While going through the pics on my computer today, I realized just how many pics of my fish I have on here. And how many of them are rather old...and how different the fish look today. So, here's my collective effort at a before and after seguay, to show the (sometimes amazing) difference a bit of time and TLC can make 
To start things off, the firemouths. This is them when I bought them, in February of this year:
And this is one of the two males today, 8 months later (crappy pic):
Next up, my Green Severum. Here he is when I got him, same time as the firemouths:
And today, 8 months later:
Now, my Lumbila afras when I got them, in July:
And the dominant male today, just 3 months later:
My dominant polit male, when I got him a month ago:
And here he is today, just a month later:
Karma, one of my Midas, when I bought him at a measly 2" big, last March (orange fish on the right):
And him today, turning into quite the monster and now measuring 8", 7 months later:
And finally, my pride and joy, Kiara. I don't have any baby pics on this computer, so here's the oldest I could find, at about 5":
And here he is today, over a year later and 11" of fury:
Sorry its so long, but I thought it was so interesting to see the difference. Thanks for looking! And feel free to post your before and afters too
To start things off, the firemouths. This is them when I bought them, in February of this year:
And this is one of the two males today, 8 months later (crappy pic):
Next up, my Green Severum. Here he is when I got him, same time as the firemouths:
And today, 8 months later:
Now, my Lumbila afras when I got them, in July:
And the dominant male today, just 3 months later:
My dominant polit male, when I got him a month ago:
And here he is today, just a month later:
Karma, one of my Midas, when I bought him at a measly 2" big, last March (orange fish on the right):
And him today, turning into quite the monster and now measuring 8", 7 months later:
And finally, my pride and joy, Kiara. I don't have any baby pics on this computer, so here's the oldest I could find, at about 5":
And here he is today, over a year later and 11" of fury:
Sorry its so long, but I thought it was so interesting to see the difference. Thanks for looking! And feel free to post your before and afters too
He gets regular cichlid pellets, nothing special, but I'm going to switch him over to Hikari Gold when he's finished what food he's got left. 
Ya think?!. Anyway, point is, yes, with proper care and TLC, 'okay' fish can turn into awesome fish