Cichlid Basics

[theotheragentm]

I know nothing about Cichlids, and I feel like I am reading mixed information from various sources. I keep Platies myself, and I know Cichlids are a whole different ball game. I have a friend that picked up some Cichlids, but I don't know what to tell him on how to care for them. He has nothing in the tank, except the Cichlids and some plants. Aggressive behaviour is one thing he is well aware of with Cichlids.

He has three Cichlids currently, all the same type, but I can't identify them. They are gray in color. I know they have some sort of striation on them, but I don't recall whether it's vertical or horizontal. Unforunately I don't have a picture.

I've been reading and I don't know what type this is, and I know there are African Cichlids from a few areas and also Central America. Without knowing exactly which Cichlid I am dealing with here, are there general bits of information that I can give to him? I wouldn't want to tell him to do something that is specific to a certain type of Cichlid and really mess him up.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[JDogg]

well sounds like perhaps Convict Cichlids to me...
do they look like this?


if not then it would be really helpful if you could post a picture so that we can ID the fish... requirements are a little different depending on if they are new world or old world cichlids...

can you give a little bit more about the tank they are in like the size and any other inhabitants?

[theotheragentm]

It's a 20 gallon tank. I'm home sick today so I'm just researching. My friend texted me back and said it was a Jewel Cichlid, but all the pictures I see of Jewel Cichlids are much more colorful tha what I remember seeing. Are there more gray colored Jewel Cichlids?

[Zagz]

Depending on the type of cichlid, many females are brownish in color. Hard to ID without a pic. A 20 gal tank is too small for most cichlids except dwarf cichlids. If he can send you a pic that would be very helpful.

[flyjawn]

bolivian rams are sort of grey with a bit of colour...

[theotheragentm]

The look similar to those ones there, except they don't have any color in them other than grays fro what I recall.

It looks like he might be way out of his league with the Cichlids if 20 gallons is too small for most Cichlids.

[Zagz]

If they are bolivian rams like the ones in the photos, he will be ok with a 20 gal tank. It may be that they are washed out due to stress of being moved to a new tank, if he has recently acquired them.

[flyjawn]

the Bolivian Rams only get to about 3 inches as adults so they're okay in a 20 gallon. and their colours tend to come and go depending on their mood and health. so they could appear pretty grey in certain lights...