Nomenclature question
Hello -
For many decades, I have always kept Red Devil's and was familiar with the scientific names. In fact, back in the mid to early 80's, I had several questions answered by Aquarium Fish Magazine regarding the possibility of breeding my large male. In each of these correspondences, the scientific name was always printed with the response, in fact one of the questions I posed dealt with a particular name change which occurred back then.
When I first started rearing Red Devils, the scientific name was Heros labius or Heros labiatus. Several years later, they started changing the name from Heros to Cichlidae labius and/or Cichlasoma labiatus. Today, I have noted that they are also using the name Amphilophus labiatus. 
I remember that the original name change from Heros to Cichlidae was an effort to properly show the familial relations as well as reduce the number of animals that had multiple names as a result of different scientist describing the same species.
Thus, what is the current/proper name of the Red Devil? Furthermore, what have all of the different versions been and why are they constantly revising the name?
Thanks.
Art
<<Hello Art,
The name Amphilophus is current and should be final. The genus Cichlasoma was an umbrella for all cichlids from Central America until things got sorted out. Today it has been split into a whole bunch of new genera according to morphological characteristics, so the fish eaters for example are Parapetenia (i.e. friedrichstahli), the rheophile cichlids are Tomocichla (i.e. tuba), the group around the red devil are now Amphilophus. There are still some fish that have not been placed in any of the groups including the salvini and the Jack Dempsey (C. octofasciatum). The genus Heros is now reserved for the fish we know as the severum (now Heros severus), and includes around a half dozen species. To check on current names you can go to http://www.fishbase.org - this site is pretty current with what is happening in nomenclature. Hope this helps, Oliver >>

Jaguar Cichlid
Hi. I just recently purchased a very large, I'd say about 9 inches long, African Managuense. I have never seen one this big before that's what tempted me towards the purchase! I am not sure though how much and how often I should feed this species especially considering this size? His second day at home in his new 45 gallon tank he ate all 10 large goldfish
that I brought home! Is 10 goldfish in one hour too much? When do you suppose I feed him a gain? He is a monster but I don't want to under or over feed based on his size. Any suggestions on the frequency and amounts for feeding?
Thanks! Chris
<Hi Chris, Don here. Please make every attempt to get him off feeder fish. Sooner, NOT later you will bring in Ick or worse. You can feed him garden worms as a treat. Many good pellets and sticks out there for large cichlids. Cheaper than feeders, far safer and better food value. But I'd wait three or four days before feeding him again. After ten goldfish he needs a break. Get him good and hungry then try the sticks. Feed as much as he will eat in five to ten minutes. You should feed a fish this size every other day. Siphon out any leftovers and test the water. He will foul it quickly. This fish can hit sixteen inches, you will need a much bigger tank for him in the future. BTW, he's not African but from Central America. Read here http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Cichlasoma_managuense.html  Don>

Schooling Texas cichlids?
Hello,
I'm trying to learn if my stocking idea is feasible... I have 125 gal (6 foot long) tank currently inhabited by an 18" gibbiceps, 7" Raphael catfish, 3" green terror juvie, 2" female convict, about 20 green Corys and 4 Barbus filamentosus. Somewhere I've heard the Texas cichlid is a schooling fish, and I'm wondering if adding 3-4 would possibly work in my tank?
< All cichlid fry are somewhat of a schooling fish until they mature and get ready to breed. At about two or three inches they will start to pair off and no longer school.>
While I wouldn't like to, I could possibly remove the convict to another tank, and again, if I had to I suppose I could give the green terror to the LFS as it's still quite small I'm sure they'd happily take him/her back. I'd rather keep everyone, though.  What do you think? If Texas cichlid isn't a good option, could you recommend another CA/SA cichlid of good size, 8-10" and colorful that could cohabitate somewhat peacefully with conspecifics? I don't mind a little natural aggression, I just don't want my fish living in a constant war zone!  Thanks, Jennifer 
< When dealing with central and South American cichlids it is possible to get some fairly non-aggressive cichlids to get along in a big tank. Look at the chocolate cichlid, Heros severum, festivum and all of the Geophagus types.-Chuck>

pH range for Firemouths and Acaras
I have a 25g aquarium and want to keep firemouths and blue acaras. The problem is that the tap water I use is alkaline (pH=8) and these cichlids require a pH around 7. The aquarium is decorated with 3 large pieces of driftwood, but they don't seem to have a dramatic influence on the water's pH. I used Zeolite in the past and got a ph of 7.3, but now I have stopped using it as it absorbs the ammonia, which is critical for the Nitrosomonas cultures. What's the solution for my problem? Should I use chemicals (and which of them?) to bring the water to the desired pH value? Could the cichlids survive in alkaline water?
Thanks. Spyros
< You could try and keep them in your local tap water. Keep the water clean and warm. If they start to break down I would obtain a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with bottled or filtered water so it is essentially mineral free. Use a buffer that will keep the water at pH 7.0. As you do your weekly water changes the pH will gradually be replaced with the new water and it will be right around 7.0.-Chuck>

Cichlid question for Chuck (source, care of neotropicals)
Hi to the Crew !
I have a cichlid question, I'm hoping Chuck might know where I can find some
info.
(I've searched online like crazy...)
I recently got two very small cichlid fry from a friend (the only survivors
from 3 spawns).  He had gotten the parent fish via Aquabid, and they were
listed as "dwarf chanchitos" or "C. oblongus".
Unfortunately (for me) he has since sold the parent fish (his pH seemed too
high (8.0) for successful breeding/rearing, and he saw some other fish he
wanted for the same tank) so I don't have any photos of them.  The fry are
too small to really tell much from a photo.
I'm looking for any background info on these fish - natural habitat, range,
preferred water chemistry, etc.  All I've been able to find is that they are
South American, and one photo of a pair of adults (assuming these are in
fact C. oblongus, or that is a synonym) -- or at least a place to start
finding that info ( I don't mind doing the research).
From the name 'dwarf chanchito' I thought they might be related to
Cichlasoma facetum (of course, I'm not even sure if Cichlasoma is a valid
genus anymore, I lose track) but I've found nothing about a dwarf relative
in articles about C. facetum.
I'm trying to decide how to best shuffle tanks to provide these fish a
proper home, depending on temperament, adult size, and preferred water
conditions.  They are eating heartily (I've got microworm and daphnia
cultures and BBS hatches going for some pearl Gourami fry, plus frozen
Cyclop-eeze and daphnia, etc, so they are getting lots of right-size food
options) and I'm expecting to need to move them to a more permanent home
soon.
Any leads or suggestions would be greatly appreciated !!
< I too have acquired some of these fish not to long ago from a group in Southern Calif. The word is that these fish came from Argentina and are very similar to Nandopsis facetum. Mine have not bred yet but from the pictures I have seen I think they are a geographic varient of N. facetum. Captive bred fish seem to spawn at a smaller size than in the wild so they may have been given a "dwarf" trademark name but I think they will get just as big as the true facetum over time. One thing about these fish is that they from an area so far south that the water is cooler then what most tropical are use to. They can easily handle water easily in the 70's and probably lower.-Chuck>
Thanks,
Rich Paulhus

My Ocellaris
Hello WWM,
I have a 72 Imp. Gal. tank. its running for over 2 weeks now and I've originally purchased 2 ocellaris the smaller one died because of stress so I bought more ocellaris the three were in harmony for a few days when I noticed one had his mouth wide open and looks like he's in a lot of trouble. He wouldn't eat and days later he died.  Now a day after an ocellaris died another ocellaris showing the same symptom-open mouth!- now he's not eating.. it's almost a write off :( when my fishes often show signs of stress they die. No ammonia is present, low nitrite and nitrates all other fishes seem to do just fine.  I've lost so many fishes over the couple of weeks (mainly due to the ammonia spike) that I'm thinking of giving up the hobby!  Just because i feel like I'm a bad caretaker! But all i do is worry about them. I'll send a picture
< Cichla ocellaris (peacock bass) are South American Cichlids that are actually quite sensitive to water conditions. Just by looking at them you think they would be bullet proof and easy to care for. Actually they are one of the most difficult cichlids to keep. They require soft acidic water similar to discus! Water temp should be around 80 F and a pH of 7 or lower. They almost always require live food and extremely clean water with no ammonia or nitrites and a nitrate level no higher than 25 ppm with 15 ppm and lower even better. These are pretty tough requirements for a fish that gets close to 2 feet long. Try and find an easier fish at first and work up to a peacock bass later after you have become more experienced.-Chuck>

