hi! I just got a new fish tank and I was planning on buying 2 yellow african cichlids! I have never had this type of fish so I was wondering if anybody has ANY helpful information or ideas for me! I really like pufferfish and was wondering if you can have them in the same tank as the cichlids or will they eat eachother and fight too much? If not what other types of fish make good tankmates for yellow african cichlids? If I have 2 yellow african cichlids they wont eat eachother will they? My tank is a 20 or 30 gallon if that makes a difference! Thanks so much for your help!!!
2006-11-14 18:39:41 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
Your cichlids are probably lake tanganika or malawi cichlids and that means that they are really territorial and aggressive. I would not recommend you keeping them with puffers or any other slow moving fish. In your tank you must have enough hiding places for your cichlids to make their territories.
2006-11-14 21:41:43 · answer #1 · answered by steve s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cichlids are aggresive fish and a 75gal minimum is recommended. With this fish you cannot follow the 1gal per inch rule... It's more like 5gal per inch of fish.
If you want cichlids I will only get two more yellow labs and thats it. 1 male and 3 females.... no other fish in the tank
Remember that with any fish, you try to build a replica of their natural home....
these cichlids come from lake malawi, therefore I would use as tank mates any other lake malawi cichlid that will enjoy the same tank set up.
Im getting a cichlid tank next month (75gal), also lake malawi, and Im getting:
yellow labs
electric blue alhi
Kenyi
bumblebee cichlid
go to liveaquaria.com and under fresh water fish: click on malawaian cichlids....
These are type of cichlids that need lots of caves (mbunas) were they claim their territory and hide when feel in danger... They also need a couple flat rocks were they spawn....Fish that require this same conditions will be good tank mates....
I know of people that keep some cat fish with their cichlids, but I think it takes allot away from the tank....
2006-11-15 00:48:11 · answer #2 · answered by Ricky 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have an established overstocked cichlid tank (55 gallon) with 9 Lake Malawain cichlids and 2 Plecostomus.
Plecos and cichlids go well together, but be mindful that cichlids will get big (4-6" on average). They are aggressive to other fish except for cichlids of their own locality.
I've never had problems with them going after eachother or the plecostomus. Just make sure you have cycled your tank before placing them in there. Cichlids like a higher Ph (around 6.8-7) and there are substrates that help maintain this Ph.
A good site with a chart of what is compatible with eachother is http://www.liveaquaria.com
2006-11-14 22:55:14 · answer #3 · answered by damion_2002 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the 'Yellow African' is a Labidochromis Caeruleus (look it up in google images) then this is what you have:
A fish from lake Malawi known as a Mbuna. They are aggressive as far as typical aquarium fish go, but not aggressive as far as mbuna go. They are, in the wild, grouping fish and in turn do best in groups of their own kind in the tank too. They are rock dwelling fish and so like a tank with plenty of hiding spots. Tankmates should be other mbuna that are not too aggressive, and tough pleco's and catfish will also fit in well with them. You can get away with them in a tank as small as 30 gallons, but 50 gallons or more is really most ideal and 20 gallons is not recommended.
Since fish like this have specific needs in terms of water, food, and tankmates, I suggest doing research on mbuna first, you'll learn many things, including the fact that a 20 gallon tank is simply too small for these very active and aggressive fish.
2006-11-15 04:32:07 · answer #4 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I once had two very small Yellow African Cichlids in a ten gallon tank. The pecking order started as soon as i put them in the water. I turned the lights off and the next morning i had a live one and a dead one. I returned them both where i bought them and exchanged them for some Pictus Cats. They like company of their own kind. They are fun to watch and are constantly moving.
2006-11-14 21:14:15 · answer #5 · answered by redbass 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most puffers you see in the pet stores are sold as fresh water, but are supposed to or eventually supposed to be in brackish to full marine. So, no not compatible with cichlids. (Dwarf puffers are true fresh water fish, but too small and still not compatible with the Africans). You should really stick with African cichlids if you're going with your yellow whatever-your getting chichlids. Here's a link, has a bunch of different African species.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pCatId=831
2006-11-15 04:46:21 · answer #6 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi there,
I just bought White Zebra Last few days, it was the types of Cichlids and i would like to explain something about the fish you bought.
African Cichlids is a fresh water fish and they prefer fresh water salt added for better quality of water and healthy life.
Cichlids aggresiveness will be depends on their mood. Normally they aggressive in hunger. So do feed them on schedule. BUt DONT over feed them, they might eat non stop for it.
However, Puffer is a brackish water fish, but they can live in fresh water like cichilds. Just will affect the health of puffer and will not have good living for them. Both of them can stay together, there is no problem at all as long as their size is slightly similar.
I recommend you have few types of Cichlids together will be the best idea. Hope you can have your new tank set and have an happy Cichlids family^_^
2006-11-14 20:50:41 · answer #7 · answered by EricOye 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
spotted cat fish,grammies cichlids are a species only fish but if you start the tank when all the fish are the same size you should have no problems i have angels spotted cat fish, gramies neon tetras ghoast knife and electic yellows in a 75 gal tank started with 5 yellows now i have 30 or so breeding make sure you give them lots of places to hide and places for the fry to hide good luck
2006-11-15 02:18:41 · answer #8 · answered by great white fisherman 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
actualy is you go any cichlids you need to put them with nothing but cichlids. i tried the same thing you are asking. didn't work. all i had left wes the cichlids so if you go cichlids be prepared to devote the whole tank to them. no they won't kill each other but be sure to get 2 females to 1 male.
2006-11-15 07:13:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if your refeing to electric yellows which are cichlids and are sometimes agressive esspecially while mating but are fine to keep with other cichlids for example i have my two electric yellows with a pair of electric blues or you could even have them with the blue dolphins but im not real sure on the puffer fish sorry
2006-11-14 19:02:52 · answer #10 · answered by Tyrone L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