herefishiefishie

I'll put $100 on tails... oops sorry wrong game.... both r girls, Brad, Mystic & Steph are spot on. Correct, well most species. ps; good to see nice clean fingers. Frenchy

Heres a site I used to use when I had discus, linked straight to their disease page. http://article.discusnews.com/catagory-02.shtml#diseases Frenchy

Cool & well done. Hope all goes well for the jag fry & yourself in raising them. ps; Did they lay a heap of eggs? Frenchy

How cool is this, if the cichlids exists, good chance you will find it here. Easy to use, most come with pic & info, sweet. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/ Frenchy

Heres a link for those that may have soft water, or have other reasons to buffer water. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php Frenchy

No worries & thank you. Its one of the websites I have found that have experienced & knowledgeable members. I may add a fact file on different areas when I think of it. Frenchy

To late Fee, :lol: parts of what you said is already in books. What we are talking about is African Cichlids too, Bill. Completely different to American Cichlids, tetras....A cow has four stomachs to digest grass, a mbuna's intestines are 4 times longer than its body & have not much of a stomach. A simple notion of, lions don't eat grass, cows don't eat meat. The teeth structure on mbunas show that they are designed to scrap algae. Hardly an observation by a hobbyiest on the net either. Example of studying, my gf is studying to be a RN. With essays, all points are to be referenced, internet references are frowned on. Unless they come from a mims source, or documents from University findings. So she can't write this drug is bad for you because the RN at gold coast uni said so. Do you get the correlation. Fee is right. Yep sure would. African Cichlids weren't even thought of back then, neither were canister filters, glass heaters.... Of course findings change, they still find new species, & re classify old species, whats your point? Look at the advancements of our own human studies. I think that the Ichthyologists, Biologists & the like that are in the lakes, universities & the like, are the ones that leach the information that end up on the net, not the other way round. Example is Kjell Fohrman hosts the largest scandinavian aquarium website, www.zoopet.com & is also publisher of Back to Nature books. {TA DA} Would you agree to then that our rivers & lakes are more polluted to then since say 100 years ago? I remember when NZ never even had Giardia. My poor old man got it twice in a year, now the only water he gets is in beer. :lol: My point? sorry, with tubifex & blood worms, in laymans terms. If you wouldn't drink the water these guys live in, why feed them to your fish then? Bill would you feed blood worms to Tropheus then? They are very similar to mbuna? As original stated this topic was on feeding Malawi fry. If I read that I would say crap. It would lead me to ask the person involved questions. Leading me to the correct answer. How many times have I heard dribble from customers for why there fish have died, the to ask a few questions & find a different & correct answer. That statement is rubbish, when you read the net, forums, fish diseases & the like, examples of leftfield comments are seen all the time. I remember someone saying they removed a dead white fluffy mass from there tank & it stunk. It was a dead body. How many people said it was other things :lol: Those in the know, know better. As I stated earlier I don't believe everything I read, I ask questions, probe & annoy, :roll: ah Brad? He can 2nd that, I have pissed off my fair share of people because I am prepared to read up, spade is a spade, question & study. Not who moved my cheese. You say that like it is a statement of truth. Can you base that comment with references & facts please. I think no, why? Most of the cheap ones are rehashed from older editions, or other books. Most cheapies use the same photos, writtings... have you noticed that?Also the cheapies are aimed for the general market, those starting out. They are broad, with basic facts to get people started & interested. Most cheapies haven't changed at all in "years" Except if a new colourful species is found, then its picture is thrown in. Depends on the type of book, Some of the cheaper no frills ones, with basic information in them yes, I have an old Barrons book only a couple of pages on African cichlids, Johanni, feeding Tropheus From an old basic book, funny that. For the ones written for those that are more experienced, keen to learn more, then No. How many hobbyists are going to run out & grab "The Cichlid Fishes" Natures Grand Experiment in Evolution. 328 pages, about 10 pictures all up, only a few in colour. Not many :lol: Most of the good books retail here for $90 plus easy. The really good ones $140. Bit out of range for most Hobbyists. Some fanatics will buy them, I would of been lucky to off sold 20 such books in my 3 years at LFS. Thats how I got the ones I do, staff discount :lol: They are good to use as references to show customers..... A question for Brad, how many books like this do you sell in a year? Just incase I can't sell books. Speaking of such, Bill what am I meant to believe in the books? Don't worry you don't have to answer that part. Frenchy

