afrcia recommendation?!?!

[stina]

Hi ppl!
Well i have been looking some afriacn dwarf cichlids, and i am interested in keepin them...
I know you hate this kind of questions, but... well, hell, somebody gotta help me :lol:
What do you think it is most beautful but also common african dwarf cichlid??
I have been looking some Pelvicachromis Nigera-Red Teaniatus, and they are amazing!!
Im just worried, should males really have that red gill flukes or is this sick fish??
How big do they get, and how agressive they get??
Thanx in advance
kind regards
Vedran

 

[Randall]

African dwarf cichlids

Hello Vedran,

Yours is an easy question to answer.

What do you think it is most beautful but also common african dwarf cichlid??

All of them!

Some of the more common but beautiful African dwarf cichlids include

Pelvicachromis pulcher (Nigeria and Cameroon)
P. taeniatus (Nigeria and Cameroon)

Anomalochromis thomasi (Guinea)

Hemichromis cristatus

Chromidotilapia finleyi

Nanochromis parilus

The Pelvicachromis taeniatus "Red" that you mention is an aquarium strain. The intense red coloration on the throat and opercle is real and not a disease, but please observe any fish that you plan to buy very closely before taking them home.

P. taeniatus males grow to about 3.5" (8 cm) and, if kept in a 20-gallon long or larger tank, are not overly aggressive. This is a pair-bonding, bi-parental cave spawning species. If you have a good opportunity to get some, I highly recommend them.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[stina]

Thanx Randall
Taeniatus looks beautiful, and they are not so expensive, around 4,5euros per fish...
I was thinking to buy male and female, and put them ina 10G tank, with dark river sand substrate, some bogwood, java moss, java fern and anubias plants...
This will look great, and if i made them a coconut cave, they will spawn for me - right?!
pH 6.5, GH, KH???
Thanx in advance

 

[Randall]

Spawning Pelvicachromis taeniatus

Hello Vedran,

A pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus could spawn in the setup that you describe, if they are indeed a compatible pair. But what if they're not?

Simply placing one male and one female into a small tank and hoping for the best may not work. Many hobbyists commonly purchase a group of young fish and allow them to pair off naturally. When a pair bond is formed, the the two fish are placed in a separate tank for breeding. This method increases the chances for success.

If suitable tank space is an issue, closely observing the fish at the shop can help. Look for signs of a harmonious pair that tend to favor one another over the other fish in the tank. Courtship behavior like displaying and dancing usually denote interest.

The 6.5 pH that you cite looks good. Ideally, the KH value should be 2-3. GH is less important.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[stina]

Thanx!!
Currently they are treating some other fish in that tank with p.taeniatus, so i won't buy this fish for a week or so, but later - why not!!!
regards