Guess I'm going north...

So started my nightly routine of cruising CL for the 3rd time and I came across a post for a free tank. I think it was in the general section. Anywho opened it up and it was a 20gal setup with two african cichlids and two jewel cichlids for free so i sent an email and actually got a reply. My mother will be on the wrong side of the water this week for work so we're making a day trip to seattle wednesday. Normally wouldn't travel that for for a small tank but it would give me a chance to visit a place for pets. So super excited, are Jewel cichlids African cichlids?

Yes they are African cichlids, however, they do not come from the lakes which many African cichlids come from. They live in streams and rivers and require a pH lower than most other Africans (7.2 would be ideal but up to 7.5 would be ok). Do you know what species the other Africans are? Post pics when you get them if you need help with identifying.

Ratlova, I'm going to northgate mall area later today/tonight to meet and pick up some fish. If you want to make arrangements for me to pick them up while I'm in that area, I'll be happy to do it then bring them back here to NE Tacoma tonight and you guys can pick up at my place tomorrow night. Would save you a lot of travel since I'm going that way anyway. If that works for you, I'll be happy to do it.

Ron

FrontosaDude wrote:Yes they are African cichlids, however, they do not come from the lakes which many African cichlids come from. They live in streams and rivers and require a pH lower than most other Africans (7.2 would be ideal but up to 7.5 would be ok). Do you know what species the other Africans are? Post pics when you get them if you need help with identifying.

The person just said two african cichlids so I just left it at that. If the jewels like a lower ph do you think they would be okay sharing a 55gal with a couple of smaller SA cichlids? Id really like to keep those two.

jewels should be alright in with other SA cichlids. but if they decide to breed u could be in trouble. GL with the free tank. its always nice to get a freebie

I'll let them chill in the 55 for a while once I get it set up to see if anything happens before I add more fish. They haven't done anything in their tank from the info I got from the owner but a 20gal is less then ideal for breeding I would think. I'll play it by feel. The other two mystery africans will most likely be up for grabs.

Well I got the fishies. He ended up giving one of the mystery africans back to a friend he got it from but there was a surprise in the bag....drum roll please......adult male calico bristlenose! That was pretty cool. Poor guys fins are pretty torn up from the other fishies. They are all in a big bucket for QT right now. Felt it was best as the water was super yucky and there was stringy clear poo. My bet is that they just were not getting the proper diet with carnivore cichlid pellets and that it's probably not an illness but better safe then sorry.

The african looks like this guy kind of(its not that species but similar in coloration):
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+831+1841&pcatid=1841

He's got a stockier body, rounder belly and the edges of his fins are outlined in yellow. He's only about 3". Cant put pics of him up til I can go to walmart to pull the pics off my camera. The other two cichlids that came with the bunch are definitely jewels, so pretty.

argh, the blue african just croaked. He was acting lethargic when he got here, hovering by the air stone. No signs of disease on his body when I pulled him out. The others are acting fine, shy, but that's normal when in a new environment. Poor guy.