Can a fish have a stroke?
In late July I was out of town when my husband called me saying our large Jaguar Cichlid had dug a hole in the gravel and was doing nothing but laying on its side. When they tapped on the glass the fish would move a little but that's it. It wasn't eating and unless you looked closely it appeared dead. This fish has always been very finicky and refuses to eat anything except feeder fish or salad shrimp. Since I dislike using feeders because of disease we fed "Vic" salad shrimp every other day. I assumed from the description my husband gave me that the fish was constipated. I told him to feed peas but the fish wouldn't eat them and I really figured the fish would be dead by the time I got home in mid August.
When I got home the fish was still alive but also still displaying the same symptoms, laying on his side partially arched and when he did raise up off the floor of the tank his tail was always lower than his head. Since the fish hadn't eaten in several weeks my husband had placed a feeder in the tank to entice him but even that didn't work, the feeder swam around happily in his 110g home while the Jaguar laid on his side on the bottom of the tank.
About a week after I got home the feeder was still in there but I looked over and the Jaguar was swimming around normally. That lasted about 1 minute and then he went back to the bottom, never touching the feeder. After a couple more weeks I started wondering if it might be something in the tank itself causing this so I placed the Jaguar and feeder into a 55g tank that normally houses tetras. That was approximately 10 days ago. On the 3rd or 4th day in the new tank the Jaguar ate the feeder. Since then I have been feeding one salad shrimp every 3-4 days and have finally gotten her to accept krill which I'm feeding 2-3 every other day.
She is still showing signs of aggression but not as much as normal. Now she gets slightly active if a cat or dog walks by her tank, she used to attack the glass if one of them got near it.
Her eating habits are slowly getting back to normal but she is still displaying the same symptoms. I've attached a few pictures, one showing her laying on her side, one swimming with her tail down, and one almost vertical which is her position when I feed her.
Since it's obviously not constipation I'm at a loss as to what it could be. My thoughts are running along the lines of her being extremely weak because she went so long without eating, or possibly a stroke due to the position she's laying in. I also forgot to mention, she always lies on the same side (her left) and there is a slight indentation in the left side of her stomach. Old age is possibly a factor but I don't know for sure. When I purchased her slightly over 2 years ago she was 4-5" long, she's now reached a size of 10-12" long. She has been housed in the 110g tank for a year and was in the 55g for the first year I owned her.
The water parameters in both tanks have always tested normal (0ppm ammonia/nitrate, PH 7.8, etc) and I use pea gravel as substrate in both of them. The 55g has more filtration per gallon than her normal 110g but it also normally carries a heavier bio-load (25-30") than just a single 10-12" fish. Both tanks have roughly 330gph filtration. The 110g has a few fake log aquarium decorations that were purchased at PetSmart, the 55g has a large handful of live Hornwort plants and 3 plastic aquarium plants.
Any ideas and/or suggestions?
< I think your fish crashed into the side of the tank and knocked himself out for a time. If you notice fisherman using clubs to knock out the fish they have caught by hitting them between the eyes. Well as your fish may have charged at something going by the tank and run into the side of the tank while you weren't there and suffered some neurological damage and it has taken some time for him to recover. This is not unusual with large Central American cichlids. If you think there is an interior infection you might try treating with Metronidazole. Try washed earthworms to get some protein in him quickly-Chuck>
Ronni
Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

Oscar and BP cross
Hi guys - just a quickie - I've looked everywhere and can't find this info
- so it's over to you.
55 gal tank - one 8 inch tiger Oscar and one 8inch peach coloured Blood
Parrot.
And one nest with lots of eggs (the BP is the female)
Is this going to work - and has it been done before ?
(All of the above was quite accidental, and I have no intention of passing
any fry on).
< Hybridizing cichlids is actually quite easy and happens all the time. Since you parrot cichlid is already a hybrid between three different cichlids it doesn't surprise me that she would spawn with an Oscar. I am sure it has been done before. I am not sure what you mean when you ask is this going to work? Do you mean are the fry going to be viable? So far no one has published any such spawn so It is hard to say?-Chuck>
Thanks
Colin Ahern

Blood Parrot (cichlid)
Hello,
  I have two parrot fish yellow and red. they are about 2.5 in. they are with
electric blue cichlid and a lemon yellow cichlid, and 3 clown loaches. my
question is my yellow parrot fish was a pretty yellow but is getting black on his
fins and under his head. is this something I should be concerned about? thank
you,  Darci
< Parrot fish are a hybrid between a few different species of cichlids. Color changes are not unheard of. If the fish look and act OK then I think the color change is most likely from the fishes genetics rather than environmental conditions or diseases.-Chuck>

Oscar + Dempsey
My father recently bought me an Oscar which I already had 1 Dempsey, 1 pacu and 1 gourami in my tank for the past 6 months. As soon as I put the Oscar in, the Dempsey laid eggs. Is crossbreeding possible or will they live if I follow the directions that I have already read about separating the fry and adding the blue stuff? I am very new at this.... I love fish but never had to deal with this. please help. They were laid yesterday and today is Monday. How long do I have?
< Your Jack Dempsey is from Mexico and the Oscar is from South America. They never see each other in the wild so natural crosses are not possible. In the aquarium all bets are off. If the eggs are viable then they will hatch in three days or so at 80 degrees. The fry will need to be fed baby brine shrimp and crushed flake food three days after hatching. If they are not any good then they will turn white and fungus or the female will eat them.-Chuck>
thanks, Natalie

Frelling Red Devil!
Hi! 
I was wondering if you could help me with an issue that I am having with my Red Devil. He is an adult male, and approximately 10 inches in length. About a week ago I put him in a new 60 gallon aquarium and now he has not eaten in a week. The pH is set proper and so is the temp. I have tried all the foods he normally eats and then some. He still won't eat. I thought that it may be 
because he is still getting acquainted with his new surroundings but I don't feel like it should take this long. What do you think and do you have any answers that may help me save my fish? He is active and still moves his gravel around. How long can he go without eating? 
< Cichlids in general are territorial and seem to be more shaken up by a change in surroundings then most other fish. A couple of things come to mind. If the tank is in a new location then additional foot traffic may make him more reluctant to come out. Brighter colored gravel may make him more obvious and once again more reluctant to come out. Try some washed earthworms to get him going. If the temperature is around 80 then he can probably go a couple of weeks without too much suffering.-Chuck> 
Ron Sankary

Help Blood Red Parrot Fish
Hi, I have two blood red parrot fish that I have had for about two years. Here recently one has faded from a bright red to a very pale pink while the other still maintains his color. I have changed the water several times and even tested the pH. I don't know what the problem could be and I was wondering if you could help me? Thanks. 
< If everything else is fine and the fish is eating well and acting normal then the problem is probably genetics. Your blood red parrot fish is a hybrid between a couple different species of fish. One of them is a red devil that comes in many different colors. Sometimes as the fish grows these colors change. Red devils come in bright red, orange , pinkish white, white and grey. If all else is well then you can ask your local fish store for some color enhancing food. It may help but I think the pale pink color is hear to stay.-Chuck>

Texas cichlids
my query for u guys is i have a Texas cichlid and his colors half black and half
white my friends keys telling me that its not a Texas cichlid  do they change
colors like that  is it a Texas cichlid or is it some thing else    hope to
hear from u guys soon  u can e mail me back at   elmo01830 @aol .com
<There are really two different species of cichlids commonly referred to as Texas Cichlids.. "Cichlasoma" carpinte is a fish with large greenish spots on a dark grey body. The other Texas Cichlid is "Cichlasoma" cyanoguttatum. This one has smaller white spots on a lite grey body. When either one becomes dominant or decides it wants to breed the lower half becomes black while the upper half can become a very light grey almost white.-Chuck>

Colombian Acara not eating
Hi guys,
I'd like to say thanks to Chuck for his advise on stocking!!
I have a new question about an unpleasant situation concerning my gorgeous new Colombian Acara and his loss of appetite.  Here's my set-up:
75 gallon(48x18) - Fluval 404 - PH 7.4(straight from the tap - I don't adjust it) -TEMP 77F
Lots of rock and wood for caves and territories
Fish:
Blood Parrot - 4"
Gold Severum - 4"
4 Penguin tetras
4 Giant Danios
Red-Tail Shark -2 1/2"
New additions(9 days ago):
Green Severum - 2"
Convict - 2"
Colombian Blue Acara - 3 1/2"
Here's what's happening: I moved from a 30gal to this 75 and waited for it to cycle (with the fish from the first group). I seeded the tank with stuff from the 30, so it only took a week. But the nitrites didn't rise more than 1ppm, so I think I wasn't stocked heavy enough for a good cycle. Anyway, after waiting to be sure of stable conditions, I then added the Acara, green Severum and convict together all at once(9 days ago) so as to divert aggression from my larger gold sev. and parrot. The convict harasses the green Severum a bit, but the green sev. still eats and hides with the bigger guys who tolerate him, and will grow big enough to stand his ground. My problem is with the blue Acara. During the last 3 days, I noticed that he isn't eating (rejects whatever he takes in his mouth), and is starting to get harassed from the convict, who must sense that he is sick, because the Acara used to chase him and is much bigger. He doesn't seem very active, except when the convict is chasing him. The Acara was bold and hungry for the first 4-5 days or so. The following is noteworthy:
1) I noticed ich on the green sev on the 3rd day, so I medicated with Quick Cure for 3 days (removed my penguin tetras to a smaller tank and half-dosed them) until the signs went away. If I'm right, I should do another 2 or 3 day cycle after waiting 5 or 6 days?
< If you really have ich in your tank, then that could be a problem. While looking for little white spots on the fish you must realize that the parasites are attacking the gills too. Some other symptoms would be fishes dashing against a rock or sand too. What for the white spots at treat accordingly.>
2) increased the temp from 77 to 80F to speed up the ich, which is now back down to 77(I thought that maybe the higher temp was making my Acara uncomfortable?)
< All your fish could easily handle 80 degrees. This would help combat the ich too.>
3) the tank had a mini cycle after the additions which ended yesterday after nitrites reaching 1ppm(I have done 25% water changes for the past 2 days and now my amm. and nitrites are zero)
So, I'm hoping that one of the above is the cause. Maybe sensitivity to the Quick Cure?
< The Acara may have been weakened by the ich but usually they are not too sensitive to the medication. Watch out for the medication affecting the bacteria bed. Check ammonia for spikes.> Maybe acara's are really sensitive to nitrites?
<Not really> Or maybe a parasite from the beginning? the Acara ate just fine for at least a couple of days though).
Your advice would be greatly appreciated. I was told that acara's would be okay with a convict. This Acara has the most colourful finnage. I'd hate to lose him. If it's a case of not being able to live with a convict, I'll take the con back even though he is really cool eats up every scrap). What can I do to assess the acara's condition?
< Seperate the Acara from the rest of the tank. Keep him at 80 degrees. Offer him some small washed earthworms. If he doesn't eat them then there is a problem. Watch for additional problems and stay in touch. If he eats the earthworm then fatten him up for a couple of days. Before you put him back into the main tank you can rearrange the decorations add the fish back into the tank and turn off the lights for the night. In the morning all the fish will be busy trying to establish new territories and may not pick exclusively on the new guy. You convict comes from Central America and is well known for being aggressive. If the problem persists then either the Acara needs to toughen up or you will need to get rid of the convict. maybe more decorations are needed in the way of rocks or driftwood.>
And should I add aquarium salt for stress relief?
< Salt will increase that slime on the fish and not much else> I must apologize that most of my info has come from research on the net - I still lack the knowledge of experience!! (I'm definitely over-sensitive). I've only been at this for 6 months. Should I just wait it out?
< Your blue Acara can only take so much abuse. They can go a week without eating but damaged fins don't grow back nearly as nice. -Chuck>
Thanks again for your advice!
Corey Cormier

Neotropical cichlid set-up
Hi. I need your help with something. I have searched your site FAQ's and have found helpful info, but not exactly what I am looking for. I have a 125g tank. We are in the process of setting it up but are trying to figure out what filtration we need. We are having the top made w/lights, other then that. We have nothing yet. We don't have a ton of money to spend, so that is something to keep in mind. We are trying to figure out the filtration and pump.
< Quality equipment will really pay off in time, money and success. Oscars will get up to 12 inches long when full grown. They are messy feeders and generate a lot of waste that needs to be dealt with. Here is what I would do for an ideal Oscar set up. Oscars come from South America and need warm water. Get a good quality 200 watt heater. A cheap heater may stick after a few months so I would not skimp here because a stuck heater can cook your fish. Some stores may not carry a heater with that large a wattage so two 100 watt heaters placed at opposite sides of the tank would work too. The filter should pump enough water to circulate the tank no less than three times an hour. I would recommend an outside power filter that pumps at least 400 plus gallons an hour. They are easier to service than a canister filter. >
We are planning on getting a couple Oscars and are also wondering how long we should let the tank sit before doing so. The pet store here (Good friends with owner and employees) says you can put the oscars in immediately. I do not agree. I know sometimes they are wrong. I am looking for info on pretty much everything. Please help as I am wanting to do this right. But inexpensively. Also, how many fish could I have in a tank that size. Even if only two were Oscars. I want them to be very comfortable so do not need to know the max limit. Just the comfortable one. Thanks a ton.
< Wash the sand or gravel well. Add enough so at least 2 inches covers the bottom tank. Don't worry about plants. The oscars will just end up tearing them up. Wash the rocks well and make sure they are safe for the aquarium. Place the rocks on the bottom of the tank and not just on the sand. Oscars like to dig and may excavate a tunnel under a rock and end up being crushed by it. Fill the tank up with treated water. Turn on the heater and let it run overnight. The next day check the thermometer. If it is less than 80 degrees and the heater is turned off then it will have to be adjusted. Turn the heater knob until the light comes on and wait another day. Repeat as often as needed to get the heater adjusted to 80 degrees. Large tanks take time to heat up so you will need to be patient. Now that the filters are running and the heater is properly adjusted we need to add some fish. Two little baby one inch oscars could be added at this time. Feed them only a smaller portion of flake food that they only eat in a few minutes. Resist the temptation of over feeding them many times a day. I know they are cute at this size but the excess food will just go to waste. Ask the store for a little sand from one of their existing tanks. This sand contains beneficial bacteria that is needed to breakdown the waste that your fish will be generating. After a while your tank may smell and get cloudy, if this happens you will need to reduce the ammonia levels by either treating the water with a chemical or dilute the ammonia levels with a water change. This is caused by ammonia building up in the water. The bacteria will eventually multiply and break this waste down to nitrite and then nitrates. The nitrates will have to be controlled with water changes. It will take about a month for the bacteria to build up enough in numbers to handle your tank. After a month if you wanted to add some other fish you could. Keep in mind that your oscars will get big sooner than you think. New fish should be quarantined because they may carry disease into your tank. Treating and curing fish in a 125 gallon tank can be a lot of work and expensive.-Chuck>
Alisha

Jack Dempsey breeding
Dear Crew,
I have a pair of breeding jack's. They bred once, but because of other fish they ate they're young. I removed the other fish. Nothing has changed as far as the water quality or temp.
I would like to know how often they lay eggs?
< Jack Dempsey's are actually named after a famous fighter from the 1920's. They come from Mexico and can get up to 10 inches plus in size. They are not to picky on water quality and are very easy to breed. Keep the pair warm (80degrees), and feed them well with some live food and they could be breeding every 2 to 3 weeks. If they are left to take care of the eggs and fry they may delay breeding again until the fry and or eggs are gone. Typically at 80 degrees the eggs will hatch in around three days. You will see a batch of small wrigglers in the bottom of a shallow pit dug by the parents. At the end of three days the fry will develop tails and absorb their egg sack and begin to swim around. At this stag they can be fed baby brine shrimp. If left with the parents they may soon be eaten. Young parents are often inexperienced and will eat their eggs soon after laying. Don't worry too much. I am sure they will be breeding again before you know it.-Chuck>
Thanks.
Deb

Would a 20 gal tank be too small for a Jack Dempsey?
<Yes, Jack Dempseys get to get up to 12 inches. You would have the same problem you had with the Oscar.>
I currently have some African Cichlids in the 20 and have a 29 gal that isn't set up yet. I was thinking about getting some more African cichlids and putting them in the 29,
< Be careful about putting Africans in the 29 gallon. A 50 would be better but it can be done in a 29 gallon if you stay with the smaller species like Ps. saulosi or less aggressive species like Ps. Acei,>
and then buying a small Jack Dempsey to put in the 20. But would he Jack Dempsey outgrow the 20?
< If you really want to get into cichlids then I would really like to recommend a book to you to read. It is called "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings. It is a great book covering most aspects of cichlid keeping from tiny dwarfs to large monster cichlids. It covers tank requirements and food needs too. It is not cheap but it will save you lots of time, aggravation and money in the long run. -Chuck>

Sick fish and cloudy water
Hello All, <Hi. Steve Allen tonight.>
I have to say I love your guys' website. A lot of useful information. I've gotten a lot of help previously when I had an ich outbreak that wiped out half of my tank. <Glad the site was helpful. It has certainly helped me.> Which is the reason for me writing this to ensure I do treat them in time and correctly and to find out some more info.  All 5 of my blood parrots have died but my cichlids are still alive!!!! They were Jellybean parrots which I found out later that they were all injected/dyed <A horrible, barbaric practice indeed> which made them susceptible to disease, but we won't get into that.  They've been replaced by more cichlids and catfish. With that said, I think I have too much information stored in my brain in a short period of time and now I'm somewhat lost in which direction to go.  Let me tell you what I have before I get started. I currently have a 90 gallon freshwater tank, nothing but fake plants, gravel and some driftwood.
Inhabitants are no more than 2 inches <Fish grow you know.> big except for the catfish. I have 1 of each species/genus: Electric Yellow, Cobalt Blue, Kenyi, Auratus, Red Zebra, Bumble Bee, Snow White Socolofi, I think it's a Labidochromis Textilis, can't really find much info on that species though since it's not as popular, Albino Fairy Cichlid, and Daffodil. <I'll be shocked if you can get this many (10!) cichlids to grow and thrive and get along in a tank of this size. You have too many.> I recently purchased 2 Synodontis upside down catfish about 2-3 inches big. A common pleco about 5 inches and a chocolate pleco about 3 inches. (I think it's a chocolate/rusty pleco, it has the closest resemblance to what I can find on the web) I had quarantined all 4 of them for about a week <1/4 of the time recommended.> and acclimated them slowly into the main tank. They disappeared for several days. They've been in the main tank for about a week now. Didn't realize that they were nocturnal. <I often didn't see my Synodontis for weeks at a time.> I've had them for about 2 weeks. Up until a few days ago, I started seeing them chase the cichlids out of the caves they were hiding in. I was starting to get worried that they were dead or something.  I did have some algae growing on the wood, the fake sword plant and along the sides of the tank, but now they're spotless!! So I assume they're eating, not only that, they're poop is soo long so they are definitely eating something. Ammonia 0.25 ppm (probably due to overfeeding or from adding the catfish) <And having too many messy fish in your tank.> 
I did cut down feeding to half now and will continue to do so until zero, maybe even stop feeding them if anything.
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40 ppm  Is this level okay or should it be lower? <I'd try to keep it under 20 with a good regimen of frequent water changes.> What is considered to be a safe level of nitrate? What is enough to keep algae growing? <Keep at 20 or less.>
pH is at 7.6
Water temp is at 75-78
I've been doing weekly water changes since about 4 months ago I tore down the main tank due to all the parrots dying. At the time I had 5 cichlids left which I ended up using to get the tank to start cycling again. After about a month, I purchased bumble bee, snow white and the Textilis cichlid and added them to the tank. (I know I shouldn't have done that because I didn't know at the time that the tank hasn't fully cycled yet PLUS me had no test kits either...I'm so bad...) A week later I bought the 2 fairy cichlids and added them too. This is when I started doing my research on the Nitrogen cycle and then I went out and bought test kits. About 6 weeks went by and test readings dropped to zero and Nitrate was at 20 ppm that's when I started adding the quarantined catfish. I resisted the temptation of adding more fish. yay!!! <Yes, you already have too many.> I've been changing about 30% of the water weekly <good>, vacuuming the gravel <good>, adding Amquel <bad>, Stress Zyme <not very useful> and Stress Coat <why?>. Last time I changed the water was on Monday 1/26/04, 2 days after the catfish were added. I WAS using aquarium salt when ammonia and nitrite levels were peaking to aid the cichlids in breathing. <not really much help> I knew that this were to help during my research and the cichlids were all at the surface gasping for air so I added extra aeration too. <a better choice> But after getting the catfish I wasn't too sure if they were sensitive to salt so I didn't add any when doing the last water change.  Up until last night I noticed that my chocolate pleco had one white spot on his tail. I checked again today and it wasn't there. Without panicking, I knew it was ich but the source of it was a mystery to me. <One spot may not be ich, but wise to be cautious.> I'll be trying to catch Mr. pleco tonight and move him to a separate hospital tank which is housing a baby black Dalmatian molly (Nemo) about 1cm, the ONLY survivor out of 15-20 fry and the mommy died the day after. <What are you going to do with the Molly?> All the other fry were probably eaten by the bigger mollies or from the red worms hanging from the mommy's butt. Eww I know. Sad to say I tried to save her but I couldn't. I ended up inheriting her when all of my boyfriend's family's fish had died except a few mollies and gouramis. That's a whole different story, won't get into that.  Anyway the cichlids are displaying A LOT of scratching which is starting to worry me. <I'd worry too. Could be ich or perhaps irritation from high nitrate.> Bumblebee is scratching itself against anything non-stop and it's not looking too pretty. And the Lab Textilis is swimming in a funny circular motion. A few of them also hang out by the heater and water current. And they're colors have been changing as well. The chocolate pleco was the only one who had any ich visible on his body but all other fish seem to be displaying infection as well but no spots.  Should I treat the whole tank since they all seem to be showing signs of distress or should I just remove my chocolate pleco into a hospital tank and treat him there for ich? <Start with the pleco and getting the nitrates way down with a big water change. Stop using Amquel. It is only a stopgap measure.> I know if I treat the whole tank, the meds might destroy most if not all of my good bacteria but since I've been doing weekly water changes and is in that MODE, <more like DAILY if you kill your biofilter.> I wouldn't mind to continue for a few more weeks...just a few weeks.  <Do it forever.> BTW, I haven't changed the filter in the water pump yet, but will do so soon. It's been about 2 months since we cleaned it. <Could be pumping out a lot of nitrate.>
What about the catfish, are they sensitive to medications or salt? <Salt is not helpful in with this problem. I suggest you read through the FW Ich FAQs for info on correct treatment.> They seem to be fine, no scratching or spots.  Can high levels of ammonia cause ich outbreaks? <Can weaken fish immunity> Right now it's at .25ppm What about cloudy water? <Bacterial bloom. If green, then algae.>After I did the water change, my tank got cloudy, it was cloudy even before the catfish were added....I haven't used activated carbon before but I did purchase a box of AmmoChips. Would this help? <Will absorb ammonia.> In case the cause is from the ammonia. I know it might help with my cloudy water situation.  Can ich occur when other fish are picking/nipping at the new inhabitants? <Yes, or perhaps they already had it.>
I'm asking this because I've been seeing Bumble bee nip my Pleco's fins which are raggedy and torn right now. Will Maracyn used to treat fin and tail rot help? <Antibiotics will help with fin rot.> The catfish are good "fighters" so none of the cichlids are bothering them and the common pleco is the biggest fish and I don't think they bother him either.  I do have Rid-Ich from my previous experience, which didn't go too well because by the time I found an answer, it was too late to save any parrots. <Check the FW Ich FAQs for the best options.> But the cichlids still lived through it!!! Poor fish, they've been through a lot in the last few months...the good thing is that they're growing pretty rapidly. <And soon will not fit in your tank.> I apologize for slapping you guys with a rather long email and it's been months since I've had an ich outbreak. I have somewhat of a clue of what needs to be done but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!! Sandy <My main advice is to stay away from the fish store. Don't buy any more fish until you have another or a bigger tank. You are going to need one just for the fish you already have. Do you have some good aquarium books to read? Hope this helps.> 

