cichlid lovers

[Mike L]

  Three questions for all.
1. Just curious how many cichlid people are out there.

2. What kind of cichlids do you keep.

3  Is there any interest in getting our sponsors to carry a more varied selection of cichlids. Since getting back into cichlid keeping I am appalled at the lack of selection at the LFS. During a visit to a LFS recently I counted 21 cichlid species 8 from South America, 13 from Africa of which only 4 where my beloved Tanganyikans. I asked why that is so and why it's always the same species and was told the demand is not there.  Every thing they sell is a "been there done that" cichlid.
There are well over 2,000 cichlids with hundreds available to buy. It would be nice to get access to different cichlids without having to order sight unseen from a mail order place half way across the country.
As many of you may know a trip to Montreal or the centre of the universe reveals a selection of cichlids we in Ottawa can only dream about and at reasonable prices.

I'm trying to convince some of our sponsors that they should stock or at least have access to cichlids that are not so commonly found in Ottawa
   I believe if we demand them then the sponsors would respond so I'm trying to gauge numbers. The sponsors read this forum too so let's stand up and be heard.

[ajm1961]

I am an Malawi cichlid aficionado. I currently have three tanks, a 125, 90 and 55 stocked with:

- Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Otter Pt.)
- Aulonocara stuartgrantii maleri (sunshine peacock)
- Aulonocara - OB peacock
- Cynotilapia zebroides (Cobue)
- Cