on just one. repeat this process every time you add new fish or you will just be sending all new fish to an early death.-Chuck> 
Nick

Pseudotropheus lombardoi
Hey! I really appreciate your reply and it solidified a lot of research I've been doing recently. I just purchased the filter you suggested off the internet for 30 bucks. 
< The filter I recommended does not run off of an air pump. It has its own water pump and can circulate over 300 gallons an hour. An outside air pump is not really required for aeration. The actual water movement is what is needed. As the water moves it comes in contact with the surface and that is where it picks up the oxygen, not from the little bubbles from the air pump.> 
I am however wondering if my 10 dollar air pump is enough, it's a Profile 1500, I'm guessing 1500 UL of pressure? 
< I think it is just a model number> 
I don't know what is needed or how oxygen fits into the grand scheme of things with more powerful filters after doing some reading. What species do you suggest I buy? 
< Mbuna from Lake Malawi will do fine as long as they all are around the same size.> 
I like the M. Lombardoi species which my current lonesome fish is and am wondering if it's all right to buy 10 more of them. 
<Sure, females and immature males are light blue and adult males are an orange yellow color. The males will fight over the females, so I would put two males with 8 females. If they are well fed then the females will breed and release the fry into the tank. Fun to watch.> 
Also, the current gravel in my tank is the size above pea-size gravel - small rocks, do you suggest I buy smaller ones to layer over that? 
< Pea gravel has a lot of pore space but not much surface area for bacteria to grow on. I would recommend a crushed coral type of sand. It buffers the water from having the pH drop too low and looks good too.> 
Lastly, to add more cave areas for the large number of cichlids ill be adding do you think it's a good idea to buy a few planting pots and break them up and stack them around the tank? 
< It doesn't look too natural but it will work.-Chuck>

Frontosa Aggressiveness -II
Thanks so much for your quick answers! Something I forgot to mention was that we have set up several PVC "caves" in the aquarium, a few of which are too small for the male to get into. The females hang out in them sometimes, but they often will swim in the open water and, after an initial period of adjustment, appear quite comfortable in their home. In light of your answers, I think the best course of action is to get a completely different (but compatible) group of cichlids for the tank, perhaps redecorating at the same time. Hopefully, next time they spawn it will be more productive. (It is a proven colony, so I'm sure it's just a matter of time and conditioning.) 
< I would not give up on this group at all. A trio of blue Frontosas can definitely work!> 
Thanks again for all your help. BTW, I'd like to add your link to our club website (http://www.kcfishclub.org). (I'm one of the webmasters.) Please let me know if you have any special way you would like us to do that, such as a particular page you want us to link to.  Evelyn
< I think just hooking up to the main homepage would be fine . thanks -Chuck> 

Tanganyikans and S.A. Dwarf Cichlids together? Not a good idea
    I have frontosa brundi's( 2 juveniles ) and one brichardi daff. and I was wondering if I could add some ram cichlids without any problems in regards to how the breeds usually get along.
<The frontosa come from Lake Tanganyika where the water is very hard and alkaline. The rams come from shallow savannah streams were the water is soft and slightly acidic. So their proffered waters are at the opposite ends of the scale. You could balance the pH by keeping it neutral for awhile but in the long run neither one would look its best and may not thrive. Eventually the frontosa would grow to 12 inches and eat everything in your tank including the daffodil. It would only take them a few months to get big enough to start eating the rams. The rams may survive by hiding all the time , so why get them at all. I know the temptation because those little rams sure are cute-Chuck>
The tank is 75gl. I know the water quality wouldn't be exact, but I have successfully kept rams in this tank before I got these Frontosas thanx,    Steve

A Frontosa and a Pacu?
I have a 75-gallon freshwater setup that houses three tinfoil barbs, one remaining silver dollar, and one red-bellied pacu.  In a smaller tank, I have one frontosa.  The frontosa is about six inches long.  I am debating the wisdom of putting the frontosa in my large tank with the 16-inch pacu.  Is there any chance they'd be compatible?
<I would place the frontosa in the tank late Friday night just before I turn out the lights. Watch them while you are at home and see how they are getting along. While none of your fish are particularly aggressive you never know until you actually put them together. The Frontosa comes from Lake Tanganyika and requires hard alkaline water. Your other fish come from rivers where the water may be soft. They should all adapt just fine.>
I would like to take advantage of the large tank's capacity in order to allow the frontosa to grow larger.
<Your frontosa will definitely benefit from a larger tank. -Chuck >  Thanks for you help.  Patty

