If you attended Jeff Cardwell’s presentation at the Ginger Beef House in Brentwood the night before the big April auction, you might have seen this book making the rounds during dinner. To say we got excited would be a serious understatement. We have been looking for a really good dwarf cichlid reference for several years. Sure, we have the first two Baensch atlases but the information they contain is very basic and pretty much useless when it comes to identifying any if the various Apistogramma. Seeing our excitement, our illustrious president decided to torment us and told us that the book was a donation from Tetra and would be auctioned off the next day. Sadly, it turned out to instead be Jeff’s personal copy. This story does have a happy ending, however: as it turns out, Birgit McKinnon had ordered a copy of this very book for our library so you might get a chance to read it too (when you pry it out of our cold, dead fingers!).

What do we like about this book? First, it’s current. This is the first completely revised edition, and the first English translation of the fourth German release. There is a lot of information here that has previously been unavailable outside of Germany. Second, the authors cover all known dwarf cichlids in detail. There are quite a few fish described here that we have never seen in any other reference. Finally, the presentation of the information is very nice. All photos are in color, the drawings are very well done, and the text is very readable although the translation is awkward at times.

The first 22 pages introduce the reader to South American dwarf cichlids in general terms, and provide a pleasantly non-technical introduction into classification, locales, and recommendations for keeping dwarf cichlids in an aquarium. The remainder of the 232 pages are devoted to detailed descriptions of the species. This is where the book really shines. Each species is described over several pages of text interspersed with at least one color photograph. Frequently, there are several photos showing both the male and the female in normal and breeding colors! This is extremely important: many female Apistogramma look almost identical, and most species show distinct and intense markings only during spawning which makes identification in a store quite difficult. Of course, apistos are not the only dwarf cichlids in the world. In all, eleven genera are described including the very popular blue or butterfly ram (Papiliochromis ramirezi) and the red ram (P. altispinosa).

The description of each species is broken up into six sections: an introduction which includes a map showing the distribution on the species; specific traits that can be used to identify a specimen, including a very nice drawing of the male of the species overlaid with red circles and arrows indicating the major distinguishing features or lack thereof; similar species which discusses species which are sometimes confused with the species being described, and describes the features that distinguish each of these other species; the natural habitat; care with the recommended water conditions, tank size, and decorations; and of course breeding.

We are delighted that our library contains such a comprehensive and beautiful book on our favorite fish. This is without a doubt the definitive reference on dwarf cichlids, and if Birgit makes us give it back, why, then we’ll just go out and buy a copy for ourselves. Actually, to be completely honest, we thought we should write this review to atone for keeping the book just a little bit longer than we should have. And now that the word is out…. look for Dwarf Cichlids at the next meeting. You’ll be impressed. ?

One of the benefits of being one of the CAS club auctioneers is that I get to have a really good look at all the bags of fish, and you get a real good feeling for what is popular and what is not. Cichlids, it seems to many of our members, is like SCOTCH, you either love it or you hate it!! I can see and feel that the reputation of African species of cichlids is being rubbed off to the South American cichlids. This is evident when I try to auction off a bag of cichlids and everyone sits on their hands, too afraid to even try to put these beautiful fish in their community tanks. Well I think that using the same paint brush to paint all species of cichlids is not correct. So I would like to shed some light, and my personal info about some of the differences between African and South American cichlids.

There is no doubt that many Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika cichlids are the most colorful in their behavior and appearance. But many of them will only fight or rumble during breeding season or if someone else is picking or looking for a fight. As an example, most Lake Malawi Aulonocara peacocks are very calm and friendly when mixed with other species from their lake. The males will only run and chase when he has picked a rock and is spawning (only for the moment). The rest of the time the males leave well enough alone and just live happily. I have male peacocks in a 240-liter with Australian rainbows and barbs. No problems. You do get a pecking order with these males as the dominate male will have the brightest colors and will spawn the females (something like Canada’s caribou). The second, third and so on males will wait their turn and behave themselves. This is why most people keep a harem of females with the spawning male so to keep the action more even, and one female doesn’t take all the attention. Of course there are exceptions to all fish just like humans. Every once in a while you get someone with a bad temper and thus the reputation.

