I just registered here and I think this site is pretty great.
I'm pretty new to having cichlids... actually I'm pretty new to having fish, period. In August, I started off with a 10 gallon tank and had a couple gouramis.
About a month later we bought a 30 gallon tank and my boyfriend's uncle gave us 5 Labidochromis caeruleus and a m/f pair of electric blue haps. I instantly fell in love with cichlids and started researching them online. Sadly, a couple weeks later our m/f pair both died the same way. First was the female, she jumped out of the water and hit her head on the glass top and died. The next day, the male did the exact same thing.
A few days later, uncle gave us 9 cichlids that he got from a friend. I had no idea what kind they were until recently. I have 1 5.5 inch male pseudotropheus acei tanzania black and 3 females - 1 about 5 inches and the others about 4 inches. He also gave us 5 metriaclima zebras, however I'm not sure as to the exact kind. A picture of one is displayed as my avatar. I believe they are all males but I'm not even sure what a female looks like. I plan on getting females when I find out exactly what kind they are. They're sizes range from 3.5-4.5 inches.
We decided to buy a bigger tank so we went with a 90 gallon. I'm sure we would've bought an even bigger one if we didn't live in a one bedroom apartment hehe.
We bought a couple Pseudotropheus Socolofi but they both died. We also got two more Labidochromis Caeruleus, bringing the total to 7, and now have one that is carrying. We came across one Nimbochromis Livingstonii in a local pet store and bought him too. He is about 4 inches and is starting to turn blue. We have small jewel cichlids and african butterfly cichlids as well. Yesterday, we bought a m/f pair of zebra gold lions cove and 3 johannis.
We also have a 35 gallon tank that's housing 8 peacock cichlids - 2 males and 6 females. The alfa male is a sunshine peacock and I'm not sure what the other male is because he has coloured down. All I know is that he is blue. 3 of our females are carrying and we have a 20 gallon with about 30-40 peacock fry.
We're planning on buying a 75 gallon tank, possibly today, so that we can get rid of a bunch of our smaller tanks and to lighten the load in the 90 gallon.
I have a question about my nimbochromis livingstonii. I've heard about their hunting strategy - laying on their side "playing dead" until a smaller fish gets curious about him and then he will attack. I have not seen my nimbochromis livingstonii do this at all but there aren't really fish much smaller than him in my tank. Should I be worried about my Labidochromis Caeruleus fry that will be released from the mouth in a couple weeks?
Anyway, thanks for listening and I will be looking forward to talking to all of you!
Shannon
Full Version: Hey
QUOTE(shannondoh @ Dec 29 2008, 02:35 PM) 
I just registered here and I think this site is pretty great.
I'm pretty new to having cichlids... actually I'm pretty new to having fish, period. In August, I started off with a 10 gallon tank and had a couple gouramis.
About a month later we bought a 30 gallon tank and my boyfriend's uncle gave us 5 Labidochromis caeruleus and a m/f pair of electric blue haps. I instantly fell in love with cichlids and started researching them online. Sadly, a couple weeks later our m/f pair both died the same way. First was the female, she jumped out of the water and hit her head on the glass top and died. The next day, the male did the exact same thing.
A few days later, uncle gave us 9 cichlids that he got from a friend. I had no idea what kind they were until recently. I have 1 5.5 inch male pseudotropheus acei tanzania black and 3 females - 1 about 5 inches and the others about 4 inches. He also gave us 5 metriaclima zebras, however I'm not sure as to the exact kind. A picture of one is displayed as my avatar. I believe they are all males but I'm not even sure what a female looks like. I plan on getting females when I find out exactly what kind they are. They're sizes range from 3.5-4.5 inches.
We decided to buy a bigger tank so we went with a 90 gallon. I'm sure we would've bought an even bigger one if we didn't live in a one bedroom apartment hehe.
