2017-09-15

A Comprehensive Listing of the Various CICHLID TYPES

A lot of people have been asking me lately about the different cichlid types so I thought I would compile a bit of a thorough list in regards to the various species.

Cichlid (sik-a-lid) fish stem from what's known as the Cichlidae (sik-li-day) family. The Cichlidae family is an extremely large & diverse family having nearly 2000 specimens described and it's believed the still much more to be described scientifically.

different Mbuna from Lake Malawi
Different Mbuna from Lake Malawi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They would have to be the largest family of vertebrates.

Due to the fact that we are constantly finding new species types, estimating the exact number of cichlid types is very hard to do.

These fish come in some of the strangest looking shapes to the most breathtaking colors and throw in some peculiar mannerisms and it makes for quite the character.

Cichlids are found all across the globe ranging from Africa throughout Asia to North and South America.
Cichlid fish which tend to be kept in captivation can come from the African waters as well as the Amazon basin area and also from some the famous lakes like Lake Malawi, Great African Rift Lake and Lake Tanganyika.

Presently there is a massive diversity in the behavior and eating habits of these fish because of the greater number of types.

The majority of cichlid types are herbivorous fishes and feed on vegetation or even algae. The other cichlid varieties are generally omnivorous, will eat anything or they are carnivorous fishes that live on other fish & insects.

The broad range of eating habits has really allowed cichlid fish to occupy numerous habitats. Cichlid fish do not survive in salt water although funnily enough, their ancestors did.

Most cichlid kinds are fairly scaled down in size and many of them tend to be referred to as game types.

This has lead to several different cichlid species being farmed for human consumption. On the flip side, we can't deny a number of fish tank enthusiasts that enjoy cichlid species because of their eye-catching colorings and tendencies.

Angelfish, Oscar fish, Discus fish and Convict cichlid are among the most popular with aquarium enthusiasts.

African Cichlid Species
Most of the Cichlid types that we see in captivity today come from the African Amazonian regions. So on with the listings!

Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi is one of the largest lakes known to man and is home to over 300 varieties of cichlid fish. Some of the well-known African species are:

* Big-lipped
* Moori or Blue Dolphin
* Malawi Eye-biter
* Linni or Elephant-nose Cichlid
* Livingstoni
* Polystigma
* Venustus
* Deep-Water Haplo
* Electric Blue Haplo

Mbuna Cichlids
* Red-dorsal Afra, Dogtooth
* Fuelleborn's, Fuelleborni
* Trewavas, Red-finned
* Electric Yellow Mbuna, Lion's Cove Yellow
* Malawi Golden
* Johann's Mbuna
* Parallel-striped Mbuna
* Purple Mbuna
* Aurora
* Bumblebee Mbuna or Hornet
* Elongatus, Slender Mbuna
* Snail Shell Mbuna
* Kennyi
* Eduard's Mbuna
* Zebra Mbuna, Zebra Malawi, Cobalt Blue or Nyasa Blue

Peacock Group
* Baensch's Peacock, Yellow Peacock or Sunshine Peacock
* Red Shoulder Malawi Peacock
* Lake Malawi Butterfly

Lake Tanganyika
* Pearly Compressiceps
* Compressiceps
* Frontosa
* Black-finned Slender
* Striped Clown Goby, Striped Goby, Tanganyika Clown
* Dickfeld's Juli
* Checkerboard Julie
* Golden Julie or Ornate Julie
* Regan's Julie or Striped Julie
* Masked Julie or Black-and-White Julie
* Fairy
* Daffodil Brichardi
* Lemon
* Elongated Lemon
* Ocellated Shell-dweller
* Pearl-lined Lamprologus
* Five-bar
* Otostigma, Tripod
* Blue-eyed Tropheus
* Duboisi
* Blunt-headed
* Poll's Tropheus
* Aulonocara
* Lamprichthys
* Synodontis
* Afromastacembelus

Cavity Brooder s
* Altolamprologus
* Lamprologus
* Julidochromis
* Neolamprologus

Mouth Brooder Group of s
* Cyphotilapia
* Cyprichromis
* Eretmodus
* Tropheus
* Xenotilapia