African Help
HI, Help!
<Hi, I'm here to help.>
I am pretty concerned because in the last 3 months I keep finding dead fish. 
<That is definitely a cause for concern in my book.>
 The most interesting thing is, that one of those tank mates is probably nipping the fins pretty aggressively.  I wonder which one
could it be.  When I try to watch the tank, nothing seems to be a problem. 
<Most fish don't act naturally when someone is watching the tank.  Typically the aggression happens when lights are out or if no one is in the room.  When a fish sees you in the room most fish would rather beg for food.>
 I have 2 African cichlids (which were considered not too aggressive).  And this is true, one is more or less harmless, another is more aggressive, but until a certain point and then it just goes away near the bottom and just swims.  
<Cichlids are aggressive fish, even the "less aggressive" titled species still can be very testy and nippy to other tank mates.  "less" doesn't mean "not".>
I have one barb, two long fin Danios (I found their fins shortened over night), three orange Platies (I found one dead since yesterday), 2 dwarf gouramis (they don't seem a problem), one yellow gouramis, and one silver tetra.  I had two mollies but I found them dead without fins.  
<I'm not sure what type of barb you have, some are classified as semi-aggressive (like the tiger barbs and such).  Aside from the barb these other fish are not aggressive, they are peaceful community fish, and really shouldn't be kept with aggressive species of fish.  Cichlids really should be kept with other cichlids (or in a tank all to themselves).  Cichlids are very territorial and will fight with all other fish for space.  And in a fish tank, there isn't a lot of space for a fish to set up territories.  The fins are most likely being nipped by the cichlids, and it won't stop until the aggressors are removed from the tank.  It is a good idea for you to think about setting up another tank to separate the cichlids from the peaceful fish.>
This seems to happen overnight and I don't know whether one of the cichlids is hunting or what is going on. 
<During the night when they start to rest many cichlids don't like other fish being around them, so territory disputes occur when the lights go out.>
 I had crabs but they climbed out of the tank a month ago and now I have a female crab left which I consider harmless (or maybe not, I don't know). 
<Many crabs will try to attack sleeping/resting fish.  Larger crabs have been known to catch and eat fish in home aquariums. You can try removing that first and see if it does make a difference in the tank, but most likely the crab isn't the creature nipping on the fins.  Remember, always seal your tank when you have crabs and other animals that can climb out.  I found out by having a crab climb out and move into the filtration system of the tanks.>  
So I just wonder whether I have to eliminate some fish out of the tank ( I really like cichlids, so I'd rather have aggressive fish if I have to change) or are those crabs, something is going on that I don't know. 
<You will have to separate the cichlids from the other fish.  I enjoy cichlid tanks and have found them to be very exciting to have.  Many fish stores will offer you store credit for the fish you have.>
 My tank is 55 gal, has a lot of hiding place. I don't know how long these orange Platies live, maybe it was time for it to die (It had a fat belly a day before, then it shrunk and then it died) Before she had babies and it looked like that, so I was not
concerned, I thought that might have been babies again. 
<It could have been pregnant, and the other fish ate the babies.  Also right after giving birth some fish are quite weak, and in this state that many of them get killed by tankmates.  Platies normally live for about 2-3 years.  I had one last 2 and a half, and was quite a large fish when it finally passed away.>
 So, I will impatiently wait for your answer and thank you in advance.
Lina
<Hope that helps.  Good luck with the fish. -Magnus>

I got a question for yellow labs
I'm currently have 1 electric yellow cichlid (male).  can I keep him with a female krib?
<provided that you have a large enough tank with plenty of rockwork and  caves for each to have their own territory then they shouldn't be that bad together.  a Male Labidochromis caeruleus (electric yellow) can be a bit pushy, so just keep an eye on them for the first 3 weeks>
Jason Nguyen
<good luck -Magnus>

Re: I got a question for yellow labs
you're right about waiting for the fish to be braver.  my fish now loves to go up near where the filter top is.  usually he'll stay in the bottom but now he's mostly on top.
<once cichlids get used to a tank, they make great active pets.>
  My fish has some light black lines across his body.  What does that indicate? sick?
<no, probably not sick, most cichlids have black lines across their bodies.  most likely the fish is getting used to the tank, and relaxing. Once the fish is in a nice healthy tank and is happy, they true healthy colors show through.  So most likely the black lines are just the natural color patterns on the fish.  So, nothing to be worried about.  The time to worry is when a cichlid's color fades and it looks rather pale.  that is usually a sign of sickness.  -Magnus>

African cichlids w/ eels
I have been doing some serious research about this and have unfortunately
gotten (as usual) conflicting advise on the matter.  First off I love
the site, great answers.  What do you know about Aethiomastacembelus
elipsifer or Aethiomastacembelus plagiostoma?
<Not much. Members of this genus of spiny eels rarely come into the trade in the west>
I have an African setup
in a 55 gallon w/ black sand and tons of rocks to hide in.  Do you think
these guys would do well?  I know to cover any and every hole to prevent
suicide and thought about actinic lights  to possibly increase the time
spent swimming instead of hiding.  Tell me what you guys think.
Thanks,
<If the cichlids are not overly aggressive... and you can get the eels in relatively good initial health... you just might have a very nice biotope set-up going. Please write in re your experiences with these mastacembelids. Bob Fenner>

