Oscar Cichlids, also known by their scientific identification (Astronotus Ocellatus), located in South America and they’re native to Brazil, French Guiana, Peru and Columbia. Many other names include Marble Cichlid, Velvet Cichlid, and Tiger Cichild. These fishes are rapid growers. Achieving almost 12 inches for their length, many have been measured up to 18 inches and weighing 3.5 lbs.

Generally dark in color, orange-ringed dots also referred to as ocelli, located around the dorsal fin, gill area. These fishes are found in many different colors. Oscar Cichlids can vary from being mottled, black or red, albino, or marbled. When becoming territorial or combative, they’re seen to change color rapidly.

Teen Oscars have some spotted heads and they’re stripped with wavy, white and orange bands. These Cichlids are considered to be aggressive in comparison with many other members in their family. Pacus, Jack Dempsey as well as many other relatively aggressive cichlids will be effective and work nicely as aquarium mates. Before going out to buy one as a pet, there are some things you need to be familiar with when it comes to Oscar cichlids that you should take into consideration.

Oscar Cichlids are carnivores, their food should include things like fish and insects. Brine shrimp, feeder fish, cricket and krill are all tolerable food types. Good quality food items such as flakes and pellets can also be provided with the food choices mentioned above.

Enthusiasts intending to keep Oscar Cichlids should make a large aquarium, spacious enough to match the the needed environment of this sort of fish. Oscars usually have a growth spurt of an inch or so soon after their eighth to tenth month.

They will grow to about 10 to 12 inches during their first year. 75 gallon aquarium per Oscar would be the ideal sizing with a temp range of 70 to 80 degrees (F). PH must be retained between 6. 5 to 7. 0. However Oscars are somewhat hardy fish, water must be kept fresh and maintained. Poor maintenance of aquarium water can result in certain disorders that Oscars are vunerable to.

Tiny rocks are the most popular substrate for the aquarium since they’re what is in the fish’s natural area. Ensure that you implement the curved type, since most of these fish are keen to dig and pointed tiny rocks might damage them. In addition, there are some observations that these fishes don’t  like bright lights.So, this also needs to be considered while setting up their aquariums.

Enthusiasts who are passionate with ornamented tanks, should think carefully before buying Oscar Cichlids because they are normally troublesome pets, often  rearranging all the aquarium, moving stones and decors. Feeding them can be very interesting as Oscars interact every time when they are fed with their food. They show exhilaration, swimming excitedly around the aquarium when they fully understand they’re going to be fed.

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If you are looking for a type of cichlid that is very easy to look after then you cannot go past electric cichlids.  Electric cichlids are easy to breed and take care of. Not to mention that their beautiful, vibrant colours are a delight for anyone’s eyes. You will find that these fishes are really not picky in choosing their food. Of course, you will need to provide them with good, clean water and suitable decorations for their aquarium.

It is really not that hard to set up an environment for the electric cichlid, although you might need to research the matter a bit. The most important thing to consider is replicating their natural environment as best you can. Electric cichlids can be found mostly in the lakes of Africa. While in their natural habitats, they hide behind rocks and blend in with the environment. They search the waters for smaller fish that they can eat.

Whilst in an artificial environment, your aquarium, the electric cichlid will totally depend upon you, his owner, to survive. If you supply your cichlid with an environment that closely resembles the one in his natural habitat, you will manage to greatly increase your cichlid’s lifespan. This is also a good way for you to contain the cichlid’s aggressive behaviour. Cichlids can easily be trained to eat other foods, such as prepared food, and not smaller fish. These larger ones will surely be out of your cichlid’s harmful bite. Otherwise, you will be forced to keep the cichlids only with other fishes that are bigger than it. Assuming you want to keep your smaller fish alive of course.

Some electric cichlids can grow in size up to six inches in length, so you had better get him a bigger than usual aquarium. For a normal electric cichlid, you would probably need a tank of about 55 gallons, for starters. That is the absolute minimum that he is going to need. These fishes can definitely survive in murky waters, but if you like most aquarists you are going to want to have clear waters in your tank. The cichlids will not care about the water being murky or clear so do not worry.

The water in the tank should be something around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. You should remember this fact, as the cichlids tend to become more and more aggressive when the temperature of the water is not right. Cichlids are sturdy fish, but be careful of any sudden changes in water temperature. You should be alright though, just remember to keep the tank away from direct sunlight and keep them far from any heat sources.