My albino Oscar with stunned growth
Hello,
<Hi.  Sabrina here, today.>
I have been reading your Q&A for some time now; I even have your web page on my favorites.
<Wonderful, glad you enjoy it!>
I have a single Albino Oscar in a 55 Gallon tank, He used to have a Tiger Oscar for a tank mate, but after separating them with a piece of plexi glass because of aggression towards the Albino I gave the Tiger away and let the Albino have the whole tank to himself,
<Good plan - a 55 is pretty small for two Oscars, in the long run.>
his only other tank mates are these two bottom feeder fish with red fins (no clue what type of bottom feeder they are)
<Though that description covers a *lot* of fish, check out http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/minnowshks.htm , might be rainbow "sharks"?>
I used to have a Pleco in the tank, but one day my wife said she was looking in there and saw the tail sticking out of Burney's mouth (the albino Oscar)
<Mmmm.... pleco....>
We quickly assessed he was mad that we hadn't fed him live feeders in a few days.
<"Feeder" fish are a pretty risky food item, and there are lots of better feeding options.  Look into frozen meaty foods, like Ocean Nutrition's "Formula One", or frozen shrimp, prawns, scallops, etc., from the grocery store.  If he accepts dry foods, there are lots on the market that would do better for him than risking introducing illness from feeders.>
According to the test kits we have, My PH is about 7.2, and Ammonia levels are at 0.  The tank is filtered with two Penguin 330 power filter; so I'm circulating the tank about 12 times an hour.
<All good.>
Burney appears to be extremely happy, he has been living in the 55 gallon tank sense we got him when he was about an inch long about 5 months ago,  he swims around from end to end and top to bottom; sometimes I look close to see if he has a smile on his face...he just seems so full of life.  
<Sounds like a happy, healthy fish!>
The only problem that I wonder about is that he looks like he hasn't grown anymore, he is about 7- 71/2  inches from mouth to end of rear fin.  I know that a 55 gallon tank is small for an Albino that can reach lengths of about 14 inches
<And larger, occasionally!>
but under financial circumstances that's the largest I can accommodate right now.  Is it possible that he has stunned growth because of the size of his present home; or is it possible that he could be a "runt of the litter";
<Both are entirely possible.  Might also be due in part to the abuse the tiger dealt to him earlier in life.>
I have already ruled out water quality because of knowing how well I take care and change it, and his actions. Or do they just slow down growing?
<They do, yes.  Healthier foods will probably help him out, here.  If he is a runt, consider yourself lucky - you may never have to upgrade tank size!  It sounds like he's very active and healthy; I would not worry about his small size too much, sounds like he's just fine.>
have any ideas, thanks
<Better foods is the only major suggestion I can give you.>
I'm attaching a picture of Burney
<And a cutey, indeed!  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Jack and Oscar, or maybe Jack and Jill?
Hi,
This is probably gonna sound nuts. but here goes. I have roughly a 9 inch Oscar in a 55 gallon tank. and 3 weeks ago introduced a 6 inch Jack Dempsey.
<Yup, nuts, you will need a larger tank in the near future.>
They hit it off the very first night. and seem to be fast friends.
<Interesting.>
However. now they are starting to act as though they want to mate. The Oscar has dug a huge pit in one side of the tank. and yes. I know they love to dig and this is normal. but.. the Jack is right there with him. rubbing against the Oscar. quivering..etc. The Oscar seems to try to keep the Jacks interest. I don't know if I should stop this. some have told me that they WILL breed. but may have infertile eggs. or may actually produce live eggs.
What is your opinion on this?
<It is not unusual for these cichlids (Neotropical) to try to cross like this, chances are they will not be fertile.  I would not worry about stopping them, but I would make sure you keep your water as clean as possible with these large messy fish.  Best Regards, Gage>
Thanks for a great site!
Styler

Blood Parrot Cichlid, tankmates?
Dear WWM Crew,
<Sabrina here, this evening>
Some background:
I have a new tank which has been setup and had a Blood Parrot introduced last week (only fish in tank). I don't know how to measure her, but she is 5" including the tail fin, 3" without, approx. The tank is 20 gal. with a "Whisper" filter, a heater and an air-stone The tank has yet to start its nitrate cycle (ammonia started climbing slowly, nitrites just above 0, pH 7.0. Doing 20% water changes (only 1 so far, but plan to keep them regular) and gravel vacuuming of 33% of the gravel bed, weekly.
<Sounds good, so far, just keep that ammonia and nitrite in check during this critical period>
After another 2-3 weeks, once the cycle is steady and ammonia and nitrites go to 0, I'd like to get some more fish. I am at a conundrum as to what to do. I've read that I will need to get similar size fish to avoid bullying. Also, I read that they do best in "large groups" so that there is no aggression focused on one weaker fish. At the same time, they grow big and need a bigger tank than the one I have. So adding 1-2 fish would create a small group leading to aggression, yet adding more would overwhelm them because of the small tank.
<To be quite honest, I wouldn't add *any* fish.  You *might* be able to get by quite well with one more blood parrot of the opposite gender, and hope they pair up.  Other than that, I would expect just about anything else to be harassed unmercifully.>
Do I not add any and just have 1 fish?
<That is exactly what I would do, for the time being.>
Are there any smaller species that will be compatible with a parrot, so that I can add a few of them? Or should I wait a year with one lonely fish and then just get a much bigger tank before adding fish?
<That'd be the plan, in my opinion.  Don't worry too much about your fish being lonely; give him some 'quality time' every day during feeding, and he should develop quite a personality for you.  I'm sure he'll find a way to keep you entertained until you can do a bigger tank for him and some pals, no worries.>
I want more fish, but  my fish's happiness is more important.
<Oh my, I wish everyone had that attitude!>
PS. My blood parrot has a slight white discoloration above one eye. I believe it appeared after the first day in the tank. Could it just be adjusting to the new (uncycled) tank, or is there something wrong?
<Hmm, could be stress, but it might be a developing bacterial or fungal problem; keep a very close eye on this, and see how it progresses over the next few days, treat if necessary.>
Please advise!
<Hope all goes well with you and your new pal!  -Sabrina>