Other African Species
* African Butterfly
* Zebra Haplochromis
* Two-spotted Jewel
* Blood-red Jewel
* Purple or the Common Krib
* African Blockhead or Lumphead
* Zebra Tilapia
* Clown Tilapia

North American Species
* Firemouth
* Convict
* Pearlscale
* Texas
* Midas
* Large Lipped
* Long Fin
* Friedrichsthali
* Jaguar
* Jack Dempsy
* Salvin's or Tricolor
* Red-spotted
* Black Belt
* Nicaragua
* Quetzal or Red-headed

South American Species
* Oscar fish or Velvet
* Peacock Bass
* Festa's
* Port Acara or Black Acara
* Pike
* Banded
* Festive

Acaras
* Blue Acara
* Green Terror or Rivulatus
* Saddle or Two-spot Acara
* Keyhole
* Flag Acara
* Golden Dwarf

New World Dwarfs
* Agassiz's Dwarf
* Yellow Dwarf
* Cockatoo Dwarf
* Three-Stripe Dwarf
* Ramirez' Dwarf

Angel Species
* Angelfish
* Altum Angelfish

Discus Species
* Brown Discus Fish
* Green Discus
* Royal Blue Discus
* Heckle Discus or Pompadour Fish
* Waroo or Triangle


Eartheater Cichlids Species

* Cupid
* Pearl or Mother-of-Pearl Eartheater
* Red hump Eartheater
* Paraguay Mouthbrooder
* Demon Fish.





DISCUS AQUARIUM - How to Reduce Aggression in Your Discus Fish

Many people will say that keeping a discus aquarium is tough because the fish are always fighting with each other. While it is true that discus can be aggressive with each other and even the other members of your tank, there are plenty of things you can do to lessen the problem and keep a healthy harmonious ecosystem.


The most common method used to reduce aggression in a discus aquarium is to combine fish with similar size and temperaments. Frequently, when one fish is larger than the others, it will start to exhibit dominant behavior and will soon become aggressive with its tank mates. Discus are social schooling fish by nature so they generally don't need to be separated, however, one 'bad apple' can sometimes ruin it for everybody. Usually, though only that single fish needs to be removed from the
aquarium.

Most of the aggression issues that occur in a discus aquarium are among males during mating periods. Usually, if you are keeping several discusses, a dominant male will emerge, and he will view the other males as competition to his females. Therefore, it is often a good idea to limit the number of males in your tank. The ideal ratio of males to females in a discus aquarium is around 1:3. That way no single female is relentlessly chased around your tank
during mating.

Other than mating, the other major reason for aggression in a discus aquarium is competition for food. If the fish find that food is scarce, they are more apt to be aggressive and guard what resources are available. However, if food is plentiful, their aggression is reduced. Do not take this as a license to overfeed your discus. Rather, it is a reminder to be consistent with your feeding schedule and portions. The fish will become accustomed to your routine and will calm as result.

Hopefully, these simple ideas have helped you think about why you may have aggression in your discus aquarium. You may have previously felt that discus was too aggressive to keep, however, if you create the proper environment, a discus aquarium can be a peaceful place. All that is needed is some knowledge and specific action to take. Good Luck!



CROCODILES As Pets

There are two types of crocodiles that can be kept as pets. Fresh water and salt water. Crocodiles are in their own right vicious predators and are known to attack humans, more especially, when threatened. A crocodile bite could send one to the hospital for months, and could even lead to death. Those willing to breed this reptile should establish a secluded area where a pond is to be constructed. Though not affected by enclosures, there should be the establishment of one to prevent the animal from escaping. However, they are also supposed to be handled humanely.

A bask of crocodiles
A bask of crocodiles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In encouraging crocodiles to hunt, live food such as fish and insects may be placed in their ponds. Those aside crocs do feed on frozen food, frogs, and moths. Their diet should however not contain chicken meat. Crocodiles longer than sixty centimeters are not allowed in some states as their special requirements increase as they grow, such that they may easily turn to be a bother and burden to the owner.

The pet owner should always make sure that proper vet services are always observed to keep the crocodiles in good shape and that children should never be allowed anywhere near the pond unaccompanied. Care should also be exercised when feeding the animals since a slight miscalculation could easily turn the pet's owner into prey. When handling the crocodiles, a plastic band should be placed at the snout to avoid biting. It is not a must that crocodiles thrive in moving water as they can thrive in stagnant waters.




