African Cichlids Set Up! (video)

[mark7616]

For your info mate I do read your post but its not just aggression issues, African cichlids live in high ph 8-8.5 your other fish catfish, fire eel and parrot do best in 6-7.5. Also mbuna cichlids are vegetarian and there intestinal tract can not digest high protein rich meaty foods, where as all your other africans and fish are either omnivourous or carnivorous, so that point just there means your negleting one type of fishes needs.

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

For your info mate I do read your post but its not just aggression issues, African cichlids live in high ph 8-8.5 your other fish catfish, fire eel and parrot do best in 6-7.5. Also mbuna cichlids are vegetarian and there intestinal tract can not digest high protein rich meaty foods, where as all your other africans and fish are either omnivourous or carnivorous, so that point just there means your negleting one type of fishes needs.

Again you are not reading my posts... sigh I hate repeating myself..but I will with more detail this time since you don't seem to get it. I feed them spirulina flakes in the morning and then in the afternoon. At night I feed them brine shrimp and krill. I got this stratagy from:
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/

It’s like I am talking to a wall. Also a lot of people keep fire eels with cichlids they don't really care about the ph and they like the slightly salty water. The parrot fish was my idea alone. I took a gamble based on the advice of a friend and he is doing fine, look at the video and see for your self. Well then do you have any thing else to add? Because it is possible to keep haps with mbuna's and it is definitely possible to keep fire eels with African cichlids. I now know from experience that parrot fish will adapt to the Environment as well. Apparently clown loaches can adapt well to the cichlid environment too....

I would not have to be typing this out if you would have just read my comments in the first place... sigh

 

[Ferris]

Nice vid

Thought i'd add my 2 cents to the debate

I don't see a huge problem with the fire eel and i know people that have successfully kept them with Malawi's. The Ph isn't so much of an issue but i wouldn't do it personally as fire eels are very peaceful fish and clearly Mbuna and Haps aren't but i wouldn't argue with the fact that it can be done.

The Parrot is a different matter - again i don't think Ph is a problem - most fish we keep are tank bred these days and will easily adapt to different water parameters. The concern i would have here is aggression - if the Mbuna (or Haps) decide to turn on the Parrot - it is incapable of defending itself, they can't even close their mouth's properly. Adult Mbuna in particular are very different behaviour-wise to juveniles and sub-adults and can turn into little terror's overnight - Definitely one to keep an eye on.

The catfish is big enough to take care of itself.

Your feeding regime just about covers the requirements of all fish without being too detrimental to any one type so i think you've got that covered.

Out of interest - what size tank are they all in?

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

Nice vid

Thought i'd add my 2 cents to the debate

I don't see a huge problem with the fire eel and i know people that have successfully kept them with Malawi's. The Ph isn't so much of an issue but i wouldn't do it personally as fire eels are very peaceful fish and clearly Mbuna and Haps aren't but i wouldn't argue with the fact that it can be done.

The Parrot is a different matter - again i don't think Ph is a problem - most fish we keep are tank bred these days and will easily adapt to different water parameters. The concern i would have here is aggression - if the Mbuna (or Haps) decide to turn on the Parrot - it is incapable of defending itself, they can't even close their mouth's properly. Adult Mbuna in particular are very different behaviour-wise to juveniles and sub-adults and can turn into little terror's overnight - Definitely one to keep an eye on.

The catfish is big enough to take care of itself.

Your feeding regime just about covers the requirements of all fish without being too detrimental to any one type so i think you've got that covered.

Out of interest - what size tank are they all in?

Thank you,

Hmmm really? Well perhaps I should keep a close eye on him, as it stands now I have a hard time imagining my cichlids turning violently aggressive. However as you suggested they are unpredictable. Also he seems to have no problems defending him self since my particular parrot fish is very well shaped and has very well developed mouth muscles (which are rare I hear). Then again my cichlids have never gotten into a real fight were one ends up dead so it is impossible to really know if he would hold his own, so far though he is doing quite well and the diet seems to be giving him a vibrant color when I got him he was very pale. He is also very territoral too he swims around the same rock all day its kind of funny. I think you must be correct in assuming that the parrot is no match for a cichlid in a real fight looking at the teeth and agility it becomes obvious. I knew this though it is the risk I am taking. When you say water parameters do mean ph hardness and temperature? or just ph? That is interesting I always thought it was just the water ph. I will keep a close eye on both my parrot fish and my eel. Oh and my tank is a 6 foot tank I'm not sure how wide I could measure it I guess. Its about 2 feet tall.

It is the minium size my local pet store owner recomend for keeping some of the larger cichlids like the red empress and the living stoneii.

 

[Ferris]

Tank size is great - much bigger than the fish need, including the catfish so plenty of room for everyone. That will also help a great deal with any aggression issues.