African Cichlids and aggression - 12/15/03
Hi, <Hello>
I have a 10 gallon tank with 4 cichlids. <10 gallon?? You're kidding right?? This is not a good size tank for the cichlids you describe. WAY under sized!!>
1.Orange colored African cichlid (4")
2.Orange colored zebra cichlid (3")
3.Brown colored African cichlid (3.5")
4.Convict cichlid (4")
These fishes were living in harmony with each other for the last six months with one other cichlid who died recently. <What?? Really?? Dude......I have a 90 gallon with 5 cichlids coming in somewhere near the sizes you describe and as far as I am concerned my tank is barely the minimum for this many cichlids when it comes to aggressive species let alone the more docile ones. Many ideas here but you should consider a 55 gallon above anything else.> They are growing and I am suddenly noticing the Orange colored African cichlid (4") is continuously chasing both the Brown colored African cichlid (3.5") and Orange colored zebra cichlid (3"). <In any size tank this is to be expected, but in this small tank I am surprised there hasn't been continuous death> He hasn't killed or hurt any fish but I am worried that this constant aggression towards the other 2 fishes may stress them out leading to their deaths. Is this true? <YES!> My tank has plenty of hiding places <Dude, it's a ten gallon. Most of the volume of the tank are taken up by fish mass! Are you kidding me?> and nowadays the Orange colored zebra cichlid (3") is hiding all the time and not even eating any food. <Afraid for its life, me thinks> Any suggestions or ideas to combat the aggressive behavior of the cichlid. <To start a bigger tank. Even with a bigger tank though, some cichlid species are very aggressive and territorial. Do your research on the needs and environment of your chosen inhabitants. Be sure to know the adult size and behavioral profiles of each.> I have heard of dither and target fishes but I am not sure anyone has a chance with this big guy. <Agreed, have you heard of bio loading? There are limits, my friend. Please read through our site and check through the FAQs. There are also some very good cichlid forums out there. I suggest for you to use them before during and after inhabitant additions and setup> Any ideas towards this? <Get rid of the fish until you can provide a better suited environment is my first thought> He picks up big shells with his mouth and throws them on top of the plants and the pebbles are in a state of constant disarray. <This is as expected for a lot of the cichlid species>
I read about sexing cichlids and I believe the Orange colored African cichlid (4") is male, Orange colored zebra cichlid (3") is male, Brown colored African cichlid (3.5") is female and Convict cichlid (4") is female. Is there any quick identification tips for finding out the sex of a cichlid. <Some varying methods all documented throughout our page. Try here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/afrcichlids.htm and let your fingers do some clicking on the blue links above. So much info related to your exact issues and situation. Good luck to your fish ~Paul>
Thanks for your help.
Naveen Naidu

Mixing rift lake cichlids
Hi,
Some people say it's ok to mix Malawi and Tanganyikan cichlids and others say it's not a good idea. You guys seem to be very knowledgeable on Africans and say not to mix. I was wondering if you could give some specific reasons not to. I'm about to move 5 - 1" to 2" OB Peacocks, 4 - 1" to 2" Yellow Labs and 1 - 1" Blue Dolphin from a 55g to a 125g tank and wanted to add a Frontosa and an Orange Calvus. I thought their diet and personalities would match.
<Hi!  Yes, it is usually beneficial to the animals if you keep your display "biotopic."  The benefits to you, the owner, are also great, as you see how your animals would behave under normal conditions.  But, many mix with great results.  The water quality and chemistry for the species you plan on keeping is nearly identical-as long as personalities match, you've found an exception to the rule.  Now, do the personalities match?  That's something that only time will tell.  Do yourself a favor- make sure you have an area to quarantine your fish if the aggression gets out of hand!  Best of luck-Ryan>
Thanks for any help you can provide,
Keith

Malawi Cichlid Compatibility - 9/4/03
Hey Crew,
  I want to make sure that a Demasoni Cichlid (Pseudotropheus demasoni)<http://www.cichlidae.com/tanks/t032.html> will be compatible in my tank. <Always depends on not only the species but the individual fish as well.>  It is a 30 Gallon tank (Lots of hiding places) with very good water in terms of PH, Nitrates, ammonia, etc. <I should hope so>  I currently have (2) Kenyi Cichlids <I assume we are talkin Pseudotropheus lombardoi? http://centralpets.com/pages/critterpages/fish/freshwater_fish/FWF4512.shtml> and (1) Electric Yellow. <Assume we are talking Labidochromis caeruleus? http://centralpets.com/pages/critterpages/fish/freshwater_fish/FWF4501.shtml>  These fish seem to play very well together <I wouldn't say they are playing, mate-> and I don't want to cause any premature deaths. <Hard to say. Let me say this though, I have currently five Aulonocara type Malawi cichlids in a 90 gallon and I still have aggression. Have had them since they were fry and they have all been together for over six years. All are from different families and no two really look alike, yet I still see much fighting. There is no telling an individual fish personality will react to badgering and confined quarters. Pseudotropheus species in general are super aggressive and I would like to think that in their environment the more space between them the better thus a bigger tank is in order. At the very least 55 gallons for what you have but more like 75 would be ideal. Something to think over. Not that it can't be done in a smaller tank though.....just.....give them the best environment, if you know what I mean BTW- I love this site http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/ -Paul>
Thanks,
Shad

