south american or african??

[sephir420]

what do you prefur. south american or african cichlids??

personaly i like the african cichlids but the tap water in my area is almost identical to the water they live in. so i dont have to do anything special with it. :)

[DanDanUK]

The south American Cichlid Yeah definatly i have three Oscars and there just like puppy dogs there characteristics are brilliant the way they beg for food and and follow me when i walk past my tank.

[piranha45]

i treasure them both, but if I had to choose, I'd choose africans-- more variety and diversity.

[M|L]

African cichlid, I like the emperor cichlid. :)

[piranha45]

what's microlepis have that parachromis, umbee and cichla don't?!

[Killduv]

South American all the way!!!!
Of this question posted but Central America has some beauties too- Red Snook:)

[piranha45]

Arrrrr! you and ur red snook! its all about the BARRED snook! :P

[Killduv]

Hahaha I have two now. One barred and one red I hope ehh. I have to take some pictures.

[Steve_89]

South american all the way!

[WckedMidas]

south american baby

[iheartfishies]

Just like I like my men...

South American. :hearts:

P.S snooks are ****ing cute, mine got crushed in 12 hours, damn FH. :cry:

[piranha45]

personaly i like the african cichlids but the tap water in my area is almost identical to the water they live in. so i dont have to do anything special with it. :)
you should never have to do anything special with your water when you're keeping cichlids, and most other fish for that matter. Rift lake cichlids do fine in pH 7.

[Aimhigher38]

I have an African cichlid tank and a South American cichlid tank and I love them both.... but there so much more ACTION in my South american tank while my African tank is so so pretty( thats what people that arent into fishes say about the African tank). But if had to choose to only keep one type..i would say depending on your tank size.....small tanks would be great for Africans...and large tanks would be great for South Americans. Both have great personalies but I'm more into the larger MONSTER type fishes...

[d20monsteroscar20]

African of course. South American are ok but nothing compered too African Cichlids.

[Kutty]

I haven't really kept African cichlids before except for a few Cyphotilapia frontosa and Pseudotropheus sp. But I still think american cichlids are the best fishes to keep for any aquarist!

[decoy]

South American all the way !!!!!! About RED SNOOKS I own two 22' and they are aggressive as hell!!!!


Decoy

[rayman45]

i dont like afracns at all

i just like how there tanks are always clear and clean

s.a all the weaay

[Killduv]

Central Americans are worthy too. Some real Beauties. Overall pick of all I would pick Central America.

[piranha45]

I enjoy them all, but I'd go Africa>Central America>South America.

[vanimate]

Lake Tanganyika! I keep cyathopharynx. (What number post is this for me, I wanna see some pics!)

[guppy]

S.A. and C.A. do it for me, never got into the africans much.

[Ed bailey]

i would chose african do to the choices of gentle or not :feedback:

[Joshrtng]

Is it cool to keep an oscar with african cichlids with they are all about the same size. I have 6 africans and one oscar i happened into. Just wan to know so nobody gets hurt.

[redtailfool]

Central Americans baby.. home of the boisterous bruiser cichlids! SA and africans are cool too. Given the choice, id go with SA... africans are tiny.. cept for a few sp.

[piranha45]

man, when you people say africans are too small, you obviously forget tilapia and microlepis. Africa has everything and more than America does. The variety is all there.

and yes an oscar with africans will work, unless its tilapia in which case you'll need at least a 180g.

[kido]

i like SA & CA's better.. the only african cichlid i like is the frontosas :)

[PhullTank57]

Prefer South American over African, personally... but much respect to Africans. They could really be MEAN & territorial... and KILL some sh*t!! :swear: :22_yikes:

[Peanut_Power]

You have to go SA all the way. I mean you got your pike cichlids (my personal fav... :D ) , Hoplarchus psittacus (FINALLY GOT SOME!! YEAH BABY!), Cichla, Geophagus....i mean dang...South American cichldis are just awesome!!

[spryandspringy]

I'd have to go with the Africans, but only if I were forced to choose. I find their behavior much more intriguing overall, and frankly, they're just plain prettier!

[Juggalo]

south american for me

[TankGurl]

African...all the way for me. Color, diversity and behaviour is all very fascinating.