So, you should provide your electric cichlid with plenty of places to hide, but leave him enough room to swim as well. Rocks or pieces of wood will suffice. They like to run around in the substrate of the tank so make sure you provide one similar to that in from the African lakes. Having an incorrect substrate might harm them.

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The humble Bumblebee cichlid is a fish that lives in fresh water and it belongs to the cichlid species. They are mostly found in the Lake Malawi in large caves. The Bumblebee cichlid is also called the Pseudotropheus Crabro. They are called the Bumblebee Cichlid due to the color of their skin. They have yellow skin with black bars almost like that of a bumblebee. The baby fishes are brighter in color but their skin gets darker as they grow old.

These fish are used to living in hard water so it stands to reason that they should be kept in hard water whenever held in captivity. When they are in the wild, the Bumblebee Cichlids are choosy eaters but when they are kept in an aquarium they eat whatever fed to them on daily basis.

This fish is by no means placid and tend to be very aggressive just like the Mbuna cichlids. People who have kept Bumblebee cichlids as pets have realized that it is probably wisest to keep them either with Mbuna cichlids or in a tank all to their own. Breeding is a fair bit easier with the bumblebee cichlid. Mostly one male is kept with a lot of female Bumblebee cichlids. The larger number of females with one male fish helps with the breeding process.

The female fish keeps the eggs in her mouth after laying them and after a few weeks some of the eggs appear fry. The aquarium in which the bumblebee cichlids are kept should be sandy and have a lot of rocks caves and places for them to make their territories. The bumblebee cichlids make their territories and protect that area.

The sand is where the females lay eggs as they normally lay their eggs on flat surfaces, after this they take the eggs in their mouth to fry them. The sperms of the males fertilize the eggs which is why the females follow the males to catch the sperms when they are released by the male fishes.

They eat flake foods or brine shrimp as they cannot eat harder food. The Cichlid Bumblebee normally eats food that contains vegetable essence and sea weed is kept in their aquarium as they love eating sea weed. Another name used for the Bumblebee Cichlid is the hornet cichlid.

The male Cichlid Bumblebees also change their color very quickly when they are around female fishes or a bigger fish. The bumblebee cichlid does not needs high attention and they are easy to take care of. Their eating habits are also not too stingy and they will eat whatever fish food is available to them.

The growth of these fishes is also very fast and they can grow up to 4 inches within a year. The fishes get aggressive as they become older. Their fish tank needs to be cleaned thoroughly and regularly otherwise they may not be able to survive due to the algae. These fishes can tend to get aggressive when newer fishes are added to their tank as they get protective of their territories.

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If you want to take care of cichlids, you should not confuse keeping them in a tank with the way you see fish in the ocean or in lakes. It is extremely important for cichlid owners to carefully choose the tankmates for cichlids, considering the modest space available in a tank or in an aquarium. You will soon see that it is basically a phenomenon of trial and error, with more or less success on different trials. Here are some of the more important things to keep in mind when you want to choose some tank mates for them:

Are the tank mates you choose adaptable to the water that is in the tank? Cichlids usually come from various regions and they have different expectancies. Tolerance and durability of one type of cichlid may differ greatly from one species of cichlid to another. You should take into consideration whether the fish come from fresh water or from saltier types of waters like oceans or deltas. So remember, always take heed of where your cichlid comes from so you can better choose some tank mates for it.

What types of foods do they consume? This is a basic criteria obviously; you should do good research on what kinds of foods all the fish in your tank consume. Cichlids can be differentiated into three categories according to their eating preferences: carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous cichlids. The cichlids that are herbivores can live mainly on a diet made out of algae.

The carnivores of the cichlids usually feed on small insects and other smaller fish. Omnivorous ones have a diet consisting mostly of insects, algae and some invertebrates. You might have some trouble if you try to mix cichlids with different eating habits. For example, you should not put bigger, carnivorous cichlids with other smaller ones. But if you know their eating habits and provide what they need, it should not be an issue.

Are there any similarities between them regarding their appearance and shape? Some cichlids tend to become jealous of other fish with the same exterior appearance as them or that have other similarities. If you have any that belong to the same species, then they should require the same nutrients. And that is how they get into a competition for food sources, the search for a mate and territorial domination.

Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid placing cichlids of the same type, genre or appearance together. Try to observe the fishes that are more aggressive than the rest, it is often recommended that you isolate them.