2017-09-14

GUPPY Companions

By now, your guppies have settled into their tank and you have enjoyed getting to know and enjoy them. I imagine your confidence has soared and you have the urge to have some different inhabitants. This is where the term community tank takes its meaning. Not all fish make good companions for other fish.

Guppy
Photo by Frank Boston (bostonsphotos) (cc)
The guppies are a peaceful fish and get along with other livebearers like mollies and swordtails. These small fish are covered with the big name of Cyprinodonts because they have teeth. These groups are named tooth-carps and cover both the livebearers that have live fry and the fish that lay eggs. So if you hear different names for the same fish this is the reason. Most community tanks will have the addition of catfish or suckermouth fish to help in algae control.

My favorite addition to a community tank is catfish, the very shy algae eaters that scoot from dark corner to an even darker hiding place. The catfish live primarily on the bottom of the tank but you will see them moving all-around the tank attached to the glass with the sucker mouths they possess or moving in a flash through the water. While the catfish I have are pleco‘s, they are just one of over 2000 species. The common plecostomus can live a long time, and you have to be aware that these fish can grow quite large.

They do like the vegetable matter to form the greater proportion of their diet. They will eat sliced courgette or peas with gusto! Pseudo fights for ownership of peas dropped into the tank will happen between the guppies and catfish. They will also clean up dropped food after the guppies. There are also specific foods just for the pleco and they feel very special getting these treats. These fish have wonderful personalities if they qualify as having one! I have always had bogwood in the tanks; the pleco does like these and during the day will hide or spend time on or around the bogwood. The male has more whiskers that are prominent on his snout, where the female has a more reduced number just around her nose.

glyptoperichthys gibbiceps

The breeding habits of the bristle nose pleco are interesting to see. If you have provided a cave or tube like structure for them to hide in or under, you may notice the male “sweeping” or tidying the house. The female appears to attach the eggs to the walls of what ever the adults have elected to use. The egg sacs are noticeable in that they are an orange color. This color makes them very noticeable to the fry “eating” guppies. The male will spend time causing water movement into the cave for the young.The parents seem to watch the small pleco’s but you will only know they are in your tank when you see the little fish amongst the pebbles and plants in the bottom of the tank. Guppies will eat anything they find so you will need good hiding places to read any real number of the little pleco. These are excellent fish to have in a community tank.



By Maman Wilson - Article Source: EzineArticles



2017-09-12

Check Your Knowledge Before Keeping BARB FISH in the Aquarium

Barbs come from a group of fish called Cyprinidae. This group consists of a big range of fish right from goldfish to sharks. However, there are some common things among them.

Gold Barb (Puntius semifasciolatus)
Gold Barb (Puntius semifasciolatus)
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)

Truly speaking, fish experts are not able to classify barbs at a group to which they belong. Some say that they are the members of genus Barbus and some others say they are the members of Pontius instead. However, this will not come in your way if you want to keep barbs at your aquarium.

You have to decide which type of barbs you want to keep. There are tiger barbs, which you cannot keep alone because they will get stressed and will be sick. Another type of barbs is called cherry barbs which are very colorful and they are peace-loving so easy to keep. There is one more important type, the rosy barbs. They are a bit difficult to breed but they are famous for their bright red and golden yellow colors.

If you are an experienced fish-keeper, you can even go for another type which is called clown barb. They will need a big tank with very high temperatures of water. In case the water is not warm enough, they can get sick very easily. Another important thing to be remembered about them is their eating habits. They are plant eaters and they will always try the plants in the aquarium as their food. However, if fully grown up clown barb is a really beautiful fish to keep.

There are some unusual varieties of barbs, which you can also consider. One of them is called Zebra barb. They can grow up to 5 inches and they have stripes like the zebra fish on their body. There are purple barbs which can grow up to 4 inches and they also have stripes on their body over a yellow background. However, this variety is not easily available because it is difficult to breed and difficult to transport.

When you go for buying barbs in a pet fish shop, you may not find them interesting because when they are young, they will look dull and they will not display their true colors. This is really sad because they make your aquarium colorful and beautiful later. Even the beginners will be happy to have them because of their simple lifestyle. When they grow up and become full-fledged adults, they will look really bright, active and beautiful. So they may not attract your attention at the shop and you may be tempted to buy some other varieties of fish.

