Avoid These 5 Problems With African Cichlids

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Күн бұрын

In today's video, I discuss 5 common problems you'll want to avoid when keeping African cichlids from Lake Malawi. This video is primarily focused on keeping haps, peacocks and mbuna from Lake Malawi - where diet, tank scape, and overstocking tanks are top discussion points when it comes to African cichlid tank setups.
The five tips mentioned in the video are based on my own experience keeping African cichlids in the past, as well as recent experience with my 125 gallon hap tank. This tank is going to be upgraded later in the year, so make sure to subscribe so you don't miss that!
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Food
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Plants
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Chemicals
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Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next week!

Пікірлер: 80

@Coppertop-vh9hh 2 жыл бұрын

You guys are so under-rated. I look so forward to your videos!

@samiam159007 2 жыл бұрын

I've encountered most of these problems before and I heartily agree with your observations as well, as they have been my own observation. Awesome video and thanks for busting a few myths (such as the overstocking). It seems with Haps overstocking doesn't necessarily help. If you have a bully fish, more often than not, it will stay a bully fish, and nothing will change that.

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed! Definitely echos my thought as well. Thanks for watching!

@BamaHama914 2 жыл бұрын

When adding new fish to my 125 peacock/hap tank I have tried going with fish of equal size, of course as they get larger that's easier said than done. So, the last few additions I have made I went with the 3.5 to 4" range. I find now I have more success, as my bigger guys seem to ignore the small guys. As though they don't see them as a threat to their livelihood. But, as usual with fish keeping this is just one person's experience, and could go bad at any point.

@otcfishkeeper5414 2 жыл бұрын

Great looking tank and very helpful info, thanks.

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@melsfreshwater6020 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video! It has helped me alot. I hate over stocking as I want them to have room to move, might start feeding less after hearing your info! Thank you so much. Mine are looking nice & calm after their water change, love it :)

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@barryung1359 2 жыл бұрын

I am enjoying your video from Brisbane, Australia

@t1dirty 2 жыл бұрын

Great tips...just in time too ..I'm setting up a mubua tank

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Good luck 👍🏻

@AtariTheAquarist 2 жыл бұрын

Back with the Bros 🔥🔥🔥

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Welcome back 👊🏻👊🏻

@dhammaboy1203 2 жыл бұрын

I have had Africans for 4 years and I have found these points to me true from my experience too. (I do like to experiment a little and works out what is fact from urban myth). The tip I would add is get a wave maker if you have Afrcian Cichlids. There are so many benefits and my fish are much happier (& healthier) in the wavemaker tank (I have a quarantine without & the fish waiting in their atm look bored in it to be honest). Plus wavemaker can oxygenate and keep your tank cleaner. Also reduces aggression IMO and they can get exercise and they seem much more entertained when swimming in the current. Happy fish keeping all!

@Cichlid_4_ever 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve been struggling with African cichlids for so long and still can’t seem to find what works. And I sure wish I saw this 2 days ago. I keep losing my cichlids and have tried the stocking methods and male to female ratio and can’t see to grasp it yet. I feel like mixing peacocks and mbunas has been MY death sentence.

@TommysTanks 2 жыл бұрын

Good video .

@gabrielbrensjimenez3191 2 жыл бұрын

Good video brother., God bless you

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@rudywatkins1312 2 жыл бұрын

Nice Job!

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@chiragbaruah7610 2 жыл бұрын

That rhoadesi yellow is huge🤩 I too have one and its slowly coloring up well

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, he’s a beast! Largest in the tank at the moment

@jasonsingh5293 2 жыл бұрын

African cichlids are awesome fish but for me i rather go with sevrum because no.1 you have to have a large tank for African cichlids thanks for sharing

@audrameyer9558 2 жыл бұрын

That was great info. Do you feed at a specific time each day or just when you can? I find my Cichlids like a schedule.

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I usually feed them in the evening when I have the lights on after work

@shane6295 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, the predator haps are gaining lots of size!