Another issue to consider is the fact that if you place cichlids of different genres and subspecies in the same tank will definitely lead to cross breeding. This is a bad thing; it has been observed that cross breeding will lead to inferior physical specimens that have strange behavior.

Try to keep in mind these suggestions when you seek out the best tank mates for cichlids and everything will work out fine.

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Acei Cichlids were first discovered by Regan in the year 1922. Since then there have been some disputes regarding what they should be called and the name was often changed, but it has remained Pseudotropheus. This Cichlid prefers rocky sand and shorelines that are abundant in logs where they can hide. This particular species of Cichlid has evolved the ability to gather or harvest small pieces of algae from plants and submerged logs. Their secret is the evolution of special flat teeth with which they can take the small bits of algae off of logs and other rough surfaces. It is not unheard of that school of such Cichlids; with up to 30 to 50 members will surround logs in lakes. In rocky areas, do not expect to see schools larger than 3 to 10 individuals.

This species is very active and one might call them good natured, their behaviour rules out full fights with biting and all. Their tendency is to stick to mock fighting only. You will see the same individual becoming the bully of a school of fish or perhaps the victim of a bully, it all depends on the other fish that are around him. You will see that Acei Cichlids have very bright and vivid colours, blue, violet or deep purple hues. There are some darker ones with just a bright blue face, but not many. Their fins can vary greatly in coloring, but one thing is for sure; they make a great sight to behold in any aquarium.

You will find very few differences between the females and males of this particular species, both of them having some fake eggs on their dorsal sides. Males have a slightly brighter coloring though and they reach their full length of six inches while the females are limited in growth to a maximum of four inches. It is not unheard for males to be smaller as well. The most common and easy way to differentiate males and females remains their behavior though. Males are more aggressive; they spread their fins at invaders and such.

You could also look for the fattest fish and you just might find a male. You will find that females are a bit more relaxed and calm, they follow the school in peace and quiet although you might see a male flaring himself at her. The mating ritual will usually take place on some flat surface, a rock or a log, the two fishes will chase each other and they will weave and bob to the sides.

After the female lays her eggs, they will be fertilized by the male and then typical mouth breeder behavior ensues. The up to 80 spawns will be kept in the female’s mouth for a few weeks until they hatch.

You should probably take the females away in a separate tank, as the males will have the tendency to bump into them, making them swallow the eggs. Keep their water clean, feed them well, give them plants to play with and you will have happy Acei Cichlids.

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The Blue Acara cichlid is one of the many breeds of cichlid which hobby aquarists prefer to put in their tanks. They are a hardy breed, who do not easily stress, and are great freshwater fish for beginners. The rest of this article will discuss Blue Acara cichlids in further depth, as well as some of the fish they are often mistaken for.

The Blue Acara can grow to be six inches in length, with a short thick body. It has a big forehead, along with rather long fins. There are many different color variations associated with this breed of fish, which is one of the main reasons this species is commonly mistaken for other species of cichlids.

One of the other species the Blue Acara cichlid is most commonly mistaken for is the Green Terror cichlid. For many years, both species were given the same name because people thought they were the same fish. In more recent years, the Green Terror cichlid has been given its own name, Aequidens rivalatus. The Green Terror cichlid, while similar in appearance, is much more aggressive than the more docile Blue Acara cichlid.

The Blue Acara cichlid is also often confused with younger Jack Dempsey’s breed. However, as time passes, distinct differences are developed by each species. Like the Green Terror, the Jack Dempsey is much more aggressive and violent than the Blue Acara cichlid.

These cichlids can be breed in aquariums without much effort. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is try to figure out which Blue Acara cichlid is the male and which is the female. The males usually have a hump, are larger and have larger fins than the females.

If you have a Blue Acara of each gender the female will be ready to breed after she grows to be 4 inches longer. These fish are open breeders and the female will lay her eggs on a flat rock. The female will tend to the eggs and the male will protect the area around them. The parents may even become quite aggressive towards other fish that come to close.

An insider secret for you: If you remove the eggs right after fertilization, the parents will probably mate again within two weeks. So if your goal is raise as many of these guys as possible then this is a tactic you can use.

The Blue Acara cichlid is a beautiful fish and is a breed that is fairly easy to care for. While often mistaken for other breeds of cichlids, they are the more docile species, and much less violent.

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