If you have already made a good research on the Internet and if you have already decided to buy barbs, then you can speak to the staff of the pet fish store, understand the necessities you will be required to maintain for barbs and you can bring them home. They are not very expensive and they can always fit in your budgets. They can be easily accommodated in small aquariums and the requirements for their care are not very elaborate.

You can also inquire about purple-head barb with the pet fish shop. They will develop a unique raspberry color when they reach adulthood and start breeding. You can also ask for Gold barb which will be blooming with bright yellow color after reaching adulthood.

Your decision will depend on the information you have on this beautiful species. Their only requirement is a thickly planted aquarium providing plenty of hiding places. You have to also inquire about their habit of eating plants. Some of the species would like to eat plants but you can keep them in a separate aquarium where you can keep fast growing and sturdy plants.



There is another important habit of some other species of barb. They would like to scatter their eggs over the plants in the aquarium. So they need to be kept separately during their breeding time.

All these habits are not difficult to adjust when we consider their beautiful colors, shapes and activities. So if you want your aquarium really vibrant, maker good research on the Internet, discuss with your pet fish shop, pick up suitable varieties of barbs and start enjoying!


    By Chintamani Abhyankar

    Chintamani Abhyankar is a goldfish enthusiast and has been raising and breeding goldfish for many years. He is an expert on their care and an advocate for raising healthy goldfish the natural way.
    Article Source: EzineArticles


2017-09-11

Tips on RAM CICHLIDS - Care and Spawning

The Ram cichlid or Microgeophagus ramirezi belongs to the family Cichlidae more commonly referred to as cichlids. They are endemic to Orinoco River basin in Venezuela and Columbia. The aquarium industry markets rams under several trade names including; Ram, Blue ram, German blue ram, Asian ram, butterfly cichlid, dwarf butterfly and Ramirez's dwarf cichlid. The Ramirez's dwarf cichlid is a hybrid originally bred by fish enthusiast Manuel Ramirez.

ram2
Ram Cichlid - Photo  by   boscosami  (cc)
Rams are arguably the most peace loving of the entire cichlid family. This makes them very popular with aquarium owners. They make wonderful community tank fish provided they are surrounded by equally docile tank-mates. They mix exceedingly well with tetras. Another aspect of their popularity is their size. They only grow to about 2.5 inches unlike their cousin the angelfish that can grow to up to 6 inches in diameter. This makes them perfect for smaller aquariums such as desktop models. They are most at home in well planted aquariums.

Ram Cichlids thrive in slightly acidic water. A pH of 6.8 with a water temperature range between 72- 78°F is the ideal environment for keeping rams. Under premium conditions you can expect your ram cichlids to live for up to four years.

Rams are omnivorous. They can survive just fine on common variety tropical fish flakes. But supplementing their diet with live food such as brine shrimp, frozen or freeze dried food will help insure their vigor.

Distinguishing males from females isn't difficult. This species is sexually dimorphic, males being larger than females. Males typically possess longer spines on the front of their dorsal fin. Females have rounder abdomens than males. This trait is quite apparent when they are carrying eggs.
Breeding Ram Cichlids



Both the male and the female typically become more colorful when its time to breed. The abdomen of a females' body turns reddish or pinkish when she enters into her spawning cycle. A slightly acid water and warmer water temperatures will help induce spawning.
You will want to place the pair in a breeding tank. Males can become territorial when they enter their breeding cycle.

You will know your rams are about to spawn when the expectant parents begin to clean a flat surface to deposit their eggs on. Cichlids rarely deposit their eggs on barren substrate when a more suitable nursery is available.

    The latest trend among Saltwater Tank enthusiasts is raising pet jellyfish. Jellyfish need specially designed Jellyfish Fish Tank Aquariums. Jellyfish tanks are easier to maintain than traditional saltwater setups. Moon Jellies are the most popular jellyfish among home aquarists both for their exotic beauty and their ease of care. They have become so popular that two US based websites are now tank raising them to meet the growing demand. Pet Moon Jellyfish look absolutely incredible under a fading LED lighting system.
    Article Source: EzineArticles