Burundi Frontosa Compatibility
Hello. <Hello!  Ryan with you tonight.>
I have a question regarding Burundi Frontosa.<Shoot>  Four days ago I purchased two of them ( man they're beautiful <Agreed>). Right now they are at approx 1 1/2 inches.  For now I put them in my community tank which contains:  2 Bala Sharks ( approx 3 1/2 inches), 2 Blue Gourami (approx 3 inches), 2 Boesemanni Rainbowfish ( approx 3 inches ), 4 Ruby Barbs ( approx 1 1/2 inches), 1 Plecostomus ( approx 3 inches ), and now of course 2 Burundi Frontosas. So far they seem to be doing really good! <Only temporary, I'm afraid.>  The tank that I have is 46 gal bow front. It has been running for 2 years now.  I'm using Fluval 404 filter ( media: sponges, carbon, ammonia remover, and ceramic cubes.  Carbon and ammonia remover I change every 30 to 40 days). Temp is stable at 80 degrees. pH is 7.8 ( I happen to be quite lucky ( I think ), the pH is regular tap water.<Yes, testing your source water has great advantages!> ) I do weekly water change approx 30% and I use Aqua Plus to kill chlorine and chloramine. <OK>
My first question is: are the Frontosas going to be ok in this community tank?  <Keep them well fed, and pray.  At this size, perhaps.  These fish grow quickly.>  Guy at the local fish store assured me that they will do well. <They always do-remember, if they're selling something, get a second opinion!>  
I should mention next year I'm planning to get approx 90 gal tank,<May even want bigger, certainly if you'll want them to have companions.>  which will be future home for my new fronts, and I'd like to make Lake Tanganyika setup.  <Wonderful!  Please consider A. Calvus and A. Compressiceps for this setup.  Slow moving, big.  Good match>  But that will be next year. The 46 gal will remain community tank ( I've had all those fish for 2 years now, so I don't want to get rid of them.)
My second question is about feeding the fronts.  The current diet that my fish are on is: tropical fish color enhancing flakes, algae tablet, blood worms, brine shrimp.  Almost everyday they get something different.  So far I've noticed that the fronts are not eating the algae tablets (It seems that they don't know how to eat it, they just swim around it).   <Fronts are fish eaters in the wild- if your specimens are wild caught, I'm not surprised.  Try Whiting, brine shrimp, black worms, glassworms or silversides.  These fish truly have a taste for meat...>  But everything else, wow, they have quite appetite. Should I change the diet since the fronts arrived?  Please give me some suggestions, <see above>
Also, I have some lava rocks and driftwood.  Should I get rid of drift wood?  Will it lower the pH too much for the fronts ( it's been in the tank for 2 years. <No>). If I have to get rid of it, I heard something about using lace rock or slate in the cichlids tanks.  Is that true? <Not a big fan.  If this system has been successful for 2 years, don't mess with it.  Remember, this is only temp until you upgrade.>
That's all for my questions for now, please give me some suggestions and let me know what you think of what I'm doing so far. <You're overstocked, even with these beauties at smaller size.  Watch that bio-load, keep the Fluval clean, and keep up the water changes.  Lots of GREAT info on these wonderful monsters here http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/frontosa_corner.php>
Thank You
Daniel.
<anytime!  Ryan>

Kenyi compatibility
I have 55gal tank w/ 3-cobalts, 3-powder blues, 4-yellow labs and 2-kenyi. The entire back wall is a rock pile w/ many caves of different sizes.  have also made rock walls from back to front of tank to delineate the Kenyi territories.
<Sounds like a neat tank>
It appears that both my Kenyi are male.  One is a bright orange-yellow w/ light brown stripes.  The other is pale yellow w/ faint hint of lavender at flanks & bright yellow fins.  Aggression levels seem to be increasing daily with one or the other constantly chasing someone.
<Aggression like this is normal for Kenyi’s>
I am thinking about trading in one of the Kenyi & trying to obtain 2 female Kenyi. Will this reduce the aggression level in my tank, or should I just give up on keeping Kenyi unless I get a tank just for them? Thanks, Terri
<Kenyi’s do best in species tanks rather than mixed in with other species of cichlids so I would recommend staying away from them until you have a tank just for them. Ronni>

