Anyone have experience with cichlids

Here's one for all you aquarium owners.
I currently have a normal tropical tank with gourami's, bristlenose's, guppies, clown loaches and the like. I'm getting bored of them and want to put cichlids in.

I have never had cichlids before and my first question I have is:
If I put the cichlids when they are small (1 inch) will they start eating my guppies straight away or will they only do that if they are bigger.

The second question is:
If I put them in now and leave the smaller fish in too, will the smaller fish get old and die before the cichlids get big enough to eat them or do cichlids grow fast?

Also will cichlids suffer in a normal tropical tank Ph or should I just get rid of the gourami's and drop the Ph?

I realise that I should just go to a fish shop and ask but we are a bit short of fish shops here in busso. There is one that has some nice cichlids and would like to know a bit before I go and sacrifice all my fish???

If any body knows anything would be appreciated. Am fairly experienced with "normal" tropical's but know nothing about cichlids.

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fullysik's picture

Posts: 249

Date Joined: 03/08/06

ciclids

Mon, 2007-02-26 16:30

hey lukas these fish are very aggressive and will probaly start to kill the other fish straight away imo ,cheer s ray

Lukas's picture

Posts: 306

Date Joined: 03/12/06

Yeah I know they are

Mon, 2007-02-26 16:51

Yeah I know they are aggressive. Just wondering if they will pick on bigger fish or other fish when they are only little.
Cheers though. May have some fish going cheap then!

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Shag's picture

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Date Joined: 15/10/06

It depends on the type of

Mon, 2007-02-26 17:32

It depends on the type of Chichlids some are more aggro than others I have a large tank with them and had no experince but got some great help through a shop in Wangara called Exotic tropical fish they can tell you which ones are best they ship fish to so sure you could order through them .CHEERS SHAG

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dogsoldier's picture

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Date Joined: 04/11/05

Go for some Blue Rams or

Mon, 2007-02-26 17:37

Go for some Blue Rams or Convics they are nice and colourful but they will definately eat the guppies and trim the finns on anything else ciclids are also great tank shufflers

Tight lines and clear sky's

streetfighter80's picture

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Date Joined: 12/02/06

convicts

Mon, 2007-02-26 18:04

now they get aggresive once eggs are laid mind you i think my oscars were just as bad they use to try attack the cat through the glass and oneone who got to close 4 that matter

Dean's picture

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Date Joined: 23/02/07

I would advise you not to

Mon, 2007-02-26 19:08

I would advise you not to get cichlids if you have any small fish such as neon tetras etc. there are some cichlids that require a low PH (rams, discus, angelfish). Then you get the malawi's and tanganyika's which require a PH of around 8 depending upon the fish.

Best advice i would give is if you were wanting to keep your current tank which has gouramis and guppies etc. Then I would add Rams, kribensis and other cichlids which are small and are less teritorial, i wouldn't put in convicts they breed like flys and get quite agressive.

If you were wanting electric yellows, blues, frontosa etc, then I would definately sell the existing fish (clown loach would be ok as long as your ph went to 8 at the max) otherwise they will be eaten. Most cichlids grow very fast and even when small are quite territorial which will cause stress to the other fish and they would probably die from that before they are eaten.

Cichlids (depending upon the type)generally require either a low ph 5.5-6 or a more alkaline Ph 8-9.

I have had about 6 year experience with cichlids and now Have 2 marine tanks for about 2 years.

Lukas's picture

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Date Joined: 03/12/06

Cheers Dean. Thats what I'm

Mon, 2007-02-26 19:14

Cheers Dean. Thats what I'm leading towards. Getting rid of the guppies and getting some electric yellows and blues. Ph is currently between 7.2 and 7.5. Will I have to change it much for cichlids?
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alfred's picture

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Date Joined: 12/01/07

If you want some nice

Mon, 2007-02-26 21:32

If you want some nice cichlids, look for "noddy65" on the Perth Cichlid Forums. He is breeding and some nice Apistos. Most cichlids like liquid rock.

Dean's picture

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Date Joined: 23/02/07

If you put limestone into

Tue, 2007-02-27 15:16

If you put limestone into the tank it will buffer the water and raise the ph to around 8.5 which is good for malawi's, and have found that the easiest way to keep the PH stable.

feel free to ask any other questions

Lukas's picture

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Date Joined: 03/12/06

Thanks

Tue, 2007-02-27 15:43

Yeah cheers guys. Used to have limestone in my last tank that had the "normal" tropicals too. Although it didn't seem to make too much of a difference. Kept it consistently above 7.5.
Might have a look for this Perth cichlid forum.
Gonna have to find some good easy breeds to start with.

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Shag's picture

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Date Joined: 15/10/06

Ive been winging it never

Tue, 2007-02-27 16:17

Ive been winging it never tested the water clean out if looks a bit shit never had a ciclid die yet lucky I guess
CHEERS SHAG

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Dean's picture

Posts: 1943

Date Joined: 23/02/07

Yeah most of them are pretty

Wed, 2007-02-28 15:02

Yeah most of them are pretty hardy fish.