Jellybean Cichlid 11/01/03
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I'd like to get information as to the longevity, hardiness, etc. on Jelly Bean Cichlids.  I'm getting ready to put a tank in my house and was considering using several of these fish to stock it.  The only info I could find about them states that they have stunted growth and short life spans due to the "dying" process they go through.  Can you help?
<You're info is correct.  These are parrot cichlids that are injected w/dye.  Most serious fishkeepers would never consider buying one of these fish.  It is cruel & definitely shortens the lifespan of the fish.  Also the dye wears off anyway.  I have a gorgeous parrot cichlid.  She is about 5".  She is very aggressive & chases the frontosa that lives w/her.  (Can't really sex them, but I call it a her.)  She lives in a 50g tank.  I wouldn't keep one (adult) in less than a 30g. Although they have seemingly deformed mouths & can't really bite, they still need to be w/equally aggressive fish.  Also due the fact that they can't really open their mouth, you need to make sure it gets enough food.>
Thanks,
Linda
<You're welcome!--Pufferpunk>

Blue Acara Revisited
Hello, Ryan (or anyone if Ryan is not available) -
<I'm here! Morning>
Perhaps you will recall me. You answered a query of mine regarding a
blue Acara that I had recently purchased and put in a 90 gallon tank
with three juvenile Oscars, the largest about six inches at the
time (about 9 now, and so beautiful),  which the Acara quickly began to
terrorize, despite their superior sized. I removed the Acara and put
him in a 10 gallon tank for temporary purposes, and,
believing that I was not ready for so fine a fish as a blue Acara, you
recommended that I return it to the fish store but I did not, for I had
already fallen in love with it. <Yes, I remember.  I wasn't crazy about the space you had for this fish- How goes it?>
A while back, I moved the blue Acara into a 55 gallon tank, by himself.
Tomorrow, I am headed to town and I thought I would bring back a
tankmate for him - probably another Acara, female if I can find one,
for I believe this one to be male. My plan was also to bring back a
tank divider so that I could keep the fish separate until they get used
to each other and the new one had a chance to grow. I wanted to at
least consider the possibility of a tank mate other than an Acara, so I
popped on the web to do some research. <Great>
Now, after surfing through all kinds of sights and finding a bunch of
green terrors that look just like my blue Acara, but no blue Acara that
does (although some do bear a distinct resemblance) I am wondering if
my blue Acara is a blue Acara at all. As you are a person who has
raised blue Acaras of your own, perhaps you know.
<Yes, I'd be happy to ID him>
Here is a picture of him. What do you think? Is he a blue Acara, or a
green terror? At the time of this picture (October 7) he was about five
inches in length.
<This is certainly Aequidens rivulatus, The Green Terror.  Beautiful fish,
but a 55 gallon tank will be more suited for just one.  The Aequidens Pulcher,
or Blue Acara, is rarely as colorful as your GT! Best of luck! Ryan>
Thanks,
Bill

Blue Acara or Green Terror pt. 3
Thanks, Ryan <Surely> - Yesterday, I went back to the store where I purchased
him and they had some small ones that looked just like he did when I
got him and when I questioned whether or not they were really blue
Acaras, they insisted they were! <These fish look similar when young, distinctly different when older.>
I will tell them about this. I guess
that might explain why he was so hard on the Oscars. <Yes, my Blues have been much more permissive of tankmates than what you experienced.> Anyway, I am very
happy with him, green terror though he be. In the event that I move him
into a bigger tank, is there a fish I might put in with him? <Possible, but always potential for war.>
A female
green terror, if nothing else? <Most people who breed Green Terrors simply bring the pair together to breed, then separate them.  The larger your system is, the better a chance for another fish to happily co-exist with a GT> Or would he be too hard on her except
during mating times? <Certainly>
Actually, though, I do kind of enjoy watching him with a whole tank to
himself. From what I have read, I gather that green terrors do fine by
themselves. Is that your experience? <Yes, and many feel that keeping a single specimen can drastically change the way that he interacts with YOU as well.  Best of luck! Ryan>
Bill

Eye damage
I looked through most of the questions about swollen eyes and couldn't find one that described this. I am sorry if this is a repeat. I haven't been able to find anything.
<Well, we'll sure try to help out....  Sabrina here on this one>
We recently "saved" a 6" Red Devil from a pet store.  This fish was obviously returned to the pet store and is very timid and beat up.  
<Hopefully he'll recover so he can live up to his name....>
Currently we have him in a 20 gal quarantine.
<Excellent!>
The problem is, he had a white spot on the outer membrane of his eye. It looked very much like ich. The eye and eye socket do not appear swollen. Just the membrane. I'm sure I'm not explaining this correctly, but I am not sure of the actual names.
<I *think* I get what you're saying.>
The swelling receded for a couple of days, but tonight it came back with a vengeance. It looks like it could burst.  Any ideas?
<Well Lisa, my best guess is that the eye was injured, somehow; perhaps the white spot was a parasite like ich or something (so keep a watch for more!) and caused damage, or perhaps it was just damaged tissue from the injury.  Make sure there are no sharp things in the QT for him to scratch against (this includes plastic plants); plain terra cotta flowerpots or PVC pipes will provide cover for him without giving him something to cause further damage to his undoubtedly uncomfortable eye (which he probably wants to scratch).  I'd recommend treating with a medicated food (perhaps with tetracycline) to prevent bacterial infection as the eye (hopefully) heals; I recommend using medicated food mostly because it will be easy to discontinue use if you end up having to treat for ich....  I'm not entirely certain that the antibiotic will help to fix his eye problem, but hopefully, it will help.  Wishing your little devil a swift recovery,  -Sabrina>
Thanks Lisa

Eye Damage Two
Thanks Sabrina
<Sure thing.>
I should of let you know that we had already tried treating him for ich as he showed the signs. He had discoloration from it and I thought that was what the spot might be. I will try some medicated food and some smoother tank items to keep him from scratching. Thanks sooooo much.
<You bet.  Hope everything goes well.  -Sabrina>
Lisa

Red Devil, refusing to eat
We have a Red Devil ..it is pink. it use to eat real good with the pellets we fed it and some worms once in awhile ..but now it will not eat and it has become more aggressive. we have this big rock in the tank with the fish and it has become so obsessive of it..
<The aggression and territoriality are normal; this fish did not earn the name red 'devil' for nothing.  How big is the tank?  What are its tankmates?>
can't get it to eat at all ..we drained the tank half way and put clean water in thinking that might be it but no change..
<Even better than that (well, nothing's better than a good water change, really), please do test your water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH.  More than likely, something's out of whack and making him not feel well.  Also, did you dechlorinate your tapwater before putting it in the tank?  Did you match the temperature in the tank?  How often do you do water changes, and vacuum the gravel?  What kind/how much filtration?>
We need some help ...we need to know what we can do to make it eat. it wont have anything to do with goldfish either ..chase it and that's about it..
<Well, first off, goldfish aren't a very good food choice, and pelleted foods aren't the best, either.  Try tempting him with some frozen meaty foods, like bloodworms, or Formula One food.  Perhaps try bits of cocktail shrimp, as well.  Failing that, try soaking any of those foods in garlic juice (McCormick makes a water-based garlic extract that you can find in the spice rack at the grocery store, or you could also use garlic gel caps from the vitamin aisle - poke a hole in one end with a needle, and squeeze the oil onto the food, let it soak in).  This may help entice him to eat.>
Hope you can help
Marilyn
<Hope so, too.  -Sabrina>

An unhappy, vague parrotfish
Hello Bob....
<Hi, Dora, I'm not Bob, but crewmember Sabrina, here for yah>
I have a parrot fish that I have had for about 3 months. He has been doing well until a few days ago and I have no idea what is happening.
<Well, first off, I'm afraid 'parrot fish' is very, very vague.  Could you be a bit more specific, perhaps?  Genus/species name would be excellent.>
He isn't as frisky or interested in coming up to the glass like he use to. I have checked the pH balance along with the other water conditions and they are good.
<Can you give us your readings for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?  What's your salinity/specific gravity?  Or, uh, perhaps you mean a parrot cichlid, or other freshwater fish that might be called parrotfish, in which case, salinity wouldn't be an issue ;)  Truly, I don't know where to begin without knowing what fish you mean....  Other specs about your setup would be helpful, too, like size, tankmates, etc.>
I feed him tropical food flakes and he does eat so I am at a loss for his loss of interest. Can you give me some idea as to what may be wrong I would hate to lose him. Thank You, Dora
<Please do get back to us, let us know what fish you mean....  At this point, I'm starting to think you mean one of the cichlids that fall under the very vague name 'parrot', but really, I can't do much more than a stab in the dark until you let us know a bit more.  -Sabrina>

Too Many Cichlids
Thanks for the response; the eggs were eaten.<bummer>  The funny thing about this though was that there was only one Texas cichlid (about 7"). <Not too weird, it happens.>  The other fish in the tank were an 8" red devil (or Midas, I'm not sure exactly-it's very orange with a big bump on it's head), a 6" red terror, a 6" jack Dempsey, a 6" black belt cichlid, a 7" Managuense, and about a 2" convict (I don't know how he's survived??).
<Oh my!  That is way too many fish in a 55.  I have heard that the Red Devil is always the last fish in the tank, but I do not know if they ever brought a Managuense into the equation.  I strongly recommend finding homes for some of these fish, keeping your favorites, and getting a larger tank.  Check out fishbase.org for the full grown size of these monsters.  If they were all to grow you would have no room left for water.>
Is it possible for any of these cichlids to be the mate of the Texas cichlid? <It is possible that one of these fish would have tried to fertilize the Texas Cichlids eggs.>  How do these type of cichlids "mate"?  Do they lay eggs and then fertilize?  The Texas seemed like he was dragging something on top of the eggs.  <Probably one of the others eggs, he was trying to fertilize.>  South American cichlids don't mouth breed, do they?  Any information will be greatly appreciated.  <Get a larger tank, and in the mean time, lots of water changes. -Gage>  Thanks so much, Jeff