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yeah, they've gotten big. About to upgrade their tank soon

@neetachoudhary3980 2 жыл бұрын

Great video . 👍 Love and respect from India 🇮🇳

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@dianehachez2584 2 жыл бұрын

I have 90g peacocks and haps ( plants java fern ) i keep the light on 8h. But unfortunatly i deal with agression.. Great video, thank you

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Makes sense with the plants.

@michaelhayes8693 2 жыл бұрын

Nice!! What do you think about mixing common Haps with predator Haps? Have you had any deaths in this 125?. Love the channel!! Take care.

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think some of the common haps can mix. The tangerine tiger is one that does well

@brittanymaestretti2258 Жыл бұрын

Hey guys I love your videos they help so much. I unfortunately think I got a lot of bad advice when I recently switched from having a severely aggressive tiger Oscar for 9 years to after his passing going to South African cichlids. I definitely have haps and mbuna but I’m determined to make this tank as peaceful as possible. I have a 75 and was told to overstock like 25-35 and I think that’s insane. I have 10 currently all juveniles. I need real help and real advice. Do you guys have any way to chat or message people like me who don’t want their fish to suffer?

@CichlidBros Жыл бұрын

Hi there. Sorry to hear you got bad advice. We do answer some questions over email or instagram DMs. We offer consulting sessions as well, if you'd like to chat longer

@abyankabir1910 2 жыл бұрын

Any updates on the saltwater tank?

@tyler8322 2 жыл бұрын

I am considering doing a 55 gallon Mbuna tank. Most Mbuna, to my knowledge, are not dimorphic. I was think doing a 1:3 male to female ratio per species in the aquarium. Would this be alright?

@jermainlatson7913 2 жыл бұрын

I agree

@davidsobczynski4436 Жыл бұрын

Looking for some guidance. New 55 gallon take cycling for about three weeks. Have about 8 african cichlids and all were doing fine. One by one, they appear to be fine and then I see one starts swimming vertically, then losing balance, and within an hour die. Few days go by and then another one. Water parameters have been checked not only by myself, but two addtional stores and all say they are perfect. Anyone know what is happening ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I've had tanks before, but never this issue. Further, the temp is 79 and added stress coat when adding fish.

@coreykoerner1298 Жыл бұрын

I love your tank, I want to do my 180 like that! Online order male show tank, got it! Can u give me the names of your tank mates please?

@dayakarvelpur8040 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Thanks for sharing useful information. I have a 125 gallon tank and currently have 15 male south African cichlids. Mix of mbuna and peacocks. Just looking at adding 15 more as second set as a next step. If i add all new 15 as male, will it work? Or should i had some females?

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Having all males with definitely reduce aggression. Still may have some issues but would be better than have a mixed group

@user-ii1ei9gw8t 2 жыл бұрын

great!

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@NihilusTheGreat 2 жыл бұрын

I'm cycling my tank and just noticed a million detritus worms. Should I be concerned? Should I do anything?

@snoahgplayzzz7904 Жыл бұрын

i have 4 cichlids in a 25 gallon (they are still fairly small, will put them in a bigger tank as they grow) i feed them 2-3 pellets each every morning!!😁

@Garrettw8 2 жыл бұрын

What is sunken belly?

@doodoofarttipson8068 2 жыл бұрын

My fish is facing up to the top of the tank but is still under water and I don’t know what to do

@ruturaj47 2 жыл бұрын

I feed my fish 3 times. It's just the thing I enjoy, when I start working from office then it would be twice a day. Overfeeding is still avoided as I watch the total quantity fed in a day vs each time.

@mattmayers3012 2 жыл бұрын

What sites do you recommend for fish buying?

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

For African cichlids, I like Cunningham cichlids, cichlid shack, imperial tropicals. But there a lot of good options out there

@antic.uncle. 2 жыл бұрын

How much Fishes should i keep in 3 feet tank

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Depends on the type of fish!

@dmnddog02 2 жыл бұрын

What predator haps would you recommend for my first time keeping them in a 180gal?

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

I love the Malawi Hawk, Malawi Eye Biter, and Buccochromis species. Buco Noto's are one of my favorites.