Cichlid compatibility questions
Hi,
<Hello>
My son and I just set up our first tank and I'm afraid we got some questionable advice from our local fish store.  We have a 25 gallon tank with an Eclipse system.
<OK>
We purchased a pair of Julidochromis and 3 Labidochromis (Yellow Labs) which were all on the small side.  Immediately, the Julies paired up and laid eggs in a conch shell.  They've completely taken over the tank and constantly harass the Labs.  
<Not uncommon, especially when spawning.>
We now realize that we've mixed Tanganyikans and Malawi cichlids.  We're going to take back the Labs but were wondering what else we might add to the pair of spawning Julies.  Also, the Julies don't seem to be eating.  Any suggestions?
<Get rid of the Labs and just keep the Julies. In this size tank your fish will be much happier and healthier if it’s just the pair of them.>
Thanks! Jesse
<You're welcome! Ronni>

Re: Cichlid compatibility questions
Ronni, Thanks for the quick reply.  We did get rid of the labs, and now just have the spawning pair.  We can see about 6 to 8 fry swimming around in the large conch shell that the pair have taken over.
<Very good, congrats!>
We tried to feed the fry some liquid egg layer food, but it disperses into the tank - we turned the pump off for a short period of time and that seemed to help.  Should we be feeding them?  
<Turning off the filter is a good plan. You can also make fry food from any flake or pellet food by crushing it up into a fine powder.>
Should we attempt to segregate the fry?
<Nope, Cichlids take care of their fry so I’d leave them in there.>
Should we be concerned about them getting sucked into the filter?
<Probably not but if it’s a worry then place a piece of foam over the intake of the pump.>
Thanks again for your help! Jesse
<You're welcome! Ronni>

Clown Loach with African Cichlids?
Will a non-aggressive but tough fish like a clown loach survive in a 55g African cichlid tank?  Ph is 7.8, I add about a cup of sea salt per 15g, substrate is aragonite.  There are a dozen cichlids plus one pleco and two giant Danios.
<Some people do successfully keep clown loaches with Africans but unless you can get some that are already fairly large I wouldn’t recommend it. Clowns aren’t as tough as you might think. This is one of the reasons they rarely reach their full size when kept in captivity. Also, your tank is really already at it’s full fish load.>
My reason for considering this is simply visual diversity.  The cichlids made quick lunch, though, of the tiger barbs I had added for this reason. Jeffrey M. Zegas
<Tiger Barbs are recommended as dither fish but when I tried them I had the exact same thing happen. Mine didn’t last an hour! Ronni>

African cichlids kept with brackish species
Robert, Great web site. I would love your expert opinion on a number of
questions that I've accumulated over 20 years of aquarium keeping.
<Ask away>
I'm having success keeping scats and monos with my African cichlids. 
<Good mix temperamentally, in terms of water quality preferences>
I
maintain salinity at 1/2 teaspoon/gallon. What is your opinion of the
salinity level with respect to the ongoing health of both types of fish?
<If this is working for you, I'd stick with it... An important mention should be made that there may be substantial salts in your source water to start with... I would shoot for a specific gravity of about 1.005 or so...>
Should the brackish fish have a higher salinity level? If so, at what point
will the increased salinity start to harm the Africans?
<Once again, we need to define a few terms... all this depends on the type of "salt" you mean... not just sodium chloride... the brackish fish groups you keep live in a varying mix of natural sea salts... Malawi cichlids live in a very different mix (and Lake Tanganyika ones very different still)...>
In order to keep brackish fish for a long time, i.e., more than 4-5 years, is
it necessary to eventually raise the salinity to full sea water?
<No>
What is the ideal salinity level for brackish fish?
<Please take a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackish.htm
There are widely ranging tolerances/preferences by species... as stated, a spg of about 1.005 made with synthetic sea salt/s... is best for you, your livestock mix overall.>
Any help, especially with the first question, will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

FW (African Cichlids)
I have a 20 gallon long tank with a pair of jewel cichlids and 3 small Kribs. The jewels have taken over the tank and I am wondering if I can add any other semi-aggressive fish to the mix, as they have already killed my swordtails and dojo loach. Thanks!
<Actually... no to adding more livestock period here. The Kribensis Cichlids are way more less aggressive than the Jewels... I would trade in either one or the other... add a bit more rock to see if that will alleviate the aggression if you keep the Jewels, or plant life if you favor the Kribs... Your twenty is not only mis-matched temperament-wise with the fishes you have, but overcrowded as well... Only the Jewels will go, and one or two of them likely killed by the others in time... or the Kribs and maybe a small ditherfish, perhaps a catfish... Bob Fenner>

Re: FW
WOW was that ever fast!! Thanks for the advise I will do my best!!
<Outstanding. Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

