Hi, I was wondering if you guys/girls can help me. I want a cichlids tank in my bedroom. As you can see I have two tanks, the saltwater is in the living room and the freshwater is in the basement. I was thinking of getting a 150 gallon tank to transfer my saltwater, and putting the 55 gallon tank in my bedroom. I have seen that there are Africans, South Americans, Central Americans, etc. Which have more colorful kinds? What is a new world cichlid?
What kind of Cichlid's are better?
- Thread starter joeyjoeq
- Start date
I was asking that myself as well. What the *censored* is New World Cichlids? I read that it goes with Angels. Oh yeah, Angels are Cichlids too. I'm gonna look it up.
Update - Here is a link to the information. Now, can someone tell us which will go with Angels, please?
American Cichlid: Central and South American Cichlids and New World Species
Thunder
Update - Here is a link to the information. Now, can someone tell us which will go with Angels, please?
American Cichlid: Central and South American Cichlids and New World Species
Thunder
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New Worlds - SA/CA cichlids
Old Worlds - African
Just think of how North America came to be, it was part of the "new world". The old world that was already explored (for the most part) at the time was in the east...where Africa is.
Africans tend to be more colorful. However their size, shape, and color vary widley because they come from about 4-5ish different isolated sources. Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria (lesser known), and some from african rivers on the western side of the continent(Kribs, jewels, etc). There is a very select few from Madagascar and Asia, but not usually seen in your everyday LFS. Africans also seem to be more active in my opinion and most species can be stocked heavily...unlike the most of the new worlds. I personally prefer Africans, of Lake Malawi myself.
When i say the word "Africans" i am usualy referring to Lake Malawi or Tang fish.
Old Worlds - African
Just think of how North America came to be, it was part of the "new world". The old world that was already explored (for the most part) at the time was in the east...where Africa is.
Africans tend to be more colorful. However their size, shape, and color vary widley because they come from about 4-5ish different isolated sources. Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria (lesser known), and some from african rivers on the western side of the continent(Kribs, jewels, etc). There is a very select few from Madagascar and Asia, but not usually seen in your everyday LFS. Africans also seem to be more active in my opinion and most species can be stocked heavily...unlike the most of the new worlds. I personally prefer Africans, of Lake Malawi myself.
When i say the word "Africans" i am usualy referring to Lake Malawi or Tang fish.
I'll suggest Lake Malawi Africans just because I have a new love for them. They are very colorful. You have to be careful which ones you keep together, but my favorite part of setting up a tank is the planning part. I will be setting up a Mbuna tank (from Lake Malawi) with 3 types of fish: Cynotilapia afra "Cobue", Electric Yellow labs , and Red Zebras....just to give you a sample of their colors.
I'll suggest anything but lake malawi as I think they are tedious. I like S American cichlids, buth there are sevela hundred species at least so making generalisations about fish ranging from 1 inch to 3 feet is pretty tough.
I am surprised you do not know what the New World is as you likely live there. beware that includes Central and Southern America, I would think angels would go well with most S America cichlids that aren't too rough, and go especially well with dwarf cichlids , and festive cichlids, Central Americans like convicts, firemouths are jsut too rough. Obviously S Americans like oscas and cichl sp. will not work....
It would be a good idea to upgrade your saltwater tank tho' I am sure you know your nemos are destined to be snacks for the trigger.
I am surprised you do not know what the New World is as you likely live there. beware that includes Central and Southern America, I would think angels would go well with most S America cichlids that aren't too rough, and go especially well with dwarf cichlids , and festive cichlids, Central Americans like convicts, firemouths are jsut too rough. Obviously S Americans like oscas and cichl sp. will not work....
It would be a good idea to upgrade your saltwater tank tho' I am sure you know your nemos are destined to be snacks for the trigger.
FishGeek said:
African Cichlids are more colorful but are more aggressive. Its all a matter of preference. 
Take a look around at profiles and see.
Take a look around at profiles and see.
Secondly, I'm not sure if you think New Worlds are just angels, rams, and discus but MANY New Worlds would be considered equally aggressive if not moreso than many africans. Think a Yellow Lab could hold it's own against a breeding pair of convicts, Red Devil, Dovii, etc...etc...etc...
The advice to look around at profiles and do some research is sound though. Find some fish that appeal to you and then ask about them. The 55 might limit greatly the fish you can keep so definitely inquire here and elsewhere when it comes to stocking.
Hi and thank you all for helping. I have been looking at many cichlids for the past two hours. I really do like the Africans just because from what I have seen, I know my doctor's office has them. Are Africans bigger than New World's? Maybe its just the profiles I see but I see a big difference in max size. Do cichlids have the 1 inch per gallon rule like freshwater? Or the 1 inch per 3 gallon rule like saltwater? What do I do about filtration? Filtration for saltwater and freshwater work very different. Which would I try to follow when it comes to a cichlid tank? Now for a specific person(Wayne).Thank you for the post because maybe somebody else would make a big mistake. I'm not trying to get at you, but I do understand my clowns can be a meal for my trigger. So can my mandarians in the future. That is why I want to make my new 150 gallon tank a saltwater. The damsel will stay with the trigger who at the time is very small. The trigger is the same size as the clown right now. Both the mandarians and clown fish will go in a JBJ 24 gallon tank I have at work. The tank has not been started to be cycled, but will begin to when I purchase the new 150.
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With African cichlids, since they tend to get overstocked so they aren't as aggressive, people generally use a canister filter. You'd want the same type of filtration as other FW tanks, just a little more of it.
"3 inch per gallon rule like saltwater"-I really hope you mean 1" per 3 gallon...
Are both your mandarins eating prepared foods? Because they won't be able to find enough to eat in a 24g...
"3 inch per gallon rule like saltwater"-I really hope you mean 1" per 3 gallon...
Are both your mandarins eating prepared foods? Because they won't be able to find enough to eat in a 24g...
Sorry about the typo. I did not even look at that. I'll fix it right now. The mandarians eat the live brine along with the bloodworms. One does not move much so I have to play basketball with him lol. The other one goes after the food with no problem. I suspected maybe one was sick, but no the guy who I purchased them from told me he always was like that. I have an Eheim 2028 for my freshwater. I know it's a lot of filtration, but you can slow it down if you need to. Will that work for the cichlids? I like the filter and would buy another for the cichlids if I can use it.
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