Veterinarian for a sick convict
I am sorry if you are not the right people for my question, but I was wondering if there are any fish veterinarians in the bay area who make house calls that you folks would know of.  
<I assume you mean the San Francisco Bay Area, yes?  I live in the SF bay area, and I've been asking everyone that I know of to ask, and haven't found anything about any vets that deal with fish in our area.  My best recommendation is to head out to one of the local clubs and ask around; http://www.svas.info/ and http://www.cichlidworld.com/ are just a couple of them, both at which you'll run into me if you attend.>
My 12 year old Convict Cichlid has stopped eating for a week, sits still all the time, without trying to threaten anyone, and when I siphoned out a couple gallons of water, and rinsed his filter sponge and charcoal there was none of the orangey organic sludge I usually remove.  I can't get him medicine because he has no marks, coatings or holes in his skin.  I am really worried Stripey may die if he doesn't see a vet, or if I try to transport him to one.  I would be most grateful for anything you could recommend to me.
<I'm afraid there's not a whole lot I can tell you.  Please bear in mind that twelve years is a very long time for a convict to live; he's probably had a great life with you.  I'm afraid it may just be that he's old.  Though please do test your water for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and see if everything's okay; the lack of filter gunk may suggest that your bacteria have suffered somehow, which would possibly leave the door open for an ammonia spike.>
Thank You,  -Margaret Green
<Best wishes to you, Margaret.  -Sabrina>

Sick Midas Cichlid
I hope you can help me. About four months ago my
cichlid tank got really cloudy. There are two 7 in
Oscars, 1 6 inch Midas and 1 4 inch Jack Dempsey in a
55 gallon. I noticed that there were little brownish
black "moving" specks in the bottom of the tank
clustered in the gravel. I am pretty sure they are
alive. I did a water change and added some parasite
clear but that didn't take care of them. I saw them on
the fish. I did another water change and they seemed
to be gone for awhile but the tank has not cleared up.
It was set up for 1 month before we added fish into it
and it has been a year since we first set it up. The
Midas Cichlid now looks as though there is something
eating away at him. There are chunks missing out of
his face and he has turned from a bright orange to a
white color over most of his body. Do you know what
this might be caused from and what should I do?
<Hi Amanda, I would be willing to bet that all of these issues can be traced back to water quality problems.  Your tank is way over stocked.  A 55 gallon tank is a good home for 1 or 2 Oscars, until they get large.  All of the fish that you have are big, aggressive, messy eaters.  The first thing I would do is test your water for ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.  Some large water changes might be a good place to start also.  The holes in his face could be from HLLE (head and lateral line erosion) caused by nutritional deficiencies and poor water quality, if possible send us a picture to help us identify the problem.  You should seriously consider a much larger tank (hundreds of gallons) if you want to keep all of these fish, or reducing the number of fish in your tank.  You can also check out the cichlid disease FAQs to see if any of those issues sound like what you are experiencing
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/cichliddisfaqs.htm
Best Regards, Gage>
Thank you,
Amanda Terwilleger

Convicted of overstocking!
Hello, <Morning! Ryan with you today>  I have been reading through the FAQ on your site, and have found them
very helpful, however I am still a little confused on several points... <I'll clear up what I can!>
       1) I am cycling a 29 gal setup with power filter (came as a package),
right now I have 2 nearly full grown Convicts and one smaller convict...since
I made the mistake of adding other fish to soon (I had put 3 others with them
in there two weeks  into cycling, and when everyone started looking ill even
with the water changes, I went on the net and realized my mistake so I gave the
others away.)  <OK- You've overstocked.  Already I can see BIG problems if you don't change the dynamics of this tank.  2 Full grown convicts in a 29 gallon is overdoing it, and the reason you can't get anything in order.>
I have been doing VERY frequent and sometimes very big water
changes to keep the water safe for them, and it seems to work...They are acting
normal and feisty and lay eggs about every two weeks but then the eggs
disappear, I guess because the water isn't ready to support the fry, or they are
eating them... Whenever they start looking ill or they stop nipping and chasing
one another I assume the ammonia or the nitrite levels are up so I do a big
water change, but now that the tank has been running about one month (and I have
been doing these changes since the beginning) I read that I was not supposed
to be using treated water that hasn't been sitting for 24 hours?! <Yes, a good idea> I have been
siphoning from the bottom, and then filling a 1 gal pitcher from the tap,
treating it with 10 drops of chlorine treatment and sometimes stress coat or stress
zyme and pouring it in. <I would recommend distilled water over tap> I did not realize that the water wasn't treated
instantly as the package never mentioned letting the water sit. The sheer volume of
water changes I have been doing would make it difficult.  So should I start
letting the water sit? I am in southern NM and temps have been consistently
over 100, inside with the AC the tank sits at around 77 degrees and even the
massive emergency 60% changes (I had to do 2 -when the cons were hovering sickly
at the bottom in week two and after I made the mistake of adding more fish and
everyone got ill) have not altered the temp more than 1 degree, but if I leave
the water sit outside won't the hot water be more stressful?  <Leave a 5 gallon bucket of water inside- should be plenty for your weekly water change on a 29 gallon.> Would  the
chlorine take this long to kill them, or is it OK to keep doing it this way since
they appear to be OK? <No, they're a very hardy fish.  This doesn't mean they LIKE it though- aged water is a great benefit and chemically much more stable.>
       2) Then to make matters worse, my husband said that the filter was
running too slowly- the water used to have more force and now it doesn't- so he
took out the blue carbon cartridge and rinsed it in the sink...didn't this just
upset the cycling that I had nearly finished? I had been afraid to change the
pad because of that...then he does this! So just when everything should be
balancing out I have to start over? <NO>  Not only that but the water does not flow
any faster as a result. So is my filter broken? Is it OK to replace the
cartridge without upsetting the cycle? Does rinsing the pad mess up
anything/everything? And shouldn't I change the pad every month? Does that mean I need to
recycle the tank endlessly? <No, in ideal conditions the colonies of beneficial bacteria will repopulate the filter media in just a day or two.  Your tank may re-cycle if it's not stable to begin with- watch the ammonia and nitrite levels, and do water changes when detected.  
       3) When the time comes (in a few weeks hopefully) to add new fish, how
many fish can safely be added at first? I am considering tiger barbs as tank
mates, and ideally would like them to be nearly full grown so the Cons won't
kill them (right away at least...) Could I safely add 2? Then 2 the next week?
Or is that too quickly?  I read that tiger barbs like to be in groups of
6...would they be OK until I could safely reach that number over several weeks?
What if I added young tiger barbs slowly, my tank has plenty of hiding spaces,
would they be OK with the cons? Would 6 tiger barbs and three convicts overstock
my 29 gal? Or Can you recommend a better match for my Cons?
<You're going to have to remove at least 2 of the cons to add anything.  1 convict and 2 small fish would probably be alright, as long as you continue the water change regimen.>
Thank you for taking the time to read this, I realize that the whole cycling
thing must be pretty repetitive to you guys, but I cannot seem to find the
specific information I need...And I have spent this last month reading everything
I can find, but so much of it is contradictory, everyone has another method
or system.  <The beauty of this hobby!  Every aquarium is different in it's own way.  You've got to "finesse the ever-changing living dynamic in your aquarium on a daily basis.">
Thank you so much!
Melissa
<You're welcome. Ryan>

- Oscar and Myxosoma? -
I have searched the archives and have found very little information about this. From what I have read, I suspect that my Oscar may have this "whirling disease". He has stopped eating for the last week or so. I normally do weekly water changes of about 15%. Because of his symptoms, I have done three water changes during the last week totaling probably about 60% I have been using Melafix for the last few days, but have seen no changes. He is breathing heavy, mouth opening and closing. The other fish in the tank (2 large tinfoil barbs and a Synodontis cat) remain normal. During the day when I'm not home, I don't suspect that he is doing the whirling thing because there is no water on the floor. At night when the lights are on, he will do the quick, one full turn around action, often splashing water out of the tank. This goes on every few minutes while I'm watching. I have done some research on the web and found that infected fish will often do the whirl when they are startled or fed (connection with the lights?). Almost no info exists on this disease in Oscars, some in reference to Discus, but most are about Salmon and Trout. <This is where it occurs most often... is bad news in aquaculture, in fact is a 'reportable' disease in the US because its spores can live in the mud for up to a year, and even survive being dried out.> There are no references to a cure. <Not really, is a seriously debilitating disease [cartilage is destroyed] and can only be addressed by making sure breeding systems/raceways are cleaned/disinfected.> One site even said to "immediately euthanize the infected fish and all other inhabitants and sanitize the tank...there is no cure!" ...and that was a discus site! Heck, I don't think I'd get too attached to a salmon or a trout, but Oscar is family! <I hear you.> Do you think that this is what I'm up against? <A possibility, a co-symptom of whirling disease is a black tail, so you might look for that too.> Do you have any information on this and a possible cure? <I have information, but none about 'curing' this problem in adult fish. Because it is a parasite of cartilage, it is very hard to treat directly.> I hate seeing this graceful creature suffer like this. <I'm sorry I don't have better news. I'd keep up the observation... perhaps Oscar has just learned a new trick and is trying to get your blood pressure up. Let's both hope for the best.>
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.
<Cheers, J -- >

Jack Dempsey & Swim Bladder (06/29/03)
Hi,
<Hi! Ananda here tonight...>
I hope you can help me the way you have helped so many of the people and fish from the letters I've read.
<I hope so too...>
I have a 6 inch Jack Dempsey (male). He's been staying in the corner of my 125 gallon tank for about a week standing on his nose. I went to the pet store to ask about medications and the staff told me that he might have swim bladder disease. I moved him to a Q/T tank this evening.
<Ah, good. Much better to treat in a hospital tank than in a display tank....>
Every now and then he'll be belly up for a few seconds and then gets into his vertical position. I've been reading in your Q&A's that Epsom salt is good if there is a blockage. Would this apply to a fresh water fish?
<Most certainly. One tablespoon per five gallons should do it.>
Another site gave me info about feeding him a defrosted frozen pea. Researchers at a N. Carolina Univ. found that this moves out the blockage. Is there any hope for my fish and if so can you give me some advice. I would greatly appreciate it.
<Give him a couple of peas and dose his hospital tank with Epsom salts. If it's gas or a blockage, that should fix the problem.>
Thank you so much for having such an informative and interesting site.
Nancy
<You're quite welcome. --Ananda>

