cichla newb questions

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L

leather

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 8, 2010
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Pennsylvania
I have a bunch of newb questions. I can't seem to find all of my answers. I don't know what it is about cichla but is overwhelming me with all the different strains and opinions. I usually just keeping reading everything I can about a fish and eventually pick up everything I want to know. This doesn't seem to be the case. The majority of the threads are simple cichla id threads. So, you cichla pros help me out please.

I brought home two peacock bass about 6 months ago. I wasn't planning on it and I don't usually do this but I bought them without knowing much. I am still trying to get them off of feeders, and this is by far the toughest species for this I have ever dealt with, but they are at least becoming responsive to me and learning I feed them.
The questions:

How large do they need to be before I can tell what they are?

If I get more, because I really enjoy them and see this as happening, should they be the same species or can I mix?

Do cichla interbreed? I don't like the chance of making mutts. If I get lucky enough to have fish breed I like them to be worthwhile of keeping.

I read to keep the temps up as juvies, at what point should I start bringing it down?

And really what is the insane appeal? I have never seen a fish that just makes me want to have more and more like these.
 
i swear i responded to this post once but here ya go
6 " is the end of the paranoid size for cichla they have now established better immunities and should be settled in to there environment so you can drop temps but i keep them at 82 degrees for larger cichla .
Its also the time to definitely slow down on the feeders but i dont agree with completely abandoning them start introducing krill or tillapia now its the right time and brings in a better balanced diet feeders are like junk food for a fish kept in a tank treat feeders as a treat dwindle down to just a few every now and then .
Yes cichla can interbreed , but you can mix them they seem to like there own species better .
finnaly welcome to the cichness !!!!
 
I keep my large cichla at higher temps....12-16"+ cichla at 86-88. Thats because i like em active and hungry. Yes cichla can breed diff. species together. But the conditions have to be spot on for this to happen. My cichla are like the dogs I cant have in my small house :)
 
Okay, so the temps aren't that big of a deal. I can keep them high even though they are getting more stable.

How about the id thing, about what size can I reliably id them. I would like to know what they are so I can get more of the same.
 
Yes you can intermix cichla very little chance they will interbreed and quiet frankly if you have a bigger anough tank its highly recomended however if you wont to breed them only have one pair around other wise the fry gets eaten real quick so make the choice wich way you wont to go once you have cichla you wont go back lol
 
Doing good so far, now they have two more little buddies from the same store and supplier. Four looks good for now. In other good news they are finally eating other than live. They will eat freeze dried shrimp. No pellets yet, but a big step in the right direction. I'll get some pics up soon.

Also in my first post I put months, I meant weeks. So I haven't even had them 2 months yet.
 
since they are eating the freeze dried shrimp that float on the surface try and get some hikari food sticks and see if they eat those. Or try and put a tiny peice of pellet in the krill. Or you could crush up some pellets and roll the krill around in it and then feed so they get the taste of pellets.
 
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