AFRICANS!!!!!??????

i dont get it what every ones obsession is

why i dislike them
1. they are tine tiny

2. they all look exactly alike

3. they are a pain to care for

4. they are extremely skittish

im not tryin to bash every ones fish on here but tell me whats so exiting about them?????

dude it doesn't matter what kind of fish you get they will all look the same


and there not a pain to take care of....challenging would be a better word I'm pretty sure everyone here likes a challenge or else the hobby would be boring....(just throw some water in a tank and some fish and call it a day) that doesn't sound very fun
but theres also plenty of easier Africans that don't require that much maintenance

and their size is the best thing you can keep a smaller tank with bunch of fish
not everyone wants a huge tank at home

also none of Africans are skittish as soon as they see someone they come to the top of the tank and they will all follow your finger...cause they think they are getting some food lol

well this is what I think

I say if you want a challenge, try keeping seahorses alive...

I ate a seahorse..I say F@#* SEAHORSES!

So, a 16" Frontosa is a tiny fish?

You never kept Africans? Maybe you should, I think you would like them.

Hmm, I've never eaten a seahorse.

But I have eaten a ton of cichlids!

I keep both Africans and Americans.

First off, most people seem to think all Africans are Mbunas (petco/petsmart africans). Not true! There's Haps (large), peacocks (medium), talapia variants (frontosa, buttikoferi), etc...

Second, IMO, Africans are more colorful. Victorians are a good example of this. Haps also have some exoctic colors, as well as peacocks.

Third, most Africans are usually more expensive than Americans. This can be a negative for many hobbyists.

However, it is true Americans are more intelligent and have more personality. My trimac drives me crazy at times, but he's great! I really like my Carpintis, one of my favs!

Hate is not needed! Why can't we like both for their own unique traits!.

More intelligent and more personality than a Mpimbwe Frontosa? Surely you jest, my good man. Dare I say the Frontosa is the end all-be all of Africans in my opinion. I have 20 of these brilliant LANGUAGE in a 180..love them.

LOL I was wondering why frontosa looked like a talapia.

So SHUA can you tell us
why you like the fish you keep better than the Africans??
are they much easier to keep?

sidekicking wrote:So SHUA can you tell us
why you like the fish you keep better than the Africans??
are they much easier to keep?

i belive that they are i dont have to worry about keeping the water hard along with all the other things that come with the hobby

i like my fish simply because they are big as eff, fast as eff, and yes (not to be rude)16'' is tiny.
why would you not want a bigger tank is the question?
and the only tank that ive seen of these fish are so scared they dont ever show themselves hide in caves, shells, ext,ext how weak.

and i am not trying to stir the pot i just dont get it and am trying to understand this part of the hobby (dont knock it till you try it so to speak)

sidekicking wrote:dude it doesn't matter what kind of fish you get they will all look the same

ahhhh ????

stingrays puffers and huge catfish????? i see nothing similar with these fish; and with the fish that i like i dont have to stick to one same bodied fish in one tank.

shua wrote:i dont get it what every ones obsession is

why i dislike them
1. they are tine tiny

2. they all look exactly alike

3. they are a pain to care for

4. they are extremely skittish

im not tryin to bash every ones fish on here but tell me whats so exiting about them?????

1. tiny lol yes there no 2'+ cat but some hit about the one foot mark no problem (venustus and Livingston) both big fish

2. look alike... that would be the petstore carp they carry about 5-10 species of 200+ i will give you the fact the there are some that look similar and it also doesn't help your not a fan of them so there just another small fish

3. pain.... there in most cases easier to care for than gold fish (i think your lookin at the wrong fish)

4. skittish lol it nature, but most are not they beg like dogs, people swear i never feed them (peacocks not so much, much more laid back more like cats)

and the exciting part it that you can have the color of saltwater for 2/3 less in price (which for most means more fish) and no crazy up keep to the water after all it fresh water

and you should come watch my vics i will keep these small guys of a big cat any day and yes i would love to have a big cat but then i could only have 1 or 2 i find one or two fish kinda boring but that's just me

Funny... I just had this conversation with Rattle (keith) he is into New world Cichlids, I am more into African cichlids. Really there was no way I could convince him africans were better, and no way he could convince me his big New world guys are better.

You can see everyone is trying to argue your reasons 1 - 4 for disliking them... Im not.... I will simply tell you why I like them.

1. There color! WOAH! BLUES, YELLOWS, REDS, GREENS, PINKS my tank looks like a rainbow!

2. Mouthbrooders - I love breedin fish... I hate lookin after eggs.... My africans do all the work for me, then when i decide I want to do some work, I strip from a mom and out come lil fry... and they are ready to eat crushed flake, no dealin with bbs, microworms, etc.