On the other hand Haplochromis species from Lake Victoria are and can be meaner than junkyard dogs. They can tear up males and females overnight, but they are also some of the most colorful species that you can get outside of marine fish. There is nothing that compares when a male Haplochromis goes from his normal coloration to his vibrant spawning colors. Most of the Lake Victoria haps are usually kept in a species tank or with others who like to “rock-n-roll” so to speak. There are other Lake Victoria and Tanganyikan species who are much calmer and more community minded. For example, most Julidochromis species will only defend their small little territory while they are hatching their eggs, then they will protect and rear the young right in the community cichlid tank. I have a pair of Julidochromis marleri who regularly spawn and raise their young in a tank with Malawi peacocks and Pseudotropheus species with no difficulties.

Now those were African fish, and of course there are many more stories and examples, but these fish are not difficult to keep, breed, or raise, especially in Calgary water. Unfortunately the South American species are also in the cichlid family, but many of them do not exhibit the same behavior as their cousins from Africa. Many of them are tame and some are even timid in nature. One of these is the flag cichlid. This fish can be scared very easily so must be given lots of plants to hide in to feel comfortable in any tank. Species such as Herotilapia multispinosa (rainbow cichlid) are very good parents and do not trouble anyone at all. A lot of the dwarf cichlids are as calm and tame as any other normal community fish that we keep. In fact some of the tetras that most of us have can be rougher than most dwarf cichlids! Not all South American fish are quiet and docile. There are the big bruisers like the green or red terrors. Their names suit their temperaments well. Treat them like you do Africans. Most Cichlasoma species have various levels of temperament that are usually only triggered during spawning.

Cichlid breeding and keeping seems to evolve with the aquarist as he or she gets more experience and more inquisitive. It certainly is not as hair raising or frightening as some others like to say. I think some of these stories are invented by cichlid people to give them something to talk about (as I hardly ever see them giving programs at club meetings saying the opposite!!!). Cichlid tanks are certainly not as easy as general community fish tanks because they need require setups particular to their special areas or biotopes that they live in. However, I feel the rewards of cichlid tanks are greater than the average tetra, barb, angel, and guppy community tank.

Don’t believe half of what you hear about cichlids, take the rest with a grain of salt, so to speak. Not all cichlids are “Bullies of the Tank”, and not all cichlids have the same general behavior. Many of the cichlid species that we are starting to see at the club auctions have only recently been discovered and shipped across the world. One example are the recently found "rock kribs". These new fish are from Lake Victoria and are certainly a Haplochromis species. Yet they are so new that they have not been given a Latin name as of yet. There is a lot to be learned about fish that have recently been imported and found from areas in South America and Africa. Most of the info concerning feeding and breeding water conditions have not been discovered, or at the least published. So if you like a challenge or want to add to the information bank for others to read than I suggest you try cichlids and you might be surprised that many really are not the "Bullies of the Aquarium World" that so many think they are.

I have seen a few people show surprise, shock, or just plain disbelief after I told them my African cichlid tanks have plants in them. Yes, real plants. And quite a few of them, too. Maybe they aren’t the green explosions some CAS members manage to produce, but my plants have at least grown to the point where it’s a trifle difficult to see all the way to the tanks’ back.

I now have two 185-liter and two 80-liter planted African cichlids tanks. If you are wondering how you can grow plants with such notorious vegetarians as African cichlids, the answer is that not all African cichlids are the same, and not all plants are the same either. So, after a little trial and error, I’ve been able to hit upon a combination of plants and fish that keeps the plants away from the fishes’ digestive systems.