We bought a couple Pseudotropheus Socolofi but they both died. We also got two more Labidochromis Caeruleus, bringing the total to 7, and now have one that is carrying. We came across one Nimbochromis Livingstonii in a local pet store and bought him too. He is about 4 inches and is starting to turn blue. We have small jewel cichlids and african butterfly cichlids as well. Yesterday, we bought a m/f pair of zebra gold lions cove and 3 johannis.
We also have a 35 gallon tank that's housing 8 peacock cichlids - 2 males and 6 females. The alfa male is a sunshine peacock and I'm not sure what the other male is because he has coloured down. All I know is that he is blue. 3 of our females are carrying and we have a 20 gallon with about 30-40 peacock fry.
We're planning on buying a 75 gallon tank, possibly today, so that we can get rid of a bunch of our smaller tanks and to lighten the load in the 90 gallon.
I have a question about my nimbochromis livingstonii. I've heard about their hunting strategy - laying on their side "playing dead" until a smaller fish gets curious about him and then he will attack. I have not seen my nimbochromis livingstonii do this at all but there aren't really fish much smaller than him in my tank. Should I be worried about my Labidochromis Caeruleus fry that will be released from the mouth in a couple weeks?
Anyway, thanks for listening and I will be looking forward to talking to all of you!
Shannon
I'm pretty new to having cichlids... actually I'm pretty new to having fish, period. In August, I started off with a 10 gallon tank and had a couple gouramis.
About a month later we bought a 30 gallon tank and my boyfriend's uncle gave us 5 Labidochromis caeruleus and a m/f pair of electric blue haps. I instantly fell in love with cichlids and started researching them online. Sadly, a couple weeks later our m/f pair both died the same way. First was the female, she jumped out of the water and hit her head on the glass top and died. The next day, the male did the exact same thing.
A few days later, uncle gave us 9 cichlids that he got from a friend. I had no idea what kind they were until recently. I have 1 5.5 inch male pseudotropheus acei tanzania black and 3 females - 1 about 5 inches and the others about 4 inches. He also gave us 5 metriaclima zebras, however I'm not sure as to the exact kind. A picture of one is displayed as my avatar. I believe they are all males but I'm not even sure what a female looks like. I plan on getting females when I find out exactly what kind they are. They're sizes range from 3.5-4.5 inches.
We decided to buy a bigger tank so we went with a 90 gallon. I'm sure we would've bought an even bigger one if we didn't live in a one bedroom apartment hehe.
We bought a couple Pseudotropheus Socolofi but they both died. We also got two more Labidochromis Caeruleus, bringing the total to 7, and now have one that is carrying. We came across one Nimbochromis Livingstonii in a local pet store and bought him too. He is about 4 inches and is starting to turn blue. We have small jewel cichlids and african butterfly cichlids as well. Yesterday, we bought a m/f pair of zebra gold lions cove and 3 johannis.
We also have a 35 gallon tank that's housing 8 peacock cichlids - 2 males and 6 females. The alfa male is a sunshine peacock and I'm not sure what the other male is because he has coloured down. All I know is that he is blue. 3 of our females are carrying and we have a 20 gallon with about 30-40 peacock fry.
We're planning on buying a 75 gallon tank, possibly today, so that we can get rid of a bunch of our smaller tanks and to lighten the load in the 90 gallon.
I have a question about my nimbochromis livingstonii. I've heard about their hunting strategy - laying on their side "playing dead" until a smaller fish gets curious about him and then he will attack. I have not seen my nimbochromis livingstonii do this at all but there aren't really fish much smaller than him in my tank. Should I be worried about my Labidochromis Caeruleus fry that will be released from the mouth in a couple weeks?
Anyway, thanks for listening and I will be looking forward to talking to all of you!
Shannon
Hello Shannon, well I would be worried about the Livinstonii because he will grow to about twice the size of all the others in the tank. make sure you have a lot of hiding places for the fry to hide in so the livingstonii can not fit into. the reason for your other male peacock colouring down is because he has become the beta male.as for your fish dieing could mean a lot of things. how are you acclamating them to your tanks? are you floating the bag in the tank they are intended to go into? are you putting some of the tank water into the water of the new fish or are you just dumping the bag of water and fish into the tank? what are your water Parameters?