Cichlids
Bob,
<Steven Pro this morning.>
How's about a little change of pace? I've got a question about 3 African cichlids that we have.
1. Pseudotropheus Zebra
2. Pseudotropheus Collainos
3. Melanochromis auratus
Would it be possible to put them into a 155 gal. tank along with 2 8-10" Oscars,
<A marginal choice, Oscars could swallow Africans or Africans could constantly harass/nip Oscars>
1 3" gold angel,
<No>
2 3" silver dollars,
<More than 2 would be better>
and last but not least, 2 6-8" Plecos.
<These are fine.>
We have a bunch of lace rock in there for cover for the Plecos, could we build that up a little to also afford some cover for the Africans?
Looking forward to your response. Thanx, Ce
<Africans are best kept with other Africans due to aggression, water parameters, etc. You are welcome. -Steven Pro

Invertebrates and African Cichlids
I have a 29gallon tank with 5 full grown Mbunas and one Pleco. I was wondering what kind of invertebrates if any I could keep in the same tank.
< I would not recommend any except as food...seriously. Snails, crabs, crayfish/lobsters and shrimp are all quite delectable to most every cichlid (with a few exceptions). Kindly, Anthony>

Cichlid tank
I'm currently in the stages of purchasing a 180 gallon tank. I want to house Lake Tanganyikan cichlids the species I like are: Altolamprologus calvus black, Chalinochromis "ndoboi", Cyathopharynx furcifer Ubwari green, Cyphotilapia frontosa Ikola "aqua blue", Julidochromis regani Zambia gold, Lepidiolamprologus kendalli, Neolamprologus leleupi, Opthalmotilapia ventralis "black head", Synodontis petricola, and another Synodontis. I'm trying to keep this a biotope. Would this mix work and if not which ones wouldn't? 
<although the Frontosas are usually gentle giants, their size will be very intimidating to the smaller adult cichlids. The Julidochromis are great fish but might be too assertive at least at feeding for the other shy fishes (calvus and furcifer for example). And lastly, mixing Synodontis species can be quite tricky. Better off with one species per tank>
How many of each should I get? 
<one male and several females each for most African cichlids>
And what kind of aquascaping should I do, 
<large shells and caves will be nice for the calvus and Synodontis specifically>
I know lots and lots of rock work, I currently keep Malawians but have no experience with Tangies. 
Thanks! Ty Medaris
<and know that Tangies like VERY alkaline water (high 8's towards 9.0!!!) and generally very well aged water. Best regards, Anthony>

Fish Compatibility (African Cichlids)
Hello there,
<HI>
I was wondering if I could have your opinion on what would be a good
fish addition to my 36 gallon freshwater tank, some live plants,
rocks and driftwood. Currently I have 6 African cichlids (3
Julidochromis and 3 Cyprichromis leptosoma), an Albino Bristle nose
and a couple of baby bristle's. Just looking for a something else
that would get along well with the cichlids I have now.
<Well... by nature cichlids do not get along well in the home aquarium. In this situation I might look into getting a larger tank. If I were to get any more fish I would go for more Tanganyikans of similar size; possibly a shell dweller. But be forewarned, if you have too many aggressive fish in a small area, chances are someone is going to get hurt.>
Thank you, Jay
<The link below has info on some of the different Tanganyikans.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/afrcichlids.htm
fishbase.org is also a great resource. Best Regards, Gage>

Maylandia estherae and elephant nose
hi, I was wondering if it would be wise and Ok to keep Maylandia
estherae and elephant nose fish together, I have four M. estherae and two
Elephant nose fish. Thanks
<Maylandia estherae, aka the Red Zebra (Mbuna) cichlid and Elephant Nose/s (Mormyrids) are not well-matched... the former prefer very hard, alkaline water with considerable salt content... and Elephant Noses neutral, soft water with no salt... and temperamentally these fishes are a poor match... the cichlids are quite aggressive, would harass, eat the Elephant Noses into starvation. Bob Fenner>

Learning about Cichlid Compatibility issues (the hard way)
I've had a 30 Gal tank for about a year. Initially it had 8 small cichlids, a Cory and Pleco. It has always had lots of caves. Over the first 6 months the herd thinned considerably. We found out the hard way that some of our fish were more aggressive than others. In fact the Labidochromis Cerulean killed our Cory and our pleco (it ate their eyes out) and 2 other cichlids. We returned him and he was later placed, by the store owner into a tank of convicts...where unbelievably he has carved out his own niche.
<Not unbelievable to me>
For the past 6 months the tank has been relatively peaceful. Here are the inhabitants:
1 Tetracephalus (2.5 inches), 1 Demasoni (2.5 inches),1 Daffodil Brichardi (2.5 inches), 1 Neo. cylindricus (1.5 inches), 3 fancy barbs (put in to act as dither fish)
<Good idea... but your tank is way too small...>
and 3 of some other inexpensive fish that are also acting as dither fish.
For some reason all of a sudden the Tetracephalus and the Demasoni cannot tolerate each others presence.
<Natural. They occupy, use similar niches in the wild... are trying to exclude, move out each other from the present one... but there's nowhere to go.>
Twice we have had to put the Tetracephalus into a breeders net and nurse him back to health after he lost nearly all of his fins (and lips) to the same sized Demasoni. Every time we re-introduce him to the tank he immediately goes right back after the Demasoni. Any suggestions?
<Yes my friend. Either acquire, use a much larger system (at least twice the volume) or trade one of the aggressive cichlids in. Bob Fenner>
thanks! Mark

