Buffalo Head Cichlids
- Thread starter Shaunna
- Start date
Nope not hybrids. These are cichlids that don't get as much attention as they probably should. They are from Africa in the Congo River, and Zaire. Not ones commonly seen in most people's tanks. I have no personal experience with them and all i know about them is what i've read.
I'm going to answer some of your PM questions (To the best of my ability) in this reply, if thats ok with you Shaunna?
1. "Do they prefer same breed company?" - I'd only keep a pair in the tank, depending on gallonage. They form pairs for life so i doubt they will like other females/males to add to their breeding company.
2. "Can I keep a couple of males together?" - I suppose, if the tank is big enough. Like all cichlids, i'm sure you will have scuffles for territory.
3. "..worried about fry." - I'd wait to worry about that bridge until you cross it.
I've heard they like fast flowing water, so good water flow throughout the aquarium would be good. Of course this limits your choices of tankmates, but depending on tank size you might not have any anyway.
What size tank are they going into?
I'm going to answer some of your PM questions (To the best of my ability) in this reply, if thats ok with you Shaunna?
1. "Do they prefer same breed company?" - I'd only keep a pair in the tank, depending on gallonage. They form pairs for life so i doubt they will like other females/males to add to their breeding company.
2. "Can I keep a couple of males together?" - I suppose, if the tank is big enough. Like all cichlids, i'm sure you will have scuffles for territory.
3. "..worried about fry." - I'd wait to worry about that bridge until you cross it.
I've heard they like fast flowing water, so good water flow throughout the aquarium would be good. Of course this limits your choices of tankmates, but depending on tank size you might not have any anyway.
What size tank are they going into?
One of the people in my aquarium society has them and recently gave a presentation on them. You may have a hard time finding them. They're charming cute-ugly fish and she showed them in family groups sitting on her sponge filter. As CMan said, they're don't get much attention -- probably because most people who enjoy the various African cichlids tend to concentrate on the Rift Lakes. I'd have to ask Amy about specifics but my books suggest a larger tank footprint than you have. You might get by with good water quality, stocking and aquascaping.
I've never owned them, but see them in the shops here a lot. They look real nice, and most species are pretty steady though there's one species that's prety nasty. I think a 30 would be fine, and as for one or more pairs depends on it being a 30 long or whatever, and how good you are at cichlid specific aquascaping (lots of caves, broken up with space inbetween.)
I don'tthink the flow is big deal, but hogh o2 levels and decent filtration will be.
I would buy them in a second - the word that springs to me is delightful.
Mary Bailey is a cichlid expert from the UK who is a big, big fan of these, and the big expert is Dr Anton Lamboj, who last year released a nice book on african non-rift lake cichlids that while pricey is absolutely vital reading if you're into that sort of thing.
I don'tthink the flow is big deal, but hogh o2 levels and decent filtration will be.
I would buy them in a second - the word that springs to me is delightful.
Mary Bailey is a cichlid expert from the UK who is a big, big fan of these, and the big expert is Dr Anton Lamboj, who last year released a nice book on african non-rift lake cichlids that while pricey is absolutely vital reading if you're into that sort of thing.
Thanks alot wayne. I will google those names. I have a 29 gallon tank. I was told as long as I stayed reasonable I could plan it as though it was a 30 gallon. You misread it. Now, do you think a 29 gallon would hold one possibly 2. My husband said he woud prefer to just have one of these, but I will prepare for 2 just in case. (if possible to house in 29g, that is!)
Now, do you think a 29 gallon would hold one possibly 2. My husband said he woud prefer to just have one of these, but I will prepare for 2 just in case. (if possible to house in 29g, that is!)
If its not easy to measure something like that to the gallon then you could round up to 30...but at the same time depending on the amount of substrate/decorations etc that you have in the tank it actually displaces a few gallons of water so you might be safer rounding to 25, depending what the measurement is that you're trying to do.
I think you have to keep in mind, a 29 is 12" X 30" (360 sq inches), a 30 is usually 12" X 36" (432 sq inches) -- not a big difference but some "30 gallon" fish (if your reference is accurate) need larger territories or longer spaces, not similar water volume. Many of these "sizes" are just guidelines -- some references will tell you a 29 is minimum or sufficient for one oscar, but ask anyone on this site how they feel about that!
For meds, most dosages are not (medically) exacting anyways and water volume can be affected by the things Froggy mentions. I've heard some people say you should use 1 lb/gallon of substrate but I wouldn't use anywhere near that amount, especially in a 29 gallon vs. a 30 gallon.
For meds, most dosages are not (medically) exacting anyways and water volume can be affected by the things Froggy mentions. I've heard some people say you should use 1 lb/gallon of substrate but I wouldn't use anywhere near that amount, especially in a 29 gallon vs. a 30 gallon.