Amanda

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything here on fishlore. Been really busy - college, etc. - but I need advice, so I'm back.
As you know, I have a 55 gal. african cichlid tank. Well a couple of weeks ago, I looked into my tank & saw that one of my red zebras no longer had a tail. Not just fins, no tail at all. But surprisingly enough - he recovered. He began to eat again & was swimming along fine. His tail even healed, although he no longer had any fins, the wound healed over. Then yesterday, the other red zebra attacked him again, and I'm sad to say that he was dead when I came home from school today.
So, what I'm contemplating is actually selling back all my cichlids, which is down to 5 - back to my LFS. Then I would either start a community tank, or a goldfish tank. I'm tired of coming home to shredded tails & missing scales. Does anyone have any advice before I sell back my cichlids?

kacie

Oh I am so sorry to hear about your fish.

Alessa

Cichlids are awesome fish, but really, if it breaks your heart as it would break mine, I would just start a community tank. They are colorful and if you know how to stock them, very, very peaceful as well.

MissMTS

Is your aquarium info up to date? If it is I think that your stocking is the source of the aggression. African cichlid tanks need to be overstocked in order to minimize aggression. You should also have a 1 male to 3 female ratio for all of your fish. In a 55 gallon tank, you can fit 15-20 Africans depending on which ones you pick. Also, Jewel cichlids should be kept in a species tank and should not be mixed with mbuna.

Lucy

Hi Amanda welcome back, it's good to see you but wish it were under better cirsumstances.

I'm really sorry about your fish, I hope things get better.
Good luck

Angela_96

Buy a big bottle of melafix, that is a cichlid keepers best friend. Then sit back and take inventory of what cichlids you do have, species and m/f ratios. I would make sure you had the 3 females to males and the species just right (not mixing 2 met species, 2 lab species, 2 psuedo, etc)

Another thing I have noticed, in my polit/afra tank I have 2 red zebras in there that hang out. THe little sized zebras tail gets bent up pretty bad at breeding time, are yours breeding? I always know that I have holding polits when my red zebras tail is tore up, its pull the mom, and melafix the tank day. The same for the hongi tank, the male gets aggressive w/ everything and breeds w/ his 3 females.

Melafix is the best thing since sliced bread to heal a cichlids torn up fins. You can dose the whole tank for days.

Amanda

My lfs doens't really distinguish between male & female - at least I don't think it does. I really don't want them to breed , because then not only do I have more aggression, I don't want to have to worry about losing a female to starvation when she's holding.

MissMTS

Having the correct male/female ratio actually lowers aggression in the long run. My labs breed like crazy and I have never lost a female to starvation.

Angela_96

I breed my cichlids all the time and never have lost one to starvation. I actually breed mine to sell so I can make a little extra "fish" money lol. I always have at least 2-3 holding moms, never lost a one.

Amanda

Well, I really have no where to sell fry to. Or to raise fry for that matter.

Amanda

Well, I went to my lfs today after my classes & I'll be doing a trade of my african cichlids for angels & community fish. Any suggestions?

Escobar

I am sorry to hear about your fish. I know what it's like as its happened to me now several times. I will come in from work in the evening and the fins and tails have been absolutely ragged to shreds and have come in the next day and it's even worse than the day before and it really does break your heart. Unfortunately Amanda, this is what they are like and it will continue like this. I understand the thing about the ratio of more females per males and to overstock as it lowers aggression, etc. . . . . but at the end of the day this is what they are and this is what they will do again at somepoint. I hope this advice helps.

Angela_96

When you actually stick to the species rules, not mixing met species, psuedo, lab, keeping the aggression levels the same and the m/f ratio the same you don't have the fin nipping issues.
I haven't had any problems with my mbuna since I sorted them out keeping the species separated out properly and w/ the ratios where they are in breeding groups. After keeping several different species of cichlids you do learn the ideal mixture (I have counted 18 at least up to date for myself).

Amanda

I'm supposed to be taking them in today to my lfs to trade...but I kinda sorta, you know, got a $100 tattoo last night...so I'm a bit short on cash. lol.
I may take them in & see what the store has in mind for a trade. They have beautiful angelfish there. I'm not sure if I want 4 angelfish & a few medium sized tetras, or a goldfish tank.

adizeroseven

hey i have a 20 gal with 5 p.socolofi and 3 jewels they just keep chasing each other maybe just for fun. but the wierd thing is that one jewel bullies the other two which is bigger than him and also i have a hard time identifying sexes.

one more sad thing.. i placed three convicts in a 10 gal.. just the other i had a hard time looking for the 3rd one and i had 2 find out when i cleaned the tank yesterday that only half of the body is left inside a cave.. yep they ate him.. poor thing.. is that normal?

Angela_96

The 20g is too small for the cichilds you have to have at least a 55g tank (4 foot long) for them. The jewels and socolfi are not compatable. The fish from different lakes should never be mixed.

The 10g is also too small for the convicts.