Cichlid shyness

[Freakgecko91]

I know MANY experienced hobbyists who struggle to keep EBJDs alive. While it is also a regional issue, as some areas have access to stock that is a bit more genetically sound than others, the success rate of EBJDs to adulthood generally is not very high. An ex member on this forum is a prime example. He specializes in geophaginae species (geophagus, satanoperca, gymnogeophagus, etc.) and has many species including geophagus pindare, altifrons, tapajo I and II and satanoperca luecosticta, daemon, jurupari, etc. This person manages to keep, and spawn many of these species quite successfully, but has sworn of EBJDs due to never being able to get them past 3" before they wither away. Explain how someone with that much experience can have those kind of problems with a morph of a fish when they also have experience in that same species with normal jack dempseys. Interesting. And you can call me out on it all you want, there are still people here that remember him well.

 

[Aquaenthused]

I believe I have an idea of who you are talking about. If you haven't noticed when I joined here it was only 2 months ago and it was because I wasn't sure if my flowerhorn was really flowerhorn at the time and didn't know anything about this hybrid at the time.

Here's the complicated explanation- the fluke that creates this color morph also makes it easier for it to die quickly when injured, seeing as though nature has tried to suppress and kill off this mutation, logically- slow growth rate, timid behavior, susceptibility to all types of infections and very picky on water quality and surroundings. Knowing this out of the gate puts anybody who is a natural with normal difficult to raise and breed cichlids at a disadvantage because what is a delicate aquarium collectors beautiful show fish is a river born fishes death sentence. All I know from rescuing the ones that I have dealt with I had them alone in a pristine and mature 29/30g hospital tank with real driftwood, river stones, sand substrate, anubias, java fern, java moss, duck weed, water sprite and tiger lotus. I had a singlebright marine land led for lighting. I used 2 magnum 250 canisters and an ac70 hob for filtration used poly fiber, bio max inserts, purigen insert used when performing routine maintenance or whenever I perform a water change after using any medicines or conditioners. I used seachem prime as my water conditioner and changed 5-10 gallons every other day and fed by pipette once a day to start. I guess I've just had good luck

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[Mogurako]

And you people want to tell me you're not using online research materials, only personal experience or first hand knowledge to quote all of that to cut me down cuz I'm a true realist so I do tend to generalize 'westies' , riverine and other Congo riverine cichlids with NW cichlids because they are by far better off with American cichlids than rift lake cichlids. I've also come to know from personal experience rescuing and rehoming a Taiwan reef hap that they can be turned salt but they won't thrive and it's not a good idea to change them back quickly- I didn't know he or she was full salt and it almost died in acclimation.

Where do I ever suggest anything to a beginner? I usually start off saying I don't suggest anything to aquarium hobbyists.

It's hilarious to me to think about the effort you went through just to nit pick at ME, not help the OP, because I said a jewel cichlid would do fine with American cichlids!! And I'm the one being labeled ignorant, haha

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Who said that someone couldn't use online research material? It's fair better than posting wrong and inaccurate material.

I actually already knew the names and the areas all those fish came from as well as what parameters they require. Why you ask, because I've kept some of those fish personally as well as attended talks about the West African cichlids by world renowned speakers. One of whom is actually a member of my Aquarium Society.

You continue to say you're not ignorant yet you're the one that continues to insist that West African river fish are better off with, CA/SA cichlids. Really that's not the case at all, they are best suited for species only or west African biotope/inspired set ups.

The OP has been covered, if for some reason he/she needs more information they are free to PM and I will help them further.

However I can't let your misguided information and ridiculous "suggestions" go unchecked. The fact that some poor soul may actually read your incoherent ramblings and treat as fact frightens me.

 

[Mogurako]

OP please post some pictures it's sounds like a great tank.

Also thank you Aqua for proving my point.

 

[xwing]

Sounds like a beautiful tank!! I believe jewels are like kribs and paratilapia species from the Congo river, not the rift lakes and they are right at home in an Amazon tank. This, my friends, is another species that fall under the NW category, as well Asian cichlid varieties. Yes, I know the wide variety of types of cichlids that fall under the category of NW cichlids. Why does everybody have to be so rude?

