today went to lfs and had some nice new fish and my question is i have already have 2 emporercichlids could i mix a arrowana or pike cichlids with them or is it a bad idea?
could i mix
- Thread starter emporercichlid
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Ive done the same same thing your trying to do. So far its going very well. make sure you get the ph up to about 7.5 but do it slowly. I have a pike with mbuna's. the aro may be a stretch as they will be food in a few months but it could if you get the aro small enough. the pike will work. Get a belly crawler or sveni.
torbayguy;3772462;3772462 said:
It can be tried and it can work ive seen it alot. all fish can adapt but all cichlids are great at adapting to water conditions. stay away from the aro but try the pike cuz my 2 africans are doing great with my pike and severum
Adapting and thriving are two completely different things.
Just because it works for a month or two doesnt make it right.
These fish are from different parts of the world, in different waters with completely different parameters.
Then there is the diet, vegetable for one, protein for the other... How can you ensure the right fish eats the right food?
At the end of the day, if you are going to keep any creature, then you have a duty to care for it the best you can, and craming totally incompatable fish like these together should not be done
Arent there enough American cichlids to choose from to stock your tank properly, or malawis even?
Just because it works for a month or two doesnt make it right.
These fish are from different parts of the world, in different waters with completely different parameters.
Then there is the diet, vegetable for one, protein for the other... How can you ensure the right fish eats the right food?
At the end of the day, if you are going to keep any creature, then you have a duty to care for it the best you can, and craming totally incompatable fish like these together should not be done
Arent there enough American cichlids to choose from to stock your tank properly, or malawis even?
how bout the ppl who keep other tropical fish with africans who make even worse tankmates then sa cichlids but ppl do it cuz it works. Ive seen a tank that belongs to a friend who houses a electric yellow cichlid with convicts and the yellows are full grown and healthy. africans dont just eat vegetation, they will eat various foods including frozen and live. Like many ppl i feed flakes, frozen, live, and lettuce to my fish and never had a problem with my fish...
^Your friend got lucky because yellow labs are the only mbuna that are not strictly herbivores. You feed most mbuna live and frozen and they will die from bloat.
To the OP I think this is a bad mix in the long run. But i don't have a lot of evidence to back it up.
To the OP I think this is a bad mix in the long run. But i don't have a lot of evidence to back it up.
Ash, Im sure you dont have the evidence, because your not stupid enough to experiment like that.
Yes, if somebody is new to fishkeeping, then you expect them to have a few incompatible fish, or not quite perfect water conditions, because it is all about learning.
But when people say 'I know I shouldnt, but...'
Well, these people are in the wrong hobby.
Yes, Malawis will eat live foods, frozen foods, flakes, lettuce, infact Malawis will eat anything offered to them... thats because they are opportunistic feeders.
However, in the main Malawis eat vegetation, and if they have to much in the way of protein, bloat sets in.
There is simply no excuse for an experianced hobbiest to keep incompatible fish together, what ever reason you try to give.
Yes, if somebody is new to fishkeeping, then you expect them to have a few incompatible fish, or not quite perfect water conditions, because it is all about learning.
But when people say 'I know I shouldnt, but...'
Well, these people are in the wrong hobby.
Yes, Malawis will eat live foods, frozen foods, flakes, lettuce, infact Malawis will eat anything offered to them... thats because they are opportunistic feeders.
However, in the main Malawis eat vegetation, and if they have to much in the way of protein, bloat sets in.
There is simply no excuse for an experianced hobbiest to keep incompatible fish together, what ever reason you try to give.
I really agree with you.
For me I would rather set up a tank I KNOW will work instead of mixing species that have a slight chance of being ok. I prefer the peace of mind and being able to enjoy more natural behaviors.
But that's just me.
For me I would rather set up a tank I KNOW will work instead of mixing species that have a slight chance of being ok. I prefer the peace of mind and being able to enjoy more natural behaviors.
But that's just me.