# Cichlids



## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

Does anyone have cichlids? What is the minimum requirements for them? My boyfriends dad has them, and he has had a couple batches of babies. Now, he has another batch, and he is trying to find them homes. I think they are super cute, but I don't have much space for another tank. Anyway, I was debating how much more of a commitment it would be.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

It reeeeeeally depends on the species. Some stay small and docile, while others get huge and want to kill you. Most are somewhere inbetween.


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## Karebear13 (Jan 23, 2012)

jaysee said:


> while others get huge and want to kill you. .


LOL! 

I would like to know more about them myself! Love the Blue rams


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

I don't know the species. They are pale yellow. The parents are about 3"x4". They all live in a 75 gallon, and none of my boyfriends dads fish seem to be overly aggressive. He has a bunch of different species (including gold fish, which I told him are not tropical fish) in the tank. They don't seem to kill each other. Although they kill the snails he puts in. He's had it up and running for probably 6 mos, but it was a fully cycled and running tank he bought from someone else (it had been running for like 10 years).


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Hmmm, if you could get a picture of them, that would certainly help identifying them, at which point their care requirements can be determined.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

Well, I should've done this in the first place. I google searched yellow cichlids, and up popped Electric Yellow Cichlids, which appear to be what they are. Also, he got them from PetSmart, and I looked at PetSmarts Cichlids online and they sell Electric Yellow. The yellow ones are the ones he's added to the tank. I think all the rest came with it, but there are other things (like Plecostamus, Sharks, Cat Fish, Gold Fish, etc...) that he has added. I think it's way overstocked, but it's not my tank and his fish seem to survive okay. 

Is there anyway to sex them?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Overstocked and poorly stocked, it sounds. We'll see how long they are okay for... It can take several months for things to break down. Often, as fish grow and mature, the dynamics of the tank will change - this is especially true with cichlids. I don't have experience with african cichlids, which are what the yellow ones are, so hopefully someone who is will have more to say about it.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I don't have buckets of experience with Africans either - however, I'm fairly certain that the fish he's keeping together have different water requirements. Not just temperature, but pH and hardness as well. :S


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

And different dietary requirements.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

Yes, I know he is not keeping his fish in optimal conditions. I have tried to talk with him about it, but he doesn't think I know anything. I told him not to buy mondo grass or bamboo... he went out and bought mondo grass and bamboo. He has done a lot of reading about cichlids, and has attended local fish shows. He does 20-30 gallon water changes weekly, and is very meticulous about his tank. So, I do not understand the inappropriate fish and inappropriate plants. The only thing I can think of is he has a "its just a fish, it can be replaced" ideology. He is not a person who really likes animals, so I never really knew why he wanted the tank. 

I will say, he says he hasn't had any die in his tank (except the few he's tossed out because they were dying :evil:, which to me is still losing a fish whether you toss it out or not), but I swear the fish all look different every time my boyfriend and I go and visit them. He says they change colors. So... yeah. :roll:


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Hahahahaha, they don't die if I kill them first! Classic.


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## 5150wicd4fish (Oct 28, 2012)

Humm until you can post some pictures of fish, numbers, dimensions of tank, ph, temp ext, it would be hard to tell. sounds like it will take on dramatic change specially if you have mixed mbuna or having SA or NA together, once cichlids start to mature, some spawn as little as 1.5 inches.
The yellow you mention could be yellow lab or aka electric yellow. here is a picture of a tank I had a year ago, the yellow lab in middle is a hybrid, with pale on underside, purchased at LFS, so I know its not pure. Tthe other ones are breeder order more pure. If you have blue with yellow fin (its a p.acei) these cichlids are semi aggressive and u need a ratio of 1m 4/5females. if you do have these the only positive is you have a 75 gal. If I read right you have a goldfish in there?? if you do wow that needs to be rehomed different care requirements, plus massive bioload.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

515wicd4fish: I don't have a tank set up at all for cichlids right now. That is my boyfriends dads tank. His cichlids keep breeding, and he keeps giving away/selling the babies. I was just debating taking one, but I don't know what they require. He does have at least two goldfish in with his cichlids. There are probably 15ish adult cichlids, 10ish babies (he has a 10 g with the babies he could catch there are probably 30 in there), 2 bala sharks, 1 catfish (maybe two but I know 1 for sure), 1 plecostomus (maybe two, but I know 1 for sure) and a couple other assorted large fish. This is all in a 75 g.

ETA: They look like the yellow fish in the middle there. Particularly, the one on the right.


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## syds mom (Apr 27, 2012)

You are probably going to need a 30 gallon or larger just incase you decided on getting a couple more and in that case 1 male and 2 female would be good. I dont have these but I have Rift lake cichlids. I am using Eco cichlid substrate, crushed coral and limestone, this keeps my ph at 8.2. Synodontis catfish usually are a pretty good tankmate. I use lace rock. Just make sure you put rock down before adding substrate. This way they cant dig under and rocks come tumbling down.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

syds mom said:


> You are probably going to need a 30 gallon or larger just incase you decided on getting a couple more and in that case 1 male and 2 female would be good. I dont have these but I have Rift lake cichlids. I am using Eco cichlid substrate, crushed coral and limestone, this keeps my ph at 8.2. Synodontis catfish usually are a pretty good tankmate. I use lace rock. Just make sure you put rock down before adding substrate. This way they cant dig under and rocks come tumbling down.


Thanks. That is what I figured. I really don't have room for a 30 g. I could probably do a 20 g maximum. I hope they find good homes. They are the cutest social little fishies. You put your hand on the glass and they all swim over to it.


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