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No one try's to be rude to you it's just the things that you say sometimes my jaw just drops I know the corrections have been covered so all I will add is yes we all use online sources and cross reference with books and personal experience. I think you make this up as you go I really do it's usually terribly wrong what you say

 

[xwing]

Your already mixing cichlids which is not recommended for a biggener that being said i am not against mixing so long as it's done right and with some research done before hand.

Your african is west african cichlid and has a good chance of surviving with SA but to make a blanket statement and say they are pretty much the same as NW and Asians is horribly wrong and terrible thing to a say to a biggener

Me and the others don't want to let such an ignorant comment to be said unchallenged

I was just calling out aqua again for doing this i know what she meant but was no where near correct. Can't just make up things as she goes

So i apologize for the off subject comments but a lot of info is covered in the thread. And some things needed to be called out.

I can say and encourage you to look up all the info either in text books or credible web sites i mean credible never just assume anyone is 100% correct so check different sources.

Last in my original comment I stated they just needed time to get used to you aqua did say one good thing trying to hand feed is fun and they will get to know you better that way

 

[Aquaenthused]

Lol, I didn't say they were the same thing still having a field day misreading everything I write

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[Aquaenthused]

Oh- take your complaints to my 'why is it more important to make a point thread and quit hijacking peoples threads

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[xwing]

Sounds like a beautiful tank!! I believe jewels are like kribs and paratilapia species from the Congo river, not the rift lakes and they are right at home in an Amazon tank. This, my friends, is another species that fall under the NW category, as well Asian cichlid varieties. Yes, I know the wide variety of types of cichlids that fall under the category of NW cichlids. Why does everybody have to be so rude?

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Read your own comments by saying west Africans are right at home in a amazon tank it's basically saying they are the same falls under the NW along with the Asian cichlids

How is that not ignorant you just said you can put a jaguar cichlid with a african jewel or any Asian cichlid or a Midas or a Texas cichlid, peacock bass none of which make good tank mates not to mention NW covers several continents it's plain ignorance but you said they are all the same

 

[xwing]

In the OP tank the jewel is not recommended yes not recommended but it can survive does it mean it's perfect no but it CAN work but doesn't mean it will

To basically say they are all the same fall under the NW cichlids which is a already broad statement within itself.

 

[Brospace4]

What is the op is that me, btw i returned the jewel. The person at the store said i should put like 8-9 new worlds in my tank so they don't kill each other an take out the barbs. Is that right

 

[Salty_Dawg]

OP - opener or opening post, so the person that starts the thread.

 

[Brospace4]

Ok thanks

 

[Aquaenthused]

OP is original poster, and that would indeed be you. Good choice airing on the side of caution with the jewel, I'm just gonna say I'm truly baffled as to why I have luck with ebjd, lol, soooooooooooo- apparently since you're back and I can say Sorry to you, the one person that truly matters to understand the risks versus the rewards and just because I got lucky doesn't matter, no ebjd for beginners- puts I didn't realize how expensive they really are on line, makes me wanna drive down the road and snap up the 2 on sale 15 dollars each or both for 25 dollars

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[Brospace4]

What abouth the 8-9 cichlid idea is that good or bad

 

[xwing]

What kind of cichlids are you thinking about

 

[Freakgecko91]

That is a bad idea. It also depends on the species at hand, but this will cause all sorta of issues down the road. Adding a school of non-aggressive fish (so I'd avoid tiger barbs or serpae tetras, etc) will help to draw hiding cichlids out, letting them know that since the small fish are out and schooling, it's safe to come out. These are known as dither fish.

 

[Brospace4]

I already have a fire mouth, blp, and blue acara. I want a salvini, rainbow cichlid, severem (red shoulder or green), maybe a jd, cuban, vieja but im open to any sujjestions

 

[Salty_Dawg]

I already have a fire mouth, blp, and blue acara. I want a salvini, rainbow cichlid, severem (red shoulder or green), maybe a jd, cuban, vieja but im open to any sujjestions

Tank is already maxed out on cichlids. Those all reach a fair size, blp (blood parrot?) Can get quite big mines is 9inches and currently lives alone in a 125g, acaras can grow to a decent size.

Options -

re home them get some smaller cichlids (rainbows, kribs, keyholes)

Get a bigger tank, 55 is to small for everything you want.

Edit - thought the tank was smaller.

 

[Brospace4]

So they wont kill eachother over territory because if u put more theres to many to pick territories