Kelly

[Peanut_Power]

I have to say...I am rather bitter towards African cichlids...can't stand them. They are beautiful and amazing and everything....but they are stealing the spot light. Too many pet stores are focusing on selling African cichlids that they are neglecting and not getting SA and CA cichlids. And its very frustrating and annoying to say the least. I've seen LFS gradually get taken over by African cichlids cuz people are impressed by the imidiate beautiful colors. I think there are TONS of SA and CA cichlids that would knock the socks offa any African...its just people can't realize that when they see the juvs. I just wish that there were still some pet stores out there that focused more on SA and CA cichlids than Africans......

[polomax24]

SA/CA cichlids all the way. When I was a beginner, I used to like African cichlids because their colors. I started with electrical yellow, blue, peacocks, and mbuna. Then, I switched to tropheus and calvus only. I got bored very quickly because they are so boring. I just gave away my last "red rainbow" tropheus, but I am still keeping all my "oval spot" black calvus.

Right now, I am keeping mostly large CA cichlids. They have great personality but they do consume alot of resource. For example, very large tank, better filtration, only few fish per tank, more water changes, more food and etc...

Most LFS stock African cichlids because they are easy to sell and require less space. Most CA/SA juvies are black and white, and average customers probably would not spend money on some fish that does not have good colors. I think that is why African cichlids are more popular than CA/SA cichlids.

[Peanut_Power]

Thats exactly why Africans are sold more often. Cuz they are pretty right from that start. I know of many people though that have kept Africans and are now switching to SA/CA...lol....cuz they got bored. Either that or they are gettin outa the hobby.....start with SA....you can't go wrong!! I mean....kmon...Oscars are like the trade mark fish of the hobby! :D

[sleepyflight]

I enjoy them all, but I'd go Africa>Central America>South America.
Nothing else to say but.....Agreed....the imediate beauty is awesome but....so many more aspects.....although the Escondido is my fav. in possesion right now :drool:

[The TRUST]

Hmmmm My 2 favorite cichlids are the Peacock Bass and The Emperor cichlids

but aside from those I am not too much into cichlids.

[piranha45]

coloration has nothing to do with my choice; I think africans have greater diversity, diversity which overlaps American cichlids, at least that which is regularly available in the hobby.

Tiliapia are direct equivalents of large CA bruisers. Mbuna are great either in a tank of their own, or as excellent dithers for larger fish--there is NOTHING out there that has the varied fishkeeping uses of mbuna. Malawi haps are excellent, active, beautiful streamlined predators, it is very fun to watch them wipe out schools of small fish, and their beauty is impeccable. Tanganyikans are mre placid, sedate,predators, and they have much different morphology. Jewel cichlids--, all the various species-- are of a separate morphology and behavior type as well.

The american herbivorous species hold no appeal to me; i like predators, or at least aggressive little multi-purpose thugs (mbuna). The only thing American cichlids have to offer me are the tilapia-equivalents, pike cichlids, and the mighty peacock basses.

This isn't to say i don't like American cichlids, but if I had to choose a favorite, I would DEFINTELY go with africans.

[Peanut_Power]

Well, at least you earned a few points with me for saying pike cichlids! :D

[Oscar guy]

south american for ever

[CooyaFNQ]

I have both, but the americans are definately more people friendly, cant walk past without them eyeballing ya, especially the acaras.

[spryandspringy]

Tiliapia are direct equivalents of large CA bruisers. Mbuna are great either in a tank of their own, or as excellent dithers for larger fish--there is NOTHING out there that has the varied fishkeeping uses of mbuna. Malawi haps are excellent, active, beautiful streamlined predators, it is very fun to watch them wipe out schools of small fish, and their beauty is impeccable. Tanganyikans are mre placid, sedate,predators, and they have much different morphology. Jewel cichlids--, all the various species-- are of a separate morphology and behavior type as well.... This isn't to say i don't like American cichlids, but if I had to choose a favorite, I would DEFINTELY go with africans.