Can you read what I posted properly please, Charley himself states that he has used white worms for years, no problems. :roll: When he says this It is common sense, I can't imagine eating curries for every meal, to be a good thing. I feed white worms myself, as a treat, live foods help bring some fish into breeding condition. As for researching the internet, yes good for you. I do too. But be very careful, as any Joe can host a website & post what he believes. I tend to just stick with a few, that are by guys who were around before the net. Or have degrees in such things as Biology, or in George Barlows case head of the Department of Ecology & Evolution, State of University New York. Pegasus stick to facts yourself too thanks, Can you prove that. Maybe in NZ your book collection is limited, I can get any book, written by numerous editors over the last 30 years. I can get one book where most cichlids are still called haplochromis & fish lke Altolamprologus weren't even invented{Calvus73} One of my favuorites written by Barlow has over 700 references, ranging from the 50's right through to late 90's.{references were from other books, journals, universities(Ecology, Biology, Itchiology...) journals, Yet for some reason not one care of Joes fihies website} The cichlid side of things is still new, exciting & on going of course there wil be new findings. I hardly believe a guy with 30 years experience, a major in biology is going to listen to one guy on the internet, & if he did go hmmm, will lets test the theory first, it is his/her reputation on the line. Give these guys credit ah, most were scientists before they got into cichlids, they aren't hacks. Add to that 30 years in the trade, studying cichlids, diving the lakes, observing behaviors, dissecting cichlids, one guy, his Ph. D. thesis on the rock dwelling cichlids of Lake Victoria. I never believe anything I read either, I used to use blood worms, lost a few cichlids one day no reasonat all, I lost alot in one tank suddenly. A guy at a shop told me about how blood worms come about, he also showed me a rash he gets from handling them, so I researched myself. Wow 30% of humans have allergic reactions to them. Thats a fact. Another observation, anyone work in a lfs? I have heard this one often all my cichlids just died. Sometimes dirty water... A number of times its I went to the creek & caught some feeders, threw them in. Sure they have done this before, or they will say the native fish; eg; Barra is fine. We all agree that is bad, fish carrying diseases from the river, yes. So why feed the fish Tubifex worms :lol: The asians swear by them, I have said this before. Discus, Quicker growth rates, breed better numbers quicker, but Discus adults only good for couple of years, then they are worthless. But who cares, already made the money off them, always new adults to take there place. Fact. :lol: But hey feed your fish what you like, I know that looking at my fish I am doing the best by them. I have some cichlids that are rare, well here anyway & they weren't cheap. The bottom line is why take the risk? Pity I can't find the study done by Flroida University, but hey I am sure soem will shoot that down too. Frenchy

This is one topic people have questions about, so here is a link for those of you wanting to read up.. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/feeding_african_cichlids.php Frenchy

I tried frozen cyclops as something different to add this time around to mine, its going good. Usually its a mixture, crushed flake being the main part of the diet with frozen baby brine & cyclops. With live micro worms for something different. As for worms, I have a good Ad Konnings book, Enjoying Cichlids. The following information is revealed, Charley Gimes, 40 years experience with Cichlids. Public speaker on cichlids, killifish, livebearers. Faviourite topic live foods. Devotes 2 pages to White worms alone, He does state that feeding & Also he states this too. I never use Tubifex. I will never know for 100% how clean the pond is the lives come from. As for the frozen blood worms, well most come from Asia, so no thank you. Same book, by Kjell Fohman {Liebers, 1991} I am more inclined to believe that Bloat is different. Maybe what you have seen is a fish struggling to digest the sh#t food it has been fed, very different to Bloat the disease...have a read of the link.{No offence} http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php Frenchy

Cichlids are the masters of looking hungry. :lol: They are nothing more than garbage disposal units. :roll: Frenchy

