Help Me Choose My First Cichla!

[PayaraMan]

Just out of curiosity how much experience do you have with Cichla payaraman? You seem to know everything about every species out there. Quite a feat for such a young buck.... I'm not doubting you because I was your age once and just as obsessed as you seem to be. Unfortunately back then we didn't have the internet so I spent my time in the library learning as much as I could.

None But once again I think I've read enough to give some proper advice and I'm looking into some Orino's myself right now for the 150g I'm trying to get.

 

[PayaraMan]

Just out of curiosity how much experience do you have with Cichla payaraman? You seem to know everything about every species out there. Quite a feat for such a young buck.... I'm not doubting you because I was your age once and just as obsessed as you seem to be. Unfortunately back then we didn't have the internet so I spent my time in the library learning as much as I could.

You're not the only one who is surprised by what I've learned, One night I was hangin' with my Family and I just started spitting fish information everywhere and I scared them pretty bad, They still are astounded from how much I've learned while being on MFK. I scare myself sometimes since I learn more on MFK than I do in school

 

[apriliarider15]

Like I said I have a soft spot for C. orinocensis and have had them since back "when they were cool" lol. However there are some neat species out there. I personally wouldn' recommend any of the larger species (C. temensis and temensis complex, C. piquiti) for your size tank but the smaller species would have a hay day in there

 

[Madding]

Thanks ap15, I'll keep Temensis on the back burner for now. I won't be upgrading for years after the 500 is running so I'd rather have a few that can live their lives in it.

 

[MFM]

You're not the only one who is surprised by what I've learned, One night I was hangin' with my Family and I just started spitting fish information everywhere and I scared them pretty bad, They still are astounded from how much I've learned while being on MFK. I scare myself sometimes since I learn more on MFK than I do in school

Same here, I am only 16 and I know a lot from this site, maybe too much for now...lol

 

[PayaraMan]

Same here, I am only 16 and I know a lot from this site, maybe too much for now...lol

You can never learn too much on MFK

 

[MFM]

Thanks ap15, I'll keep Temensis on the back burner for now. I won't be upgrading for years after the 500 is ready so I'd rather have a few that can live their lives in it.

I would go after these if you an find them at those sizes:
Cichla Orinocensis
Cichla Monoculus
Cichla Ocellaris
Cichla Kelberi
and with what you have in your tank, I would stay far from Farmies.

 

[apriliarider15]

I would go after these if you an find them at those sizes:
Cichla Orinocensis
Cichla Monoculus
Cichla Ocellaris
Cichla Kelberi
and with what you have in your tank, I would stay far from Farmies.

Agreed^ And you will never what they might look like until they are in your tank and on a good diet. My little rescue (lol I call 15" little that's as bad as my GF calling my 150 my small tank) was grey when I got him had a slight case of HITH but I knew where he came from (F1 from tounge33's pair) and he was just a test fish to put with my Hoplias sp. before I through them in with my prized specimens. Well after about a month living in nice fresh clean water and a diet of tilapia, shrimp, whole smelt, 10mm NLS, and quarantined feeders he went from grey to a very beautiful yellow with really nice barring and turned out to be a little bruiser. I might just put him in with the other guys after my test is done.

 

[lujor]

Not very familiar with Cichla, but will the school's aggressiveness increase as its size increases? ie Will more Cichla equal more risk for his gar (if not now, later)?

 

[apriliarider15]

Not unless that gar will fit in their mouths.