gobluecichlids
New Member
I see they were put in a 30 gallon tank, you need to go bigger to see success, and more fishes. more fishes=less agressionBilliethekid said:
Boring, Dull, African fish...
- Thread starter DMD123
- Start date
Stupid? little? chihuahuas with no personality? WTF? :evil:
I love my African cichlids. I would never describe them as dull, boring, or stupid. They don't have the type of personality that some of the large CA/SAs have, but to say they have no personality is wrong.
I like all of the different types of cichlids, old and new world. I just prefer the Africans.
I love my African cichlids. I would never describe them as dull, boring, or stupid. They don't have the type of personality that some of the large CA/SAs have, but to say they have no personality is wrong.
I like all of the different types of cichlids, old and new world. I just prefer the Africans.
These I will admit, I like. Probably because they remind me of CA/SA cichlids too. :tongue:gobluecichlids said:
Very nice fish, thanks for the pictures!
Come on guys lets keep this going, how about some more pictures of the little fruit loops. (Have to have read earlier comments by madness to understand)
bassetman
Member
I've had oscars and really enjoyed them, Now I have a colony of fronts and they eat from my hand just like the oscars did. They are very comparable in personality. I switched to africans When I moved because my water is very hard and high PH. perfect for rift fish right out of the tap.
In response to the original post:
They come in a large variety of colors. Here are just a few, these are some of the species I keep or have kept in the past.
They come in a variety of sizes. I've read that the Boulengerochromis microlepis from Lake Tanganyika can grow up to 36 inches (at least in the wild). I have a couple of species that reach 10 - 12 inches and one species that's small enough to fit into snail shells.
Personality is hard to show in pictures, but I have some real characters. Some of mine like to be hand fed and will swim into my hands -- I've even had some jump out of the tank and land on the lid or at my feet. My saulosi like to bite me!
Female mouthbrooders will go weeks without food while their babies are developing in their mouths.
I enjoy keeping them and nine of my tanks are African cichlid tanks.
They come in a large variety of colors. Here are just a few, these are some of the species I keep or have kept in the past.
They come in a variety of sizes. I've read that the Boulengerochromis microlepis from Lake Tanganyika can grow up to 36 inches (at least in the wild). I have a couple of species that reach 10 - 12 inches and one species that's small enough to fit into snail shells.
Personality is hard to show in pictures, but I have some real characters. Some of mine like to be hand fed and will swim into my hands -- I've even had some jump out of the tank and land on the lid or at my feet. My saulosi like to bite me!
Female mouthbrooders will go weeks without food while their babies are developing in their mouths.
I enjoy keeping them and nine of my tanks are African cichlid tanks.
There a handful of Africans I would consider, the Fronts would be on my list. Some of the Tilapia's are pretty cool and of course the Emperor cichlid!madness said:Really, if I were to set up an African tank, I think I would go all Frontosa. They look good, they get big, and really look a lot like C/S Am. Cichs.
So it took a "your fish are lame" to get you African keepers posting. Expect more, :ibox: I like to see the activity here!
Almost forgot, nice pictures Betty, those fish look very nice! Keep up the good work! :spoton:
fishloverRon
Member
HOLY CRIMMINY! What gorgeous photos!!! I love the Africans - especially the Malawi Mbunas! Before I left the hobby in the 70's, I was keeping and raising them in some 110g tanks before my work and my family duties became overwhelming. THAT won't happen again!
I will be setting up my next tank with Mbunas in the next few weeks (I hope - gotta find a place for it!). I am not a SW guy. I love FW. I'm not a monster fish guy either (adult angels are the largest I keep...so far, but you know how interests evolve and change!). I love the smaller species and their intricate body designs and colorations.
As far as dull & boring...as Dr. Phil would say, "What's up with that?" If you want exciting, active, colorful, fish with fun behaviors, just set up a tank full of Mbunas! If you want aggressive fish, just put the right mix together and you got 'em! Same for less aggression. And their rock scraping feeding behavior and colors will rival the SW reef fish.
