Want to hav some information about Chiclids

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great1980

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
19
Location
San Antonio,Tx
Hello,Iam from San Antonio.i hav 37 gallon tank .i have 2 electric yellow lab Chiclids,2 auratus and one kenyi Chiclids they are small in size just kenyi is big 2 inches long.i hand one duboisi but she died today.rest are fine and swimming happily.i want to know can I add more ,if yes than which type ,I have heard of overstocking,I want to add blue coloured Chiclids.i want to know which food is best recently I have omega one natural protien formula cichlids flakes but they float on the top and fishes are scared to go on the top to eat them.Please help me
 
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Hi there! Welcome to the forum! :)
Do you have any idea why your duboisi died? Was she sick?
For african cichlids, like the kenyi and yellow labs, you typically want them in a 55+ gallon tank, but in my opinion, you can do fine with the 37 gallon. Also, it's actually better to slightly overstock to reduce aggression in the tank. I know that in a 55 gallon, 12-15 fish is an acceptable amount, so I would say 8-9 (Someone help me on this?) fish would work in a 37 gallon.
I would strongly suggest that you move the Auratus fish out and establish a different (large) tank for them because they are coldwater fish and most african cichlids require temperatures between 76-82 degrees. This is a huge difference than what your auratus prefer (65-75 degrees). Or you could return them and get some credit for some new african cichlids.
As far as food goes, I recommend slow sinking pellets for cichlids. Some cichlids will go to the top to get the flakes, but the way their mouths are shaped, they end up gulping air as well, and this isn't good for them. My cobalt blue zebras go crazy for shrimp pellets and spirulina wafers. :)
 
Sorry I disagree 55 gallons is the smallest body of water to keep mbuna in. Just because 12 to 15 work in a 55 doesn't mean 8 to 9 will in a smaller tank. Please buy a larger tank or re home your current stock.

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Thanks fishyfriends3. I was told this as well, so this is why I asked for help on the stocking part.
And to the OP, disregard what I said about the auratus, I never knew there was an auratus cichlid! :)
 
Green lily ,I think my Dubosi was sick because I have just purchased it a day before and she died next day
 
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If I return these can I stock peacock or any other chiclids in 37 gallon tank.iam actually very fond of chiclids.
 
Fishy friend is right. Sorry. Not what you wanna hear. That 37 is maybe ok for a small group of species only mbuna like saulosi.
 
Sakai are great and males and females are beautiful. My local store has some for $10 each. You can definitely do dwarf new world cichlids like German blue rams. Gold rams. Or apistogramma cacutoides. Bolivian rams. All the rams are easy to get at stores. You'd like to get a male and a female of one type along w a school of fish like black neon tetras or serpae Tatars and that would be a great looking tank. My ram eats from my hand

Edit. Saulosi not Sakai. **** spell check
 
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