3. There size, I absolutly hate having 10 fish in a 200+ gallon tank... what a waste! Now 100+ fish in that same tank with all my fav. colors looks AWESOME! (There not skittish if you take away hiding spots, and overstock the tank)

4. Colony.... the establishing of a peckin order (hiearchy), alpha male gets to pimp the girls, beta male if he is lucky... other males are screwed... its like highschool reality show! LOL

There is why I like them..... Fish look like fish..... all fish look the same to me... They have two eyes, gills, tales, fins, a mouth, so I dont care if you like big ones or little ones, flat ones or fat ones, Long ones or stubby ones.... all fish are the same. Thing that seperates them is the color for me.... and africans have by far better color than any other freshwater fish.... could take a poll on that one! lol



[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Oh yeah... forgot... i like a challenge when carin for fish... anyone can keep a goldfish.... takes skill to breed discus, tropheus, etc.... I like to feel like a job well done when Im finished... not like a baby couldve done it.

not every one can keep a gold fish well feeder gold fish maybe
how can argue with these? but to each his own [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I kept africans for like 8 months and about got out of the hobby i was so bored with them. They just dont seem to have any personality whatsoever. So glad i sold them all and tried americans before i quit.

My ca/sa can interact with me. Most eat from my hand and a few even let me pet them.

Even though Ive only had them for a week, I like my Midas better then when I kept the Africans. Not that they arent beauiful, but the midas and the little jack I have have so much personality. Glare at you for food, follow you around the tank. If I dont sit infront of the jack tank for atleast 5-10 minutes everyday he will float there STARING at me until I come over and look at him.

all good answers but I just can't see having flamboyant fish in my tank. but two each is own

To each his own... couldnt say it better myself..... Cat person, dog person.... african cichlids, New world cichlids..... I do dig the personality of my previous New world guys.... just dont want huge tanks anymore.... I like dwarfs and discus if I do anything besides my african guys. Just got some of these! there awesome! already spawning for me! You like these guys, or do you think there more like africans?


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I just like telling people I have a tank full of Africans at home.

sandnuka wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

they look like punk rock chicks.

Spyral wrote:I just like telling people I have a tank full of Africans at home.

LMAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Whats the name of those? search and tank those..

sandnuka wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hey Sand, what is this?

cacatuoides cichlid there from the apisto group.... just got a breedin pair! think they have a few more at "that fish place" in seattle on university place.

where are they native to, sand?

amazon river

Every fish, put in a display tank correctly will have you lusting after it. African in particular, when done correctly wont hide, won't beat on eachother, and display behaviors not seen in other fish. Now that doesn't mean 90% of the people you see keeping Africans are doing it right, cause most of them arn't.

Size isnt an issue either. If you were purely going on size, you'd keep an emperor cichlid, 3 ft+ beats on giant lake turtles etc. And your big puffer you speak of, Mbu, is African.

As far as water parameters go, depending on where you live is what is "easier". Up near conway, the PH is higher 7.8-9.0. So you'd find it more difficult to keep your neutral ph monsters.

There is also size and cost appeal. Someone can setup a 55 gallon cichlid tank that'll last them their whole lives, and provide lots of activity, and color variety. It usually takes a 125 or larger to do most south americans correctly.

In a vacuum where tank size and money is a non issue. I'd actually make a biotope aquarium. With predators and everything. There are native bichers, and eels to the rift lakes.

I too, like large fish, but I find as time goes on, I just end up owning everything that peaks my interest. 31 aquariums, from 10g shrimp tanks to 305 monster fish tanks.

Wholly crap. I just searched that emperor cichlid. That thing is big and colorful. How mean are they?

Cory wrote:Every fish, put in a display tank correctly will have you lusting after it. African in particular, when done correctly wont hide, won't beat on eachother, and display behaviors not seen in other fish. Now that doesn't mean 90% of the people you see keeping Africans are doing it right, cause most of them arn't.

Size isnt an issue either. If you were purely going on size, you'd keep an emperor cichlid, 3 ft+ beats on giant lake turtles etc. And your big puffer you speak of, Mbu, is African.

As far as water parameters go, depending on where you live is what is "easier". Up near conway, the PH is higher 7.8-9.0. So you'd find it more difficult to keep your neutral ph monsters.

There is also size and cost appeal. Someone can setup a 55 gallon cichlid tank that'll last them their whole lives, and provide lots of activity, and color variety. It usually takes a 125 or larger to do most south americans correctly.

In a vacuum where tank size and money is a non issue. I'd actually make a biotope aquarium. With predators and everything. There are native bichers, and eels to the rift lakes.

I too, like large fish, but I find as time goes on, I just end up owning everything that peaks my interest. 31 aquariums, from 10g shrimp tanks to 305 monster fish tanks.

well put thank you.. and what African polly whats the name

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

big Africans

African Mbu Puffer

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

this fish is performing the patented BUCKTOOTH ATTACKKKK!!!!

Spyral wrote:African Mbu Puffer

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

this fish is performing the patented BUCKTOOTH ATTACKKKK!!!!

HOW BIG OF A TANK DO I NEED TO HAVE HIM

regan24 wrote:

HOW BIG OF A TANK DO I NEED TO HAVE HIM

Like 400 gal+ they get more than 2 ft long in the first year or two of their life If housed properly.