I don't knock the enthusiasts who keep large fish. This is a great hobby and provides different strokes for different folks. And I enjoy visiting LeisureMan's home with all his big fish. Maybe he should charge me admission fees! But, as one fish keeper said to me as he was downsizing his fish sizes, there's a lot of wasted tank space when you have a 90 gallon tank with just 2 large cichlids and a plecostomus in it.
As I am jumping back into this hobby, it amazes me how many more species have been introduced. It is not surprizing to see scientific names changing as the relationships between species are becoming better recognized and defined. Also, the knowledge we now have available about the fish, their habitats, and their health issues (The Malawi Bloat used to kill my Mbunas and I could not figure it out. Didn't even have a name for it then!) has increase multifold.
Okay....That's my bit for the day! I'll step down from my soapbox and let someone else have it! Nice thread. I'm learning who to go to for Mbuna help in the future!
BTW, DMD123....Good work to keep it going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You pot-stirrer, you!!
Ron
I will be setting up my next tank with Mbunas in the next few weeks (I hope - gotta find a place for it!). I am not a SW guy. I love FW. I'm not a monster fish guy either (adult angels are the largest I keep...so far, but you know how interests evolve and change!). I love the smaller species and their intricate body designs and colorations.
As far as dull & boring...as Dr. Phil would say, "What's up with that?" If you want exciting, active, colorful, fish with fun behaviors, just set up a tank full of Mbunas! If you want aggressive fish, just put the right mix together and you got 'em! Same for less aggression. And their rock scraping feeding behavior and colors will rival the SW reef fish.
I don't knock the enthusiasts who keep large fish. This is a great hobby and provides different strokes for different folks. And I enjoy visiting LeisureMan's home with all his big fish. Maybe he should charge me admission fees! But, as one fish keeper said to me as he was downsizing his fish sizes, there's a lot of wasted tank space when you have a 90 gallon tank with just 2 large cichlids and a plecostomus in it.
As I am jumping back into this hobby, it amazes me how many more species have been introduced. It is not surprizing to see scientific names changing as the relationships between species are becoming better recognized and defined. Also, the knowledge we now have available about the fish, their habitats, and their health issues (The Malawi Bloat used to kill my Mbunas and I could not figure it out. Didn't even have a name for it then!) has increase multifold.
Okay....That's my bit for the day! I'll step down from my soapbox and let someone else have it! Nice thread. I'm learning who to go to for Mbuna help in the future!
BTW, DMD123....Good work to keep it going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You pot-stirrer, you!!
Ron
Thanks Ron,fishloverRon said:BTW, DMD123....Good work to keep it going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You pot-stirrer, you!!
What I found funny was how lame of a response I got from the CA/SA people when I posted Festae-Whats the big deal? These are the Holy Grail of fish to CA/SA keepers yet not much said... http://www.wafishbox.com/t3895-festae-whats-the-big-deal
African fishkeepers must just have more pride in their fish for the response has been much better. Or else they really do feel like they have to defend their dull, boring fish :ibox: Just a joke :laughhard:
fishloverRon
Member
I know what you are! We are of like kind! I was dubbed "Maytag" this week by my wife's cousins while vacationing with them because I'm such an agitator!
And BTW: We need no defense. We Mbuna types don't have to have big things just to build our "self confidence"....Just got to get those big, cumbersome Cichs out of the way so you can see, THEN appreciate the beautiful, delicate Mbunas and all they have to offer!
Long live the pot-stirrers, for they shall keep things lively! And I'll drink to that! :beer:
And BTW: We need no defense. We Mbuna types don't have to have big things just to build our "self confidence"....Just got to get those big, cumbersome Cichs out of the way so you can see, THEN appreciate the beautiful, delicate Mbunas and all they have to offer!
Long live the pot-stirrers, for they shall keep things lively! And I'll drink to that! :beer:
fishloverRon
Member
ROTFLMFAO
and for the unannointed that means: Rolling on the floor laughing my finned ankles off!!!!
:lmfao:
:laughhard:
and for the unannointed that means: Rolling on the floor laughing my finned ankles off!!!!
:lmfao:
:laughhard:
