Lucky we have American Cichlids
- Thread starter AviB
- Start date
Get yourself a medium to large tank. 6x2 minimum. Stock it with large so called aggressive SA cichlids. They develop a pecking order just like africans. I've done it, and there are many, many examples of others who have done it as well. Keep believing what you will......
Fish adapt to the water. Something most beginners learn. So that retort is mute.
I have done it. Back when I was young and inexperienced. I learnt from it and won't be doing it again.
I also have more empathy for the fish these days, I realised I was just being selfish. Serving my needs and not really thinking of the fishes long term well-being.
Some will, some won't.
Experienced fish keepers are well aware of bacterial infections affecting South American fish that are from soft tannin soaked waters when kept in hard alkaline water.
Pitting of the lateral line system is also a common symptom of acid loving fish kept in water of the wrong values.
I disagree w/ this. First SA cichlids aren’t really aggressive especially compared to CA. Some CA cichlids do love in groups in the wild, but keep in mind the space is much greater then any aquarium can provide. IMO/IME the only CA species that can be crowded are smaller species like thorichthys. Some CA species are completely solitary in the wild and do get very territorial like parachromis.
Overstocking large aggressive cichlids only works in the short term. That is why changes have to constantly be made. It’s a choice of the keeper to keep those species and manage that aggression. You never know when one fish is going to snap and decide to kill everything in the tank. I prefer overstocking thorichthys because I never have to worry about something being killed.
OP-the fish look very healthy.
Not misconceptions, just experience been there done that. Have had tanks be peaceful for years then one fish goes on a killing spree.