One of my 185-liter tank has about one dozen Pseudotropheus zebra and Pseudotropheus socolofi, along with a 25cm sailfin plecostomus. Most of the African cichlids’ reputation as plant destroyers is due to the activities of these mbuna and their relatives. These guys are omnivorous; in the wild they eat mostly algae (and any critters living in the algae) from the rocks of Lake Malawi. The plecostomus is from South America and is a purely vegetarian algae-eater. The cichlids and the pleco will devour soft plants; in fact they are fed regularly on par-boiled zucchini slices (their favorite food). Most of the living plants I’ve tried to keep with them were also eaten, but I’ve found one that they leave alone: jungle val (Vallisneria spiralis). One side of the tank has a thick stand of val planted in individual clay flowerpots.

I found it absolutely necessary to pot the plants. If the plants were not potted, they were uprooted on a continuous basis. I use small red clay pots (they are available everywhere). A pebble is jammed into the pot’s drainage hole to keep everything from falling out the bottom. I then put in an couple of centimeters of peat moss mixed with a pinch of “micronized iron” (very fine iron filings). The pot is then filled with normal aquarium gravel. The val is planted quite thickly (it doesn’t seem to mind crowding) because if any bare gravel were visible in the pots, the mbuna would pick at it until the plants were uprooted.

The tank is illuminated by three 3 foot fluorescent tubes of the Philips Colour 84 variety. The tank is therefore brightly lit, but the val has covered almost all of the tank surface, effectively shading the tank. I must admit that the light filtering through the plants gets a rather unpleasant greenish cast, but I can live with that. I also have to admit that I don’t particularly like val (it reminds me of crab-grass), but so far, that’s all I’ve been able to grow in this tank.

Algae is at a bare minimum in this tank, despite the high illumination and the heavy fish population. The fish eat it as fast as it grows. Twenty liters of water are also changed daily to keep nitrate levels down. Every week I add a chelated iron supplement and a little potassium chloride to the tank.

My other 185-liter tank has six electric blues (Sciaenochromis fryeri, formerly known as "Haplochromis ahli"), six electric yellows (Labidochromis caerulus), and six Kande Island peacocks (Aulonocara kandenis). These fish are carnivores and will not eat even the softest plants (they turn their noses up at zucchini too). This tank is planted with temple plants (Nomophila stricta) and Cabomba species. These plants are also potted and are growing so well that I’ve been continuously removing rocks to make room for more pots.

This tank has some brown algae, probably because it has no plecostomus (they love to eat temple plants). The tank is also relatively dim, having just two fluorescent tubes. Brown algae is supposed to like dim light, but the situation seemed to just get worse when more light was added. I have controlled its growth by changing 40 liters of water daily. African cichlids are robust and gluttonous and produce a lot of waste, so I would strongly recommend massive water changes to keep nutrient levels down. If this is not done, any tank with adequate illumination for plants will be overrun with algae. This may seem like a lot of work, but I’ve worked out a system where I can change 40-liters of water in just a few minutes.

My two 80-liter tanks are for fry. They are planted with Cryptocoryne affinis and Amazon sword plants (Echinodorus sp.) The crypts have always done well, while my success with the sword plants has been spotty. Right now, they’re all doing great, but they could probably all die back by next week.

The plant pots are about 10cm tall, so they are quite difficult to bury in gravel. I therefore arranged the rocks around the pots so they are kept hidden. The pots also create little crevices and caves for the fish to live in, so they don’t mind the arrangement at all. I have finally removed all the gravel from my tanks, leaving the rocks and plant pots sitting on bare glass. I found this system works very well; it is much easier to keep clean and the fish cannot undermine the rockwork. There are so many rocks and pots in my tanks that the bare floors cannot be seen, so the gravel isn’t missed.

So if you want to keep plants with African cichlids, it can be done, but I have the following bits of advice: put your plants in pots; change lots of water; and most importantly, learn about the diets of your fish before purchase and only choose the toughest plants to live with those dreaded vegetarians. ?