New African Cichlid

[Cathy]

Hello! We just purchased a 55gal tank online with this beautiful african cichlid in it. My husband has had them before but never this particular breed(I don't think ) We know all the basics but was just wondering if anyone had any tips that maybe we didn't already know. I'm always up for advice! Thanks.

[Hilly]

That cichlid kind of reminds me of a Red Devil but im not sure.

[Cathy]

yes, that's what they said..a white one of course!

[soggydrysuit]

Very nice

That's what used to be called a Cichalsoma citrinellum also that whole genus was pared down a lot a decade ago.

Red devil is right!

Please correct me if i'm wrong I think he's a guy because of the bump on his head. It's called a 'nuchal hump'. Please forgive my spelling...

Names etc are probably not what you are after.

He's a central american cichlid which means they do best in moderaty hard water. No salt, just not soft 'discus water'. pH 7.5 ish and loads of carbonate hardness.

Temp 75F, not too hot or cold. Loads of aeration needed. Powerheads and external powerfilter job. Think big fish filtration and loads of water changes (25% per week at least), just like a puffer because he will be messy with food. Pellets, cockles out of the shell, but no feeders, please.

These are incredibly aggresive fish even if you wished to add a girl to keep him company. You'd need to use a tank divider in a larger tank. but that's you choice for the future.

They dig up plants and like to rearrange the gravel. Occasionally, throw small and not so small rocks at the glass. But what a character! I kept one once, about ten years ago, rehomed it including tank when I moved up here

Yours looks about six to eight ins to me? They get to at least a foot long.

But what a 'feature' fish. A bit like a dog!

Oh, do you have either an unbreakable heater or a plastic heater guard? Mine used to throw his around the tank...

[Cathy]

Yes, he is a male. and yes, about 7-8 inches. Thanks for the input!!!

[Cathy]

Correction, he's almost 9 inches!!!!! We just picked him up today and he's gorgeous,oh man. Another q, I've heard not to put aquarium salt in tank w/cichlid, but can you? I don't see why not cuz it's supposed to be good, right? I'd love to add some, but not sure since hearing that. Could someone please let me know? It's reg aquarium salt, not marine salt. thnx.

[JoseDepacos]

Aquarium salt is over-glorified freshwater medication. Why do you want to add it? Is there a problem? If so there are much better treatments than aquarium salt in many cases.

[Cathy]

No, no problem...just always been told it was good for your freshwater friends(nothing major,just the small things). So, I shouldn't add it then? I just want the best for my new fish. Thanks.

[soggydrysuit]

One of the moderators recently posted that aquarium salt is used by some retailers in the hope of staving off some common diseases but it doesn't really work that well.

I understand that quite a lot of areas in the us have quite hard tapwater in any case. Do you meaure the water chemistry - things like ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? Then there's pH and hardness.

If you do have a low pH (below 7.0) you could probably get away with putting some coral sand in a filter sock and hanging it somewhere in the tank. I'd only bother to do this with this fish if the water is soft and acid. They're pretty tough and stability is probably more important.

Need quite big water changes!

[JoseDepacos]

Might want to try this- http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... dSalt.html
Read the directions carefully. Its not to be added unless doing a water change or initial tank set up. This might actually do him so good where aquarium salt really wont do anything.

[Cathy]

Cool, thanks. Good lookin out!!