Mbuna very rarely fight to the death with themselves or other species - stress caused by persistent aggression is the cause of most fatalities.

I guess there's no harm in trying the Parrot provided you can return/re-home him/her if problems arise. Hell i keep an Aulonocara that my Mbuna nearly killed with an Oscar and a JD now and it works for me (and them). Rules can be broken with careful planning and research..........and a small element of luck

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

Tank size is great - much bigger than the fish need, including the catfish so plenty of room for everyone. That will also help a great deal with any aggression issues.

Mbuna very rarely fight to the death with themselves or other species - stress caused by persistent aggression is the cause of most fatalities.

I guess there's no harm in trying the Parrot provided you can return/re-home him/her if problems arise. Hell i keep an Aulonocara that my Mbuna nearly killed with an Oscar and a JD now and it works for me (and them). Rules can be broken with careful planning and research..........and a small element of luck

you said it

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

bump

 

[Matty P]

That walking catfish is pretty cool, lovely tank!!

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

That walking catfish is pretty cool, lovely tank!!

thanks bro

 

[fishfishfish]

i am torn up about walking catfish.i want one but i dont like the main look.WHATS WRONG WITH ME!haha.and just to set a little info in here on parrot/malawi, i had a parrot in one of my early malawi tanks.the tank was 5ftLx1.5ftWx2ftT.well back onto it, i had malawi haps and a parrot.they were all fine for about 2 years and then they snapped and killed the parrot within a few minutes.the parrot was full grown and couldnt handle the others.so pay very very VERY close attention on aggresion toward the parrot and if there is ANY AT ALL, u will have to take him out or he will die sooner or later.
i never should have gotten rid of that tank!now im back into cichlids.

oh and great fish anywho.love the livingstoni!i will be getting a bigger tank again soon for my malawi and synos.hopefully big enough to stock with some of the larger malawi non mbunas like livings and dolphins.soon.....soon

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

i am torn up about walking catfish.i want one but i dont like the main look.WHATS WRONG WITH ME!haha.and just to set a little info in here on parrot/malawi, i had a parrot in one of my early malawi tanks.the tank was 5ftLx1.5ftWx2ftT.well back onto it, i had malawi haps and a parrot.they were all fine for about 2 years and then they snapped and killed the parrot within a few minutes.the parrot was full grown and couldnt handle the others.so pay very very VERY close attention on aggresion toward the parrot and if there is ANY AT ALL, u will have to take him out or he will die sooner or later.
i never should have gotten rid of that tank!now im back into cichlids.

oh and great fish anywho.love the livingstoni!i will be getting a bigger tank again soon for my malawi and synos.hopefully big enough to stock with some of the larger malawi non mbunas like livings and dolphins.soon.....soon

Thank you

I love walking catfish but make sure you don't get one that ends up growing thicker than your arm lol!
Yeah that is strange, now that is what I call a love hate realationship.

He is one of my favorites! I love how he lays down on his side pretending to be dead: lol:

Yes if I see any aggression towards him I already have a back up tank for him. In fact he used to be in a South American community tank, I moved him out because he was too aggressive. My cichlids ignore my non-African fish.

cheers mate

 

[tommitwatlegs]

Hi there I am a new member, my name is robbert nice to meet you all.
I filmed a quick fish video on youtube, here is the link:


http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSdPi_LKIjQ

If you have any questions feel free to ask

hi, ive been given one of those clarius catfish, and ive seen the pet shop it came from and it grow up to 30inch up

 

[tommitwatlegs]

Hi there I am a new member, my name is robbert nice to meet you all.
I filmed a quick fish video on youtube, here is the link:


http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSdPi_LKIjQ

If you have any questions feel free to ask

hi, ive been given one of those clarius catfish, and ive seen the pet shop it came from and it grow up to 30inch up

hi everyone,

 

[tommitwatlegs]

hi, im new to this web site so im just pressing button to see wot dose wot.
there's only me here, everyone has been talking about rob's (clarius)catfish, i got one give yesterday hoping it would stop my two convict's from bullying my fish, its still a baby at 8inch long(i will post a video of it when it comes out to play).

 

[Robbylikestofreestyle]

hi, im new to this web site so im just pressing button to see wot dose wot.
there's only me here, everyone has been talking about rob's (clarius)catfish, i got one give yesterday hoping it would stop my two convict's from bullying my fish, its still a baby at 8inch long(i will post a video of it when it comes out to play).

Sigh... there are different types. Some grow out to 5 feet or more. Mine was a baby at 3 inches and it grows to 12 inches with a maximum size of 15 inches, my local pet store breeds them. The manager showed me a few breeding pairs and they are only about a foot long.