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Can americans and africans


bungholio

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i have juvi americans, could i put juvie africans with them? like a P.Saulosi or L.caeruleus?

help

adam

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Yes you can, but i dont recommend you do it.

Africans like hard alkaline water and americans like soft acidic water (i think - sorry im not too informed about americans). What i know for certain is that their water requirements are worlds apart.

If you HAVE to keep them together then it will involve slowly acclimatising one to live in the water considtions of the other - or acclimatising both to live in neutral water conditions.

I've seen it done before and the fish looked healthy - BUT the person who did it lost a lot of fish in the acclimatisation process.

If you can avoid doing it I suggest you dont - the fish will be happier in their ideal water conditions.

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Africans like hard alkaline water and americans like soft acidic water (i think - sorry im not too informed about americans).

South american cichlids generally live in soft acidic, but, central americans usually live in more nuetral to slightly akaline conditions.

To answer you question, yes you can keep young african cichlids with young american cichlids, however, i would never do it myself. African cichlids and american cichlids are very different fish. Sure some americans would live in the same conditions as some africans, but they are very different fish, require different food and so on.

Alistair

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I think there are exceptions to every rule and I've kept lionheads(stratacranus- sorry abt the spelling!), jewels,polleni and kribensis with Americans as their natural water & food requirements are quite similar.Apart from the Pollenis however they didnt seem particularly happy or display their best colours etc.

Some crater lake Central Americans do best in alkaline water but the majority prefer neutral to slightly acid soft water.

Apart from that most Americans do grow larger than Africans ( Tilapias, Fronties etc excepted), are generally more aggressive as they mature and usually extremely territorial.

Its probably possible to keep them together in some instances but not a happy solution for the fish I wouldnt think and why would you bother.

If you can spare the room its better to have a seperate American and seperate African tank(s) ( more interesting contrast) and if you are restricted to one tank

I'd go either American or African not together.

Only major exception I know of is Paratilapia Polleni which seem to prefer living in an American tank environment ( my experience anyway).

Nick

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My first tank which was a 3fter contained 5 female and 1 male saulosi and a young pair of gold saum rivalatus.

And currently we have a 4fter with americans(white saums, kribs) and malawians and tangs.

But i must admit this will change soon as my water is cycled.

Cheers

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G'day, I know people do keep and mix africans and american fish. I don't agree with the idea. mad.gif

African riverines like kribs, lion heads, etc can cohabit with peacefull south americans, but it is not really right to do it they are from opposite sides of the planet and wouldn't ever meet in nature. unsure.gif

The idea of Africans & Central Americans really worries me as the Centrals are usually very territorial and aggressive I pity any African kept with them the other problem is communication as the fish cant really communicate the aggression sign in many Americans is to put up their heavy barring, while Africans often exhibit barring if they are trying to avoid a fight.

Cichlid POWER!

Peter.

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