Teen aquarists

[Scottyhorse]

I'm curious, why do people love cichlids?

Well, most have very cool colors. They breed fairly easily (which can be a PITA) and they also have funny personalities. They are often social with the owner, too.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Pretty broad question considering all the different types of cichlids out there......but many people like them because of their color and personality.

I love them for their colors, personality, and uniqueness to each other and to other fish too. Even though I never owned one ( with the exception of angels ), I love them all the same.

 

[bmarine]

Huh?? Whose from the Philippines? Wow, 42 teens! I only remember like a few of them. Lol

I think her name was Tamar? And yeah same! Most kinda checked in here then didnt talk a ton again. Me, you, Oscar, cgthebeast, bud, and surfer are pretty much the only ones who keep talking from the beginning!

 

[Ayi]

Gotcha. Thats too bad. Do you have another tank to put the fry in? thats what I always do. when I see the female is pregnant, i separate her and put her in a different tank. It usually works pretty well! You could also try stripping her of the fry when she's had them in her mouth for a few weeks.

I'm trying to my mom to understand that a smaller tank for the fry and a qt tank is necessary, but she doesn't believe me. I usually do put her in a breeder net until the fry are freeswimming but she always eats them before they're big enough to strip them.

 

[bmarine]

I'm trying to my mom to understand that a smaller tank for the fry and a qt tank is necessary, but she doesn't believe me. I usually do put her in a breeder net until the fry are freeswimming but she always eats them before they're big enough to strip them.

Gotcha, well speaking from experience i think a fry tank is pretty necessary, she could be swallowing the fry from stress from the father or another fish, so by putting her in her own tank, you reduce most of the stress (besides stressing her with catching her). But yeah if you really want to keep the fry and sell them, you need another tank. Most fish stores take them when they are at least 1" big, and they most likely wont get that big in just a net, and they'll get eaten in the main tank.

 

[Oscar98]

I'm trying to my mom to understand that a smaller tank for the fry and a qt tank is necessary, but she doesn't believe me. I usually do put her in a breeder net until the fry are freeswimming but she always eats them before they're big enough to strip them.

Thats cuz the old fishkeepers (no offense) believe all the old wives tales. Well most of them do. Not all

 

[Random Fishy]

Well, if you mean africans, i personally love them cuz they are very colorful, breed easily so i can make some money, and mine are full of personality! Plus, they change color according to their mood or how dominant they are, which is fun to see!

Really? I hear they are semi aggressive. I want a peaceful freshwater community tank as my fish tank. I would like some mollies (why I asked that random question about Molly stocking.) I would say two or three is the best amount for my fish tank according to your answers so thanks. Ghost shrimp, and I'm not really sure what other fish I can put in there for the future that'll look nice and get along with other fish. In my future tank, it will have a sand bottom and I'm considering getting some low matanience plants as a planted tank, but that only depends on the pros and cons of real plants.

 

[Oscar98]

Really? I hear they are semi aggressive. I want a peaceful freshwater community tank as my fish tank. I would like some mollies (why I asked that random question about Molly stocking.) I would say two or three is the best amount for my fish tank according to your answers so thanks. Ghost shrimp, and I'm not really sure what other fish I can put in there for the future that'll look nice and get along with other fish. In my future tank, it will have a sand bottom and I'm considering getting some low matanience plants as a planted tank, but that only depends on the pros and cons of real plants.

Ghost shrimp will be goners when the mollies get older lol

 

[DeathclawRowe1]

magini pleco

my gfs pleco has disapeared from the tank and the lids been on 24/7 and he didnt die im sure of it because of the small aquarium the ammonia spike would have killed the other fish so we now have dubbed him magini pleco and i even checked the filter. how or where the heck would he hide lol?!

