Microbiology.girl wants to know:
I have been to PetSmart and the only vivid ones they have are yellow and orange. I already have that color fish in my tank. Also since cichlids have to be kept with other cichlids of the same size, I need some that are about an inch long.
I live in Biloxi MS, if you know of an aquarium nearby.
I have been to PetSmart and the only vivid ones they have are yellow and orange. I already have that color fish in my tank. Also since cichlids have to be kept with other cichlids of the same size, I need some that are about an inch long.
I live in Biloxi MS, if you know of an aquarium nearby.
July 26th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I have powder blue mbuna. They are beautiful. I’m not sure where you live but aquarium fish mag has listings in the back that you can order from for just about any type of fish.
July 26th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
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–?id=15209967&state=MS&city=Biloxi&stx=pet+stores&csz=Biloxi%2C+MS&fr=dd-local-more&ed=OaRsGq131DzBaTQPk.yRHdU9eEfZ0Sg1Upe4WEqgT5MTokmQj_h.azJo&lcscb=rpY9N1wq9uW
July 29th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
When you talk about size you should be considering adult size. I don’t know of any Africans that max at an inch. The small ones grow to about 4″. Keeping that in mind- do you have enough room in your tank?
If you do have enough room- keep in mind the juvenile colors change. Adults look completely different. When cichlids are stressed they often blanch. They may just look grey, once you put them in a healthy environment their colors will pop.
Here are some of the smaller ones. You may have better luck if you do a search for dwarf cichlids.
Blue Peacock adult 6″
Blue Zebra adult 5.5″
Red Zebra adult 5.5″
Tretocephalus adult 6″
Lamprologus Similis adult 2.5″
Apistogramma cacatouides adult 3″
It is not true that cichlids need to be kept with others there size. I currently have a fifty five with a 7″ jack Dempsey and 3- 4″ convicts, from previous spawnings there are 2- 1″ babies. We have had the most luck with the 1/2 sizes. Whenever we add a fish, we add one that is half the size of the smallest fish in the tank. That way they do not pose a threat and they essentially get ignored. (our current tank is south American but we have had Africans- they are less picky so you may have just as much luck with fish the same size)
Good Luck!
July 31st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
The answer that lynn has given is very good. I second the fact that when a fish is stressed its colors are not true. Sometimes if there is more than one male fish in a tank, only the dominant male will show true colors. Assuming that you have the space and experience keeping these fish, for color I would look at electric blue johanni’s, kenyi’s, or auratus. They are all pretty common in fish stores and very colorful, beware of their temperment however, as most africans are mildy agressive at the least!