Be still my heart! P45 is my new hero! :hearts:

[Miles]

Uhhh... WEST AFRICAN!! :)

Buttakoferi, Polleni, Jewels.. All the way down to the cute Kribs! :)

[Peanut_Power]

All I have to say is after going to the ACA...i have just increased my HATERED and DISTASTE for African cichlids....*grumbles*

[piranha45]

africans are the superior group and its only natural that the ACA agrees :woot:

[Peanut_Power]

Why don't they just call it the African Cichlid Association!? Bugga them all! I don't think that the africans are superior...just they breed like Rabbits so everyone wants to get rid of them...you actually have to work to a certain extent to get your SA/CA to breed. Some haven't even been bred yet. So yeah....if there were more SA/CA beein bred i'm sure we would see more. I really wanted to start slittin bags though....aghhhh....... :swear:

[BGG]

I dispise Mbuna, lol... sorry p45. :D Some of the west Africans are alright, but I don't care for cichlids in general, there are just a few that I like. I would say CA/SA for sure. Everyone and their mother has some kind of African, so you won't have trouble observing them elsewhere. :) Or even better, GARS!

[Peanut_Power]

I think this is a great gar picture and expresses just the way i feel about African cichlids...:D

[BGG]

Alex may not appreciate his pics being posted all over... but I guess it's you and not me that will have to watch my back Down Under. :P

[Peanut_Power]

KRIKY MATE!!...oh yeah..picture courtesy of BGG courtesy of Alex....:P

[BGG]

Liar... lol. :P

[Miles]

P45, were you implying the notion that the African Lakes species of Cichlids are far more evolved then SA? I remember reading that they are far up the evolutionary time-scale, and they have evolved much faster then South American Cichlids..

Not trying to disregard your comment at all..

But wouldn't that make the South American Cichlids, older and wiser? While the Africans, after being isolated for so many years, have become slim in the genetics department, and have developed behaviors which portray more 'simple' creatures, such as mice.

Or perhaps the Africans have grown smarter with time, and are like humans where they increasingly become more intelligent.

Or perhaps, that could be an entirely stupid thought..

:lol:

[Peanut_Power]

You truely have a dizzyin intellect my friend...lol.....

[piranha45]

INCONCEIVABLE!
http://hometown.aol.com/greatgmas/images/princess%20bride.gif

[sephir420]

verry interesting theary.

[rweedon]

how did you like your pike and were you able to keep it in a community tank with other large predators?

[Peanut_Power]

Who are you talkin too? LOL

[xxt2goodxx]

south american because they are like the puppy dog of fishies and my folks wont let me keep a dog

[Ash]

I like African Cichlids better they seem easy to take care of and easy to maintain in my tapwater. I have an African Cichlid tank so I guess I just grew fond of them!!

[Dykemyster]

I have kept all kinds of cichlids from all over the world and my favorite by far are african cichlids!

I do appreciate them all but as far as what I like best there is just no question - African Cichlids all the way.

As far as African Monster fish go there are a bunch.

If you want to learn more about some of them try looking up some of the following genus' on the internet:

Buccochromis
Champsochromis
Protomelas
Dimidiochromis
Oreochromis
Fossorochromis
Ramphochromis
Tyrannachromis (MFK folks gotta love this name!)
Nimbochromis
Bathybates
Serranochromis
Sargochromis
Lepidiolamprologus
Cyphotilapia
Benthochromis
Petrochromis
Boulengerochromis
Exochochromis
Linchnochromis
Plecodus
Aristochromis
Haplochromis vittatus (named species on this one to make it easy)

There are even more than I listed but just because the smaller and somewhat more colorful african cichlids are what you normally see doesn't mean there aren't any monsters from Africa.

My largest monster is a 14" (TL) F0 Buccochromis rhoadesii named "Baby". He is in a tank with lots of 4"-8" Aulonocara and other Haplochromines from Lake Malawi and gets along great with them. I would guess to say that doing something like this with a predator from SA would much harder to accomplish.

Best Fish Wishes!
Erik

[searcyb]

I am a fan of both but I think I would have to prefer the africans

[Peanut_Power]

Not really...quite easy actually...Pbass aren't that aggressive and actually get along great with other fish. As well as several of the other larger SA cichlids! :D