@dmnddog02 2 жыл бұрын

@@CichlidBros I was planning on doing an all male tank. Do you recommend multiple males of the same species or just go for different species?

@dmnddog02 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the constant questions. What of those fish you mentioned would be fine in the 180g fully grown? I was looking at the malawi hawk, eye biter, bucco nototaenia, bucco rhoadesii, bucco heterotaenia, fossorochromis rostratus and nimbochromis livingstonii. Would that combination for at the full sizes of those fish? If not what species would? I have very little knowledge on haps and want to get the right stuff

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

@@dmnddog02 yep, I think all of those would work in a 180. I’d recommend one male of each species

@mitchellrodriguez1794 2 жыл бұрын

Can you tell us online retailers that can guarantee the sex of fish?

@furkhantahafurkhantaha9531 2 жыл бұрын

Hi bro let me please frontosa ph level

@stevejordan2575 2 жыл бұрын

I love watching my cichlids making their own Caves I only have 2 of them

@sea9850 2 жыл бұрын

Big mbunas in my established tank ignore the new small mbunas almost 90% of the time. It’s the same sized fish thats gets picked on.

@rs8034a 2 жыл бұрын

I find that to be the case as well - I have an Mbuna & Peacock tank going on 5 years - I just started dimming the lights and in the evening using the blue light and it does seem to keep them a bit calmer

@louiegroenewald 2 жыл бұрын

Hi! I bought some mbuna, juvinile, ciclids. The are in quarantume at the moment, to grow them.out a bit before adding to other cichlids, slightly bigger. 3 small ones died already. I dimmed the light after seeing them not coming out a lot. Feed them and they do come out to eat. Not all food, but I water change to take out excess food. Twice a week. Thre was about 5 in at first. One died. Inbought another 5 and 2 died. This all happened in the first 1st week and 2 days of purchase. I'm new in the hobby and would like tomlearn to provide the best for all my fish. Please help and suggest what it can be. I do not see any weakness in the fish but they 3 is dead. I'm now scared I will loose more.Rhinking to just add them to the main tank.where they might have a better chance. There is only 3 rocks in the quarantine tank. Maybe fir small mbuna not enough to hide. Maybe I need to leave the light off completely for a few days and not just dim it. Not sure. Please help...

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

Hey there. Sorry to hear that. I would check the parameters of the QT tank to make sure its cycled. If there's any ammonia or nitrite, you might want to consider removing the fish. You could take some media from your established tank(s) to help the cycle in the QT tank as well. Also, a small amount of mbuna with no decor for hiding spots could be the issue. If you have a few more rocks or decor to add in for the time being, that could help as well. Overall, I'd just be careful adding these guys to the display tank if they've been dying or unhealthy. Best of luck

@louiegroenewald 2 жыл бұрын

@@CichlidBros it is dimaoni. Blue with dalk stripes, i believe. New to the hobby, so not sure spelling and all that.😀

@louiegroenewald 2 жыл бұрын

@@CichlidBros Thanks for the reply. I will add extra rocks to already 3 rocks in QT tank. QT tank is cycled as iets been running non stop sins I got it. With Nelly purchase fish going in and out of it in regular basis. There was never a time where there was ni fish in it. The last fish was a Beta. 🙂

@louiegroenewald 2 жыл бұрын

@@CichlidBros I also decided to have the light I. QT tank fairly dimmed almost off. To give them time to adjust and maybe assist in no stress if the hiding spots is not enough. I've added a daily tonic thing to water for general fish health, completely herbal and not bad for beneficial bacteria. And some no stress drops. Hopefully it will help.

@CichlidBros 2 жыл бұрын

@@louiegroenewald sounds good. Demasoni are super aggressive to each other unless you have a group of 10 or more. That could also be the issue

@Frank020 Жыл бұрын

I thought it was all females, because the professionally kept aquariums the f pseudothoph is dull in color, and they keep them sparse like 3-4 per large aquarium, but big fish. They no longer swim rapidly. But hang for a while