 

[Galligak]

Really? I hear they are semi aggressive. I want a peaceful freshwater community tank as my fish tank. I would like some mollies (why I asked that random question about Molly stocking.) I would say two or three is the best amount for my fish tank according to your answers so thanks. Ghost shrimp, and I'm not really sure what other fish I can put in there for the future that'll look nice and get along with other fish. In my future tank, it will have a sand bottom and I'm considering getting some low matanience plants as a planted tank, but that only depends on the pros and cons of real plants.

Get live plants. Honestly once you have them you'll never go back to having fake ones. There are some really easy ones that are great to begin with!

 

[bmarine]

my gfs pleco has disapeared from the tank and the lids been on 24/7 and he didnt die im sure of it because of the small aquarium the ammonia spike would have killed the other fish so we now have dubbed him magini pleco and i even checked the filter. how or where the heck would he hide lol?!

Is he under a rock? Buried in sand?

 

[Random Fishy]

Get live plants. Honestly once you have them you'll never go back to having fake ones. There are some really easy ones that are great to begin with!

What are the pros and cons of real with fake plants?

 

[bud29]

Ghost shrimp will be goners when the mollies get older lol

It would depend on the temperament of the mollies. Ghost shrimp can survive with large fish such as angels, as they are much bigger than, say, RCS.

 

[Oscar98]

It would depend on the temperament of the mollies. Ghost shrimp can survive with large fish such as angels, as they are much bigger than, say, RCS.

Ya. Ghost shrimp were my jack dempseys favorite food lol

 

[bud29]

What are the pros and cons of real with fake plants?

Fake plants are definitely lower maintenance. However, there are some pretty easy live plants too. Live plants can aid in nitrate removal, also they tend to just look nicer, giving your tank a much more natural look. It doesn't get too complicated really until you get into high light, pressurized co2, etc. but even that, after doing a bit of research and figuring out what you need to do, can be fairly simple.

 

[bud29]

Ya. Ghost shrimp were my jack dempseys favorite food lol

Yeah. It depends on the fish's temperament, until the fish's mouth gets big enough to eat them Then they are almost surely goners. But mollies really shouldn't reach that point, so as previously stated you'd just have to see.

 

[Random Fishy]

Dunno..... Don't want anymore matenince after what I already have to do....

 

[bud29]

Dunno..... Don't want anymore matenince after what I already have to do....

If you just get some low-maintenance, low-light plants, you shouldn't have to do anything extra, other than possibly trim when they get too tall for your liking. Crypts, anubias, java ferns, moss, anacharis, hornwort, and floating plants like frogbit and duckweed can all tolerate low light. I will warn you though, that some of those spread very quickly, and depending on the state you live in, some of those may be illegal to get due to their weedy nature. I'm thinking about duckweed and anacharis in particular. Other plants, such as the crypts, anubias, and java ferns, grow very very slowly.

 

[bmarine]

If you just get some low-maintenance, low-light plants, you shouldn't have to do anything extra, other than possibly trim when they get too tall for your liking. Crypts, anubias, java ferns, moss, anacharis, hornwort, and floating plants like frogbit and duckweed can all tolerate low light. I will warn you though, that some of those spread very quickly, and depending on the state you live in, some of those may be illegal to get due to their weedy nature. I'm thinking about duckweed and anacharis in particular. Other plants, such as the crypts, anubias, and java ferns, grow very very slowly.

Looking at planting my 5 gallon also. So are crypts, anubias, and java ferns all easy to care for?

 

[Random Fishy]

If you just get some low-maintenance, low-light plants, you shouldn't have to do anything extra, other than possibly trim when they get too tall for your liking. Crypts, anubias, java ferns, moss, anacharis, hornwort, and floating plants like frogbit and duckweed can all tolerate low light. I will warn you though, that some of those spread very quickly, and depending on the state you live in, some of those may be illegal to get due to their weedy nature. I'm thinking about duckweed and anacharis in particular. Other plants, such as the crypts, anubias, and java ferns, grow very very slowly.

Ooooo might get the java ferns or something sense they grow so slow then for the future!! Thanks!