The pair pictured are part of a trio, 1m,2f. They're in their own 4x1x1 tank with a couple of guppies. The other female is guarding young too at the moment. The alto's in the earlier pics are in with mbunas, yes it is not ideal. The general hardness & ph of the water is high enough to keep both camps happy. When the alto's are mature enough to breed then they will get their own set up. As long as the alto's are big enough to handle themselves they'll be fine. Diet wise the tank gets a good mixture of vegie flake, spectrum pellets, mysis shrimp.... Yellows & aceiis are omnivores too, so no dramas. Just have to feed the tank right so all inhabitants can get food as mbunas are quicker/robust & the altos, well more docile like. :lol: Frenchy

You can also use crushed flake, baby brine shrimp, cyclops..the last 2 come as frozen too. Not a fan of blood worms myself, but thats another story. You should be fine, but as stated all depends on the sizes. Remember that if it can fit in its mouth....especially growing fry. Frenchy

Also I transported my fire fins today, here is a pic of one of the males. Still got a bit of colouring up to do. Frenchy

So happy, finally got shots of the male today. :bounce: He dosen't come out of the cave often, but 2 guesses why he was out today, the lucky bugger :roll: Frenchy

Thanks Mystic, :oops: I am always willing to help & learn from the people here on this wonderful site. Frenchy

Tilapias are a big threat to water ways here in Australia. They are on the banned list here too. There are reports of them being caught in a catchment area in far north western Qld, farmers are complaining that the authorities ar acting to slow, well I hate to say it but to late now. Once they start catching them, I'd say that they are already established & spreading. The sad thing is that Cynotilapia, Frontosa's & the like are completely different fish. Fronnies especially, tangys are very particular about there water conditions. {the lake itself is only 5-10degrees south of the equator} I couldn't see one handling the nice balmy snow fed rivers & lakes of the South Island for a start :lol: Cynotilapia are just another form of mbuna. Maybe when the authorities look at introduced fish species again, someone should pass forward classifications, living conditions....with photos. Maybe someone with 1/2 an idea will see them & release they aren't a threat to NZ. Frenchy

Multiple females is best as just stated. If you have an open tank, females can't hold a cave up as home & she will defend it, holding especially. Remembering its the dom females that usually breed first. As is 2 or 3 males, that way the dom male has something other than the girls to pick on. Having them all around the same size is best too. Java fern is a good hardy plant, slow growing but. :-? The tank pictured is a 4x2x2 so 400-450lts. Frenchy

Doing a little research on Anatomy & found this.... http://cichlidresearch.com/cleared_and_stained.html Also I found this easy to use guide for body parts...Nice cichlid too http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/external_anatomy.php Frenchy

I use val, its a hardy plant, quick growing. You can end up with bits hanging off filters, but it does a good job. I also use Anubias{very hardy}, these are attached to logs. Decoration. I set up this tank with more open spaces as the electric yellow females can be bas...ds towards each other. They are worse to each other than the male is too them. :evil: The big bush rock & val act as a divider. The aceii's seem to like the open water more too, so this set up suits them nicely. With a little wood for them too. The demasoni's being the most agro of the lot will go good, especially being smaller, they can't rule the tank. The holding female resides in the val. The barnacles are there for the Alto's. The odd cave, log also act as obstacles...to runaway from over excited males or a place to hide for a tick :roll: :lol: Frenchy

Thank you ladies, for those kind words. Frenchy

As a guess I would say the female is about 5-6cm.Male 8cm. I will have a measure when I see them & think that next. Hard to shoot/measure male, hes such a shy fella. Both are just oevr 2&1/2 years old. Frenchy

You may be able to make out the youngens....the darker mass in the barnacle shell. Frenchy

4 weeks ago I took these pics just before I took the babies out, {A.Calvus"White"} Shes a good mum, even bites my finger if I have my hands to close... The good news is, that with me at a new job, more time to get it right{touch wood} Spent more time with set up of the fry tank & micro worm culture seems to be making a difference...photo taken yesterday, 4 weeks old, probably lost 10 all up, at least 50-100 in there. Results of 2 batches, 1 from each female, only a few days apart too in age. So should be fine. Just a shame the tank is under a shelve, bugger all lighting. The female in pic, has more babies again too, so they will need a new tank :-? I have a few days to sort it out :roll: The other female had the male down at her end of the tank today, looks like I will need mulitple little tanks :lol: Frenchy

I always go for 14 days. They are free swimming at that age & easy to care for. No need to wait to 18, just gives the female 4 more days of not eating IMO. Frenchy