Chiclid question

[SworDTail KeePer]

Ok I called my uncle to ask about chiclids he told me that they are a salt water fish well not all salt but like brackish. I had no idea please help me find how nuch salt needs to be in the tank.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

last time i checked cichlids were freshwater, they come from lakes in africa and south america region

 

[vantgE]

No salt is necesary all cichlids are entirely freshwater people tend to confuse africans with saltwater for some reason but the only thing is they require above average alkalinity and hardness

 

[Ferris]

Yep, definately no salt required.... freshwater all the way.

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

Do any chiclids need any salt any of the tipes of the fish?

 

[sylvia]

Most cichlids are freshwater fish. Many Africans tend to be confused with saltwater because they live in lakes with very high pH and hardness - meaning there's a lot of minerals in the water.

Obviously there are marine fish that live in the sea that are saltwater but this doesn't include cichlids. Many livebearers benefit from added salt and mollies can be full marine. However, again, this doesn't apply to cichlids. None the less, cichlids CAN benefit from a little bit of added salt - just like any other non-scaless freshwater fish might. But this is as a treatment for disease or as a preventative measure - not because they require salt.

The yellow lab in your avatar wouldn't require salt.

An exception would be the orange chromide which is a brackish cichlid.

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

Ok thanks guys for telling me that. I better tell my uncle that before he buys some for himself.

 

[G_Sharky]

African cichlids would do well on freshwater tank that has high ph and hard water...they would also benefit from salt, but not as much salinity as a brackish or a saltwater tank...it helps them to stay healthy which makes them really hardy...

 

[seanus]

Thanks for the tips, everyone.

My African Cichlid has a little bit of hole-in-the-head disease and has had it for 3 months although still seems fine.

Is there any way to get my pH up? It's at 6.8, but I've been adding a lot of pH regulator and it only moved up the slightest bit.

Thanks!

 

[seanus]

Now that I updated my sig, I'm not sure...

How can I tell if he is African or South American?

I think he speaks Spanish, but I'm not sure

 

[vantgE]

It's hard to tell to an untrained eye it's not really specific things but, africans are generally more colorfull but so are rams you'll have to look around the internet and see if you can find any pics similar, hth seems more common with south americans so maybe that would be a place to start, don't hesitate to start your own thread if you have questions

 

[jimw13uk]

A photo fo the Cichlid or a detailed description may help to identify it.

 

[G_Sharky]

go to cichlid-forum.com...and go to the profile section...they have profiles for all types of cichlids....

 

[seanus]

Hello again & thanks for the responses

At this link:

http/badmanstropicalfish.com/gallery/cic...s/jurupari.html

the photo at the very bottom of the page looks EXACTLY like my cichlid. He is quite funny & when he sleeps, he turns into a zebra. Although normally quite colorful with a rainbow-like shimmer, after he's been hiding in a cave, he looks king of like a convict cichlid with dark stripes that disappear when he starts swimming. I guess it is called an Eartheater Cichlid.

If you know whether he's Afican or S.American, please let me know

Thanks!

 

[vantgE]

southamerican