Buying, shipping Flowerhorns
Dear sir/ madam,
<Bob F. here>
We want to buy from your store about Flower horn  Lou Han, I'm from USA  some to do business fish store in Indonesia.
Can you ship to Indonesia if I need to pay with my credit card for international payment.
If you can do, please reply me soon and I will choose for the models.
Thanks and Regards
<Mmm, we don't sell Flowerhorns, cichlids, or actually any livestock. Please see this article re this "species" here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhorns.htm
Mr. Ong's e-address is linked there. You might contact him re this fish. Bob Fenner>

Blue Acara and Oscars
<Hello! Ryan with you!>
...after all, I could not let you live in peace, free of my harassment for too long. <Never know if you never ask...>
Anyway, this is the situation: I started my Oscars out  last winter in the 55 gallon tank, figuring I would move them into a large tank in about nine months, but one of them, the red one, grew like Jack's proverbial beanstalk and so, in April, I bought a used 90 gallon tank
and moved them into it, along with the Bala cat, the two clown loaches and a black angel who is too mean to keep with other angels, and the fiddler. <Wow!  That's a long sentence!  Sounds like the proper thing to do.>
I wanted some kind of beautiful, exotic, cichlid to be a tank mate too them. The guy I bought the tank from had a few more, including one filled with a variety of cichlids, including an exquisitely beautiful green terror and while it seemed against the odds, they had all made peace with each other. <Ha! The quiet before the storm...> I thought a green
terror would be wonderful, but it seemed too risky and so I abandoned the idea. <Round of applause in order!> I started prowling the web looking for stories of cichlids that had made successful tank mates to Oscars and one that came up a few times was a blue Acara. <Good choice> So I did some research on the blue Acara, particularly personal experiences with them and I found that about half the people who had posted on various forums found them to be a peaceful, fun-loving fish that got along just fine with the other fish in the tank, and the other half had acquired warriors that wrought hell upon the other fish.
I decided to take a chance that I would get one that would learn to live with the other fish okay and so I went to town and found a bunch swimming around together in a small tank. Most of them had nicks taken out of their tail and dorsal fins, but one was exceptional beautiful and his tail fin was completely unmarred. He was a little larger than
most of the rest, but not as big as even the smallest Oscar, and so I decided he would be the one to try.
Three days after moving him in, I thought my experiment had been successful. I had not worried about him bothering the Oscars, but I had worried that he might go after the clowns, the cat or the black angel<all likely>, although the black angel might have surprised him. He had made what appeared to be a couple of potentially aggressive moves on the fiddler
crab and each time that he did, the blueberry charged in and drove him away as if he were actually protecting his old friend, the fiddler. <Not a bad deal if you're the crab!>
(True, had I have known last winter what I know now, I would not have purchased the poor blueberry, but at the time I believed that there really was such a thing as a blueberry Oscar and the fish store lady was very enthusiastic about the "breed"). <Typical!  Just do what you can now>
But then, at some point in the afternoon of the third day, the Acara suddenly figured out that although he was smaller than the blueberry, he was tougher and he really began to wale on him. <Ahh, now the previews are over.>  He also turned on the albino a couple of times, but the albino fought back and the Acara backed off. I figured I would just let the blueberry fend for himself and if he succeeded in establishing a niche with the Acara present, that would be good and if he did not and died, well, probably because of what they did to make him a blueberry, he is not so vital as the other too; he does not grow the way they do and he looks a little sickly to me and my understanding now is that "blueberries" usually do not live all that long so that would just be how things went. <sad>
This was the Sunday before Memorial Day. I left for a couple of hours and when I returned, I found the blueberry lying flat on its side atop a powerhead, looking quite dead. Even so, the Acara charged up there and attacked his body and then I saw that he was not dead, but was desperately struggling to survive, but probably soon would be. So, despite the philosophy espoused above, I transferred the blueberry back into the 55, where the Severums promptly started beating him up. <OK>
Now, the Acara turned on the albino and overpowered it. Soon, he was thrashing the considerably larger albino as badly as he had been the blueberry. He also struck the poor, peaceful, Bala cat but interestingly enough did not bother the clowns nor the angel. <He will, if he has the chance.> He also had the good sense to leave the big red Oscar alone, for that Oscar is peaceful enough but takes no guff from anybody - not even me. Fearing that the Acara would soon kill the albino and maybe the cat, I moved him out of the tank and put him in a fishbowl, thinking that I would return him to the store. <and you should, it's too much fish for your tank.>
I could not go back to Anchorage that day and since the next day was Memorial Day, this meant I was stuck with the blue Acara at least until Monday. I did not believe a fish bowl to be a good environment for him, so I went to the local Wal-Mart, purchased a 10 gallon tank and accessories, thinking that I would use it for quarantine and hospital purposes after returning the Acara,
However, by the time I had a chance to take the Acara back to Anchorage, I had become quite fond of it and did not want to rid myself of it, <I knew this was coming.>
So, I still have it - in the 10 gallon tank, all alone. Obviously, I must transfer it to a larger tank at some point. In the meantime, I would like to get another blue Acara to live with it. <NO.  It's cruel enough to keep one in a 10.>  All the internet literature I read says blue Acaras do well in pairs, but I am afraid that , now that he has been living along for three weeks,  if I put another one in there he will kill it. <Highly possible.  You'd need 50 or more gallons to pull this off, as well as dither fish>  He is considerably bigger than when I brought him home so short a time ago, and I doubt I can find another Acara quite his size. Perhaps he would do okay with the opposite sex, but, for all I know, he is a she. <Beautiful fish, maybe not right for you at this time.  Return him, wait until you can properly care for this wonderful creature.>
Do you have any advice?
Thanks, Marina,
Bill
<sure, hope this helps.  Ryan>

Re: Blue Acara and Oscars (Ryan)
Hello, Ryan
<Glad to hear back from you>
I must applaud all of your crew - I have always been impressed the care put into the responses I have received from Marina and now here you are, being so prompt, thoughtful and informative as well. <Thanks!  I'm glad to help.>
The question of whether or not to take the blue Acara back to the fish store is one that I have been wrestling with and after your email I will wrestle it some more, but I think he is here to stay. <It happens.  I wound up with a Blue Acara the same way!> Although I touched upon it, what I failed to make clear in my lengthy email is
that I recognize 10 gallons is altogether too small for the Acara - although, for the moment, at about three inches, I do not think it poses him any immediate danger. <It's true, freshwater fish, although their growth may be temporarily stunted, will resume growing when conditions improve.  Not the case for marine fish.> When I put him in that tank, I took gravel from my other three tanks and put in with him and have been closely monitoring the chemistry and it is good. <You may want to run it without gravel, especially if he is recently purchased.  Undesirables will have a more difficult time breeding on a bare glass bottom.  Also handy if medications will be required.>
I had given some thought to moving some fish from the 55 into the 90, some of the smaller ones into the 29, and then some of the tetras from that into the new 10, but I have a good balance in all those tanks,
everybody pretty much gets along and I don't really want to disrupt that harmony. <My mental image here is great!  Bill, aquatic juggling act!>
I have mapped out a spot for a new tank and may purchase one for him - on the other hand, come fall or early winter, I am planning to bring in a 180 (or larger) gallon tank and I will move the three Oscars into
that <Very responsible>, along with whatever tank mates seem appropriate. <That's the fun part> At that time, I
had been planning to convert the 90 to marine, but I am now tempted to give that tank to the blue Acara and whatever cichlid tank mates he might get along with. <Lots of compatibility here.  Search our FAQs for success stories with this fish.>
Which brings me back to my original question, of whether or not he would be likely to kill another blue Acara coming in at the small fish store size? <Likely no, possible yes.> What other fish might he establish a sense of equilibrium
with? <I've kept mine with Firemouths, and they got along great.  Research this animal's natural environment for some ideas.> Also, your initial reaction to the idea of a blue Acara as a tank mate to an Oscar was "good choice." I am wondering - as fast as he is growing, the two smaller Oscars are growing even faster. As I noted,
the Acara had no inclination to mess with the larger Oscar.  Do you think that as the difference in size between Acara and Oscars becomes more disproportionate, the blue Acara might be successfully reintroduced to the Oscars? <Possible.  A divider may give you a good indication.  Divide the tank, and see if they go after each other through the divider.  If all seems well, remove it in a week.>  Or, having demonstrated such aggression already, would he just prove incorrigible? <All fish learn and forget!  The relationships in your tank are ever-changing.  Just be watching, and always have a place available to move a troublesome tankmate.>
Bill
<Keep us posted! Hope all your new roommates get along in the end. Ryan>