Well I have a new goal then. I am absolutely dead set now on having one.

they are dooooppppppeeeeee we love them

Polypterus retropinnis West and Central Africa
Polypterus delhezi Central Africa: Congo river, Upper and middle Congo
Polypterus endlicheri congicus Congo, Lake Tanganyika
Ornate bichir Central and East Africa: Congo river basin, Lake Tanganyika
Senegal bichir Africa: East, West and central

I just posted a bunch of the common bichers.

And this is what I mean, you almost never see someone keep cooler bichers with their Frontosa tank. A lot of setups could be made "cool" by researching fish origins and doing a setup correctly. Reason being, they just follow whatever the internet trend is. Simply grow your fronts to 6 inches, then add in the bichers, cause obviously the bichers will outgrow the fronts and you could have problems there. And they both would live off the same food etc.

I sell senegal bichers to people all the time for their african tanks, that are filled with mbuna, peacocks, haps etc.

Now I don't expect everyone to know this kinda stuff, but this is what we do every day up in Conway. We sell and practice africans. Because we feel they offer the most interesting fish. Most people only think of mbuna, malawi, and tang cichlids when they hear african. There are other lakes, and lots of rivers, that have lots of fish people keep that they never even knew were african.

larry.beck wrote:

sandnuka wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Hey Sand, what is this?

More specifically you'd be looking for a triple red Apistogramma cacautoides.

I agree with the bichirs in an African tank. My bichir really helps me out by keeping my fry population down. Not to mention, they look awesome!!

Ok, you guys are piquing my interest in cichlids, especially the smaller ones.

I have a 29 gallon cube sitting empty right now, what could I keep in that small of a tank?

In a 29g you'll want to stick with dwarfs; I would suggest anything Cynotilpia, saulosi or demasoni.

Thanks l.b, I'll do some research.
I'm sure I'll be limited with that size tank though.

There's also Shell Dwellers that you can buy. I think they max out at 1 or 2 inches.
Here's a link:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

If you get a larger tank, you could go Haps/Peacocks. Size range between 6-10 inches.

Thanks Alex.
Yeah I need a bigger tank, or two.

I have a 75 gal buried in the back of a storage unit, but need to get rid of some parrots/cages before I have room for another tank (actually the tiled "bird room" would make a fine fish room...).

Oh - I'm talking feathered parrots, not those weird hybrid fish with odd eyes and mouths.

Cory wrote:Reason being, they just follow whatever the internet trend is.

Or, we just really like a tank with nothing but fronts in it. Could that also be a possibility or is everyone a mindless sheep following an internet trend to you?

Spyral wrote:

Cory wrote:Reason being, they just follow whatever the internet trend is.

Or, we just really like a tank with nothing but fronts in it. Could that also be a possibility or is everyone a mindless sheep following an internet trend to you?

That could be a possibility. Could also be a possibility that people like to replicate what they see.

Cory wrote:

Spyral wrote:

Cory wrote:Reason being, they just follow whatever the internet trend is.

Or, we just really like a tank with nothing but fronts in it. Could that also be a possibility or is everyone a mindless sheep following an internet trend to you?

That could be a possibility. Could also be a possibility that people like to replicate what they see.

I will admit i didnt do any research on my fish till after i joined this forum.. and i decided cichlids cause i was all about colors... now not so much... more on personality...
so until i joined this forum i thought cichlids were a vicious fish tht was colorful and nobody wanted to try to put them in a tank... i found out wrong (i started researching cause mine kept having seizures... litterally flitter around tank and stop moving then come back to live for 20 min and go belly up for good...)

Cory wrote:Every fish, put in a display tank correctly will have you lusting after it. African in particular, when done correctly wont hide, won't beat on eachother, and display behaviors not seen in other fish. Now that doesn't mean 90% of the people you see keeping Africans are doing it right, cause most of them arn't.

Size isnt an issue either. If you were purely going on size, you'd keep an emperor cichlid, 3 ft+ beats on giant lake turtles etc. And your big puffer you speak of, Mbu, is African.

As far as water parameters go, depending on where you live is what is "easier". Up near conway, the PH is higher 7.8-9.0. So you'd find it more difficult to keep your neutral ph monsters.

There is also size and cost appeal. Someone can setup a 55 gallon cichlid tank that'll last them their whole lives, and provide lots of activity, and color variety. It usually takes a 125 or larger to do most south americans correctly.

In a vacuum where tank size and money is a non issue. I'd actually make a biotope aquarium. With predators and everything. There are native bichers, and eels to the rift lakes.

I too, like large fish, but I find as time goes on, I just end up owning everything that peaks my interest. 31 aquariums, from 10g shrimp tanks to 305 monster fish tanks.

sorry for jumping so far back in the thread but, i was more talking about afracan chiclids because i love ATF, mirus puffers, nile perch but as for the lake fish no offense this is what i feel like[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

oh yeah... forgot about talapia buttikoiferi.... You would like thoughs shua.... they are big, aggressive, much like the predators you love so much... and they are african.... cool fish, I actually had one in a SA cichlid tank once... it killed allot of the other fish... lol
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]