Byron
Welcome to the world of cichlids 
Sounds like you are expanding tanks rapidly 
Ardan
Sounds like you are expanding tanks rapidly Ardan
QUOTE(Ardan @ Dec 30 2008, 05:30 AM)
Welcome to the world of cichlids Sounds like you are expanding tanks rapidly
Ardan
Sounds like you are expanding tanks rapidly Ardan
Thanks and I sure am! I ended up buying that 75 gallon tank yesterday! I don't get it until Wednesday though.
Welcome aboard Shannon, we're glad you're with us 
QUOTE(Heather @ Dec 30 2008, 08:01 PM)
Welcome aboard Shannon, we're glad you're with us
Thank you very much
Welcome to ACF!!
Congrats on your growing hobby, especially the zebra golds- very nice find.
The N. livingstonii (and other tankmates) will more than likely successfully hunt the majority, if not all of your yellow lab fry. If you plan on keeping them, either move her to a separate tank to release, or strip and place the fry in another tank.
Congrats on your growing hobby, especially the zebra golds- very nice find.
The N. livingstonii (and other tankmates) will more than likely successfully hunt the majority, if not all of your yellow lab fry. If you plan on keeping them, either move her to a separate tank to release, or strip and place the fry in another tank.
QUOTE(Crowned @ Jan 2 2009, 10:56 AM)
Welcome to ACF!!
Congrats on your growing hobby, especially the zebra golds- very nice find.
The N. livingstonii (and other tankmates) will more than likely successfully hunt the majority, if not all of your yellow lab fry. If you plan on keeping them, either move her to a separate tank to release, or strip and place the fry in another tank.
Congrats on your growing hobby, especially the zebra golds- very nice find.
The N. livingstonii (and other tankmates) will more than likely successfully hunt the majority, if not all of your yellow lab fry. If you plan on keeping them, either move her to a separate tank to release, or strip and place the fry in another tank.
Thank you!
I'm thinking of either removing or stripping her this weekend. She looks like she needs a break from the main tank. I'm extremely proud of her though, she is the smallest fish in this tank and this is her first time carrying. She's doing really well. I would add pictures of her but I have no clue how to do that lol.
I just stripped one of my peacocks yesterday, there's about 40 fry. I also noticed that one of my other peacocks released her fry in the tank. I've only been able to see about 5 of them so far.
QUOTE(shannondoh @ Jan 2 2009, 12:39 PM)
I'm thinking of either removing or stripping her this weekend. She looks like she needs a break from the main tank. I'm extremely proud of her though, she is the smallest fish in this tank and this is her first time carrying. She's doing really well. I would add pictures of her but I have no clue how to do that lol.
She is a great Mom, being her first time carrying!!
To add pictures to a post-
First upload pictures to the photo gallery or to a host site such as photobucket.com.
If using the photo gallery, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url which is in the line labeled "forum code full" to the post.
If using a host site, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url to the post.
You can then click on "preview post", and if done correctly, the pictures will be visible in the preview pane.
Good luck with the fry.
QUOTE(Crowned @ Jan 5 2009, 11:17 AM)
She is a great Mom, being her first time carrying!!
To add pictures to a post-
First upload pictures to the photo gallery or to a host site such as photobucket.com.
If using the photo gallery, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url which is in the line labeled "forum code full" to the post.
If using a host site, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url to the post.
You can then click on "preview post", and if done correctly, the pictures will be visible in the preview pane.
Good luck with the fry.
To add pictures to a post-
First upload pictures to the photo gallery or to a host site such as photobucket.com.
If using the photo gallery, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url which is in the line labeled "forum code full" to the post.
If using a host site, once pictures are uploaded, then copy the IMG url to the post.
You can then click on "preview post", and if done correctly, the pictures will be visible in the preview pane.
Good luck with the fry.
yay it worked! Thank you for informing me
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.