Texas Cichlid Disease
Could not find answer on your site.  My Texas Cichlid died this morning.  Raised him from baby (1 1/4 inches to 5 inches at death, one year old).   I kept a log.  Day one:1st symptoms were  3 pink spots appearing near dorsal fin and 2 on lower jaw. Ran tests on water everything was normal.  Introduced 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt to water (he was in 10 gal. tank no other fish) spots cleared up in 3 days. At end of 3 days did 10% water change, he was not eating normally so stopped food for 2 days.  My regular maintenance of tank was 30% water change every 3 weeks, I use a Hagen Aqua 200 filter and a sponge filter and use Kordon water treatment, I'm on well water.  Day ten:  half dozen pink spots reappeared plus he passed a very long string of semi-clear whitish substance.  I again introduced salt, the pink spots cleared up to some degree, some remained grey in color. His appetite did not improve, it was time for regular water change and did a 30% change.  Ran water tests everything was normal.  (If it's important at this point my Ph runs a constant 7.4 and this is what he was raised in.  I have 2 other tanks with angels and silver dollars in one and black convicts in the other who are under same water and maintenance conditions and they are doing well.)  Day 15: He is staying near top of tank near airstone bubbles most of the time but does not appear to be gasping for breath staying level in the water and has not eaten for about 3 days.  His pink spots have increased, his normal color is only apparent around the head and gills the back part of his body is blackish in color turning to grey as it nears the head and he was passing another very long string of whitish substance.  I removed the sponge filter and the carbon filter and introduced Melafix and aquarium salt.  That was last night and this morning he was very weak and then died a short while later.  I know this has been a long letter but wanted to give you all info that I had as I would like to know if possible what killed him.  
<It sounds as if it may have been a parasitic infection. Take a look at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfshparasites.htm for descriptions of many of them. Also, I have to wonder, was the 10g tank his normal home or just a QT tank? If it was his normal home, there were probably some problems caused by it. A 10g is *way* too small for anything but a dwarf Cichlid and especially one like the Texas who can reach an adult size of nearly a foot.>
Thank you for your time. Wilma Hill
<You're welcome! Ronni>

Re: How long does it take eggs to hatch?
Hi,
<Hello>
I just found your site and I'm hoping you can help me.  I have a Female Pink Convict and Male Black Convict and last night she laid eggs and he did his thing to them.  Anyway they are in a 55 gallon tank with other Cichlids, what can I do to insure the hatching of the babies and how long will it be before they hatch?  Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Shannon
<The best thing you can do is leave them alone as much as possible. The eggs will generally hatch in 48-72 hours. Take a look at http://www.geocities.com/dick_pahimulin/articles/a01.htm there’s some good info there. You're welcome! Ronni>

Parrot fish questions
I have a parrotfish cichlid tank (29 gallon) with 4 fish.  I have had the tank for about one year.  Except for a brief period of ick, which was successfully treated, the fish have been fine.
<Depending on the species of Parrots, this tank may be way overcrowded. If they are Jellybeans then you are probably OK as these generally only reach sizes of 3-4 inches but if they are true Blood Parrots then you should only have one or *maybe* two in this tank as they can reach 10 inches.>
This week, I noticed that one of the parrots has a pale mouth area, and another has a white circular patch on its side. I asked the fish store I purchased them from and they stated it was probably bacteria, and gave me penicillin.
<It could be a parasite. Take a look at http://www/wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfshparasites.htm >
I finished the third treatment today, and the fish are not improved.  Should I worry about fungus?  Is there a better antibiotic to be used?  Should I do a partial water change and not worry about it?
<I personally like and recommend and of the products made by Mardel as I’ve had the best success with them.>
The water seems to be in good condition.  There have been no recent changes in the tank; NO3 and NH4 are in line.  Today the pH is approximately 9.0 so I am going to do a partial water change. Any ideas?
<Ouch! This definitely needs to be brought down. These fish should be kept at a pH of 6.5 to 7.4; a higher pH can cause loss of color. So this may in fact be the problem. I found a lot of information on Parrots at http://www.geocities.com/parrot cichlid/main.html  and you can also go to http://www.wetwebmedia.com and do a search for Parrot for even more info.>
Thanks, Brenda
<You're welcome! Ronni>

Re: parrot fish
Thanks for the response!  You guys sure are quick!
<Only after that first IV of java every morning!>
A few more questions....
<Okay…>
1.  Since the pH was 9.0 according to my kit, I did a partial water change. That seemed to help. Why does the pH go up?  Is it the fish, or rocks, etc. in the tank?
<Certain substrates will raise the pH but generally not this high. What is the pH of the water you are using for your water changes? Generally it’s not recommended to mess with the pH much but in this case you do need to do something. You may want to consider using RO water; it’s generally pretty close to neutral (7.0). You can also add driftwood or peat to your tank but these can and do release tannins that will color your water. Take a look at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwph,alk.htm and related FAQ's to see what others have done.>
2.  You said it may be a parasite.  I looked at the links you sent, but can't seem to figure out what the best course of treatment may be.  The spot is round and white.  It isn't ick, as I worked on that.  I don't see any pits anywhere on the body or any parasite visibly. Should I just leave the fish alone and hope he improves, or treat anyway, with something else?
<For now, work on the pH and see if that helps.>
The last parrot I had had a hole in his head and no matter what I did, dipping, etc, he died.  I would like to get this one figured out before death becomes the only alternative.
<Was he in the tank with these fish? If so, they may have contracted the disease that he died from.>
3.  You may be right.  Although the fish I have are no bigger than 3-4 inches and I have had 2 of them for over a year, I now think they may be the true parrotfish. Oops. Guess the store told me the wrong thing. I will see if I can take two back and make more room for the two remaining ones.
First, though, I feel I must treat them so I don't infect any other fish.
<That’s a good plan. And even if they don’t get any bigger they will probably be much more comfortable with just two in that size tank.>
Thanks for all your information. Brenda
<You're welcome! Ronni>

Oscar/Texas cichlid
I have a 3" albino tiger Oscar and a Texas cichlid in a tank together. I was wondering if these are suitable tank mates. I have heard that the Texas cichlid is very mean and might kill the Oscar, but so far it seems to be the opposite. The Texan just kinda hangs around the bottom and sometimes when the Oscar sees him he will chase him for a bit, but quickly loses interest. They don’t seem to mind each other for the most part. They are currently in a 29G but I’m planning to upgrade to a 60G before too long. I’ve heard some people say they are good together, and some say they don’t mix. So I guess I’m a tad confused. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Also I was wondering if you had any info on the Texan because there are barely any on any sites I can find. All I know is that he is the coolest looking freshwater fish I have seen thus far. Thanks for your time.
<As far as water parameters go these fish should be fine together. The chasing you are seeing is most likely because of territorial disputes, especially if the Oscar is larger or was in the tank before you added the Texas. They need to be moved into the larger tank ASAP and once they get large you may find yourself needing an even larger tank to prevent the fighting. To find more WebPages on the Texas, do a search for the species name Herichthys cyanoguttatus or the more common name Rio Grande cichlid. Ronni>

Re: Freshwater Pufferfish & Firemouth Cichlids
Thank you again for the last email but I was wondering if I could put only 1 or 2 freshwater Pufferfish in 50 gal tank with the Firemouth cichlids.  The particular puffer I was thinking about was Indian Dwarf Puffer mainly because they don't require any brackish water.
<You might be able to get by with these but they will most likely become bite-sized morsels for your Cichlids because they reach a maximum size of only about 1” and your Cichlids are going to reach around 7”. Ronni>

Re: Firemouth Compatibility
I have 50 gal tank with 6 Firemouth cichlids in it and was wondering what other fish I could add without them being killed by the Firemouths.
<Really, you’re pretty close to the maximum fish load for this tank.>
I was looking at adding some Severums,
<These require a much lower Ph than your Firemouths>
some black sharks
<These can get over 3 feet long and will be way too big for your tank>
or jack Dempseys
<These can get close to 12” long and will be too big unless you had just one or two of these and nothing else.>
and need some advice on what type of fish would work good in the tank.
<Do some research at www.wetwebmedia.com and also at www.fishbase.org but I really wouldn’t recommend adding anything else to this tank. Ronni>

Cichlids
Hi, I just got my 29gallon up and running with a 2'' Jack Dempsey, a 3 1/2'' Oscar and a 3 1/2'' pleco. I plan to upgrade to a 125gallon in at the least 4months...
<You’ll definitely need this larger tank. Also, this is really too much of a fish load for a new tank. You should have allowed the tank to cycle (probably with just a few goldfish) before adding any of these guys.>
At the moment they are all doing very good...I happen to have my heart set on a green terror about 2'' at the pet store. Could I try adding him?
<I wouldn’t recommend it until you get the larger tank. You’ll be asking for trouble putting him in this size tank with those others.>
If so how long is the min. to upgrade their tank?
<Even without him the longest they’ll be able to be kept in the 29 is another month or two.>
At the moment I have a good filter/aeration, use the gravel vac and change water daily (ammonia is 1.5 working on lowering).
<Yes, you definitely need to get the ammonia down and soon.>
Also when I do get the 125g going what would be some good tankmates? (non cichlids) I was wanting maybe some bottom feeders and top surface fish all native to either C/S America. thx in advance
<Anything you add is going to need to get fairly large and be at least semi-aggressive. If you get the Green Terror I wouldn’t recommend adding much if anything else. All of the fish you have get quite large (the Green Terror will be the smallest and can be 8 inches!) Do some reading at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsubwebindex.htm about setting up and cycling new tanks and the types of fish you want to keep. Ronni>

Breeding Severums (02/25/03)
I'm going to sound like a COMPLETE ignoramus here, but oh well.
<Ananda here, and believe me, I have done the same thing....>
I have 2 Severums in my community tank.  I am interested in breeding Severums, but have NO idea how to determine the sex of them!  I have read descriptions that say things like "the male has pointier fins", but I have been unable to see actual side-by-side pictures showing the differences, which makes the descriptions useless.  
<I didn't find any side-by-side photos, either, and read that one of the few ways you can be certain of the gender of the fish is to examine their genital papillae. The text didn't specify what to look for, but I suspect the male's will be more pointed and the female's ovipositor will be rounded. (The other way to be certain which is which is to catch them spawning!) A female Severum may have a dark spot on the dorsal fin, while males may have reddish-brown spots and worm-like markings on the head. >
They are about 3-1/2 to 4" long, one green & one gold.  Any help you can give would be VERY appreciated!
<I've read that these fish do not pair bond particularly easily. I would suggest a large tank, excellent food, and several fish. If you have one male and a harem of females, you may get a pair to spawn. As for *finding* that male, you might need to go to a local fish store with a fair number of these fish in one tank and just stare at the fish for a while, or look for a cichlid club and ask its members for help.>
Thanks,
Raven
<You're welcome. --Ananda>