Learning about Cichlid Compatibility issues (the hard way)
<Yes my friend. Either acquire, use a much larger system (at least twice the volume) or trade one of the aggressive cichlids in. Bob Fenner>
Darn. Well unfortunately I cant get a larger tank at this time since my employer is forcing me to relocate half-way across the country. Do you happen to have any advice on moving the fish I have or is it really impossible?
<Possible yes. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/movingaq.htm
though this pc. is titled "marine", the same techniques, technology, protocol apply>
Is it possible to power a heater (and/or a bubbler) from a SUV power outlet? I'll be moving from NY to Tennessee and I don't think mailing them will be an option.
<How many hours, days do you think there might be between returning the fishes to a system? If you're attached to them, I would contact a store you trust at your final destination, and strike a deal to ship them there for temporary holding.>
thanks for all of your help, Mark
<You're welcome. Bob Fenner>

Learning about Cichlid Compatibility Issues (the hard way) 2
"Yes my friend. Either acquire, use a much larger system (at least twice the volume) or trade one of the aggressive cichlids in. Bob Fenner"
Darn. Well unfortunately I cant get a larger tank at this time since my employer is forcing me to relocate half-way across the country. Do you happen to have any advice on moving the fish I have or is it really impossible?
<There is actually an entire article on moving aquariums located on www.WetWebMedia.com, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/movingtkho.htm>
Is it possible to power a heater (and/or a bubbler) from a SUV power outlet?
<Not that I know of, but there are battery operated air pumps if you feel the need.>
I'll be moving from NY to Tennessee and I don't think mailing them will be an option.
Thanks for all of your help, Mark
<Good luck! -Steven Pro>

African Cichlid compatibility
I just got a new aquarium 120 X 55 X 70 (430 LT) and it's cycling...ready to be the new home of Mbuna cichlids. It has rocks for decoration and many caves and hiding places. I would like your advice for the number and species of the fish I want to keep. What do you think of a combination of the following :
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi  1M+3F
Labidochromis caeruleus 1M+4F
Pseudotropheus socolofi 1M+3F
Cynotilapia afra mbamba 1M+3F
Labeotropheus trewavasae 1M+3F
Copadichromis borleyi 1M+3F
or even some Labidochromis sp. "Perlmutt" or Labidochromis sp. "Red Top Kimpuma" ?? I don't want to have aggressive species and problems in my tank later. Thank you for your help, George
<Hi George, sounds like a nice mix, but it may become a little crowded for adult Mbunas.  Aggression will likely be an issue. I would remove at least one set of 5 or even 2 sets of 4 by species. -Gage>

Re: Pseudodoras niger or jaguar catfish??
Hey Bob, are these guys related; Pseudodoras niger and Megaladoras irwini??
<Yes... same family... though a genus has changed... Please insert these names in www.fishbase.org and you will learn>
also can u help me.. I am looking for a catfish that I can put in with my African cichlids.. at the moment I have a few Synodontis multipunctatus in there and they are all doing fine.... I was wondering could a Pseudodoras niger or jaguar catfish work in that kind of a tank..
<Likely yes... if they start out large enough, with plenty of rock spaces to get away, adequate feeding to initially fit in>
I saw the Pseudodoras at my LFS and the guy told me that they can live in a tank with a ph of up to 7.8 and GH of 25... mine are ph 7.8, KH 12, GH 16.. its 280 gallons.. 96 x 24 x 31 dimensions..
<Mmm, as you'll find by looking at fishbase... these S. American fishes prefer softer, less alkaline water... there are many "native" African choices to consider in their place>
currently I have 8 fish in there.. a Kigoma frontosa (about 3"), Malawi blue dolphin (3" also), a gold Lepidiolamprologus profundicola (4"), 2 Neolamprologus sexfasciatus (2"), 3 Synodontis multipunctatus (4").. I plan to get more fish later on, but this is what I have at the moment.. I also plan to get 3 more Mpulungu Malawi blue dolphin.. 4 Mwele orange Altolamprologus compressiceps, 4 Mutondwe gold head Altolamprologus compressiceps, 5 Synodontis angelicus, 3 Synodontis multipunctatus and also 1 Lepidiolamprologus kendalli.. that's all I have looked into at the moment.. is this a good idea?? If not can yo u recommend any other catfish that would work. I really like how the Pseudodoras looks... its really cool and plus I have the big tank that it requires.. I just got my 280 gallon.. its cycling at the moment.  Please help!
<Do take a read through the family Mochokidae again... there are some nice choices there that are as available as these doradids... and much more appropriate in terms of water quality. Bob Fenner>

FW Ich, African Cichlid Compatible Cats
Hey Bob,
<Hey Gage>
Gage here, just drinkin, dreamin, and answerin emails.
<Sounds familiar>
  I was wondering if I could enlist your help in a couple of matters, and was hoping that this would not get posted on the daily's.  I've got a couple of emails in my box that I am not sure about.
<Okay.>
First off is regarding Gourami Fry with Ich.  Will a regular dose of meds kill the youngans?  I was thinking maybe a half dose, and some aquarium salt?
<Better to use/suggest elevated temperature (about 85 F.) alone... sans med.s. The higher average kinetic energy will do the trick.>
The next question is about catfish to include in an African tank.
"r these guys related; Pseudodoras niger and Megaladoras irwini?? "
<Insert both names in Fishbase.org and you will see.>
I was thinking no because their names are completely different, but I dunno.
<You will. What sort of reference system, materials do you have? The "net" is better every day, but... I still have to "go to the library".>
>here is the rest of his message:
"I am looking for a catfish that I can put in with my African cichlids.. at the moment I have a few Synodontis multipunctatus in there and they are all doing fine.... I was wondering could a Pseudodoras niger or jaguar catfish work in that kind of a tank.. I saw the Pseudodoras at my LFS and the guy told me that they can live in a tank with a ph of up to 7.8 and GH of 25... mine are ph 7.8, KH 12, GH 16.. its 280 gallons.. 96 x 24 x 31 dimensions.. currently I have 8 fish in there.. a Kigoma frontosa (about 3"), Malawi blue dolphin (3" also), a gold Lepidiolamprologus profundicola (4"), 2 Neolamprologus sexfasciatus (2"), 3 Synodontis multipunctatus (4").. I plan to get more fish later on, but this is what I have at the moment.. I also plan to get 3 more Mpulungu Malawi blue dolphin.. 4 Mwele orange Altolamprologus compressiceps, 4 Mutondwe gold head Altolamprologus compressiceps, 5 Synodontis angelicus, 3 Synodontis multipunctatus and also 1 Lepidiolamprologus kendalli.. that's all I have looked into at the moment.. is this a good idea?? if not can u recommend any other catfish that would work.. I really like how the Pseudodoras looks... its really cool and plus I have the big tank that it requires.. I just got my 280 gallon.. its cycling at the moment.. pls help!!! "
>As far as I know Frontosas are Tanganyikan prefer not to associate with Malawians.  I have also heard that mixing Synodontis is not the best idea.
<Some mix quite well>
Please feel free to kick some knowledge, that's youngan for please help me out.
<A pleasure. Please do "send" messages that you don't feel you have time to delve into onto me, others.>
Best Regards, Gage
<Be chatting. Bob Fenner>

African cichlids and eels??, Eels & Rift Lake Cichlids
hey, would a fire eel work in a mixed African rift lake setup?? I currently have a 1-2" frontosa, 2" Malawi blue dolphin, 2 3" Synodontis multipunctatus.. if it doesn't work, r there any other eels that might survive in this.. can u recommend any?? thanx, Jiwan..
<Well- "survival" is a relative word. Although Fire eels are adaptable to a range of water conditions, I'd probably pass on adding one to this system. Your Frontosa is gonna be a BIG fish, and the other fish can be fairly aggressive feeders. Fire eels also get big -more than 3 feet-but they are generally nocturnal and are not competitive feeders. For more info on eels, see ://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubwebIndex/matacembelids . Good luck! Scott F.>

Re: African cichlids and eels??
hey bob,
<Gage here.>
thanx that was really helpful.. but u didn't answer one of my questions.. would the fire eel eat the other fish seeing that it can get to 3 feet long??
<No, the fish that you are keeping are pretty dang tough, I would worry more about the eel.>
and also if not the fire eel r there any other eels that I could keep in this type of a setup???.. my frontosa is pretty passive.. the only one I am concerned with is my Malawi blue dolphin he is pretty aggressive..
Jiwan
<I would not add any eels to this set up, I would pick one lake and go with it. Your Frontosa is from Lake Tanganyika, and the blue dolphin is from Malawi. This will not work in the long run, it is best to stick with cichlids from the same lake, and possibly some catfish. How big is your tank, the Frontosa can reach 13in. Best Regards, Gage>

African cichlids and eel??
hey bob,
<Hi Jiwan, Craig here>
Thanks very much. So if a fire eel is a bad idea would a freshwater moray eel be a better option, seeing that they like salt in their water and African cichlids live in alkaline conditions and I do have salt in my tank. The salinity is 1.005. Would a FW moray eel work?? Do I have to worry about them eating the other fish in the tank??
Jiwan
<"Freshwater" Morays are not really freshwater residents but are really brackish residents that require 1.005-1.010 SG salt water. African Cichlids are freshwater fish requiring a higher pH and hardness but they could not survive brackish conditions. You would not like the results regardless. Please do research stocking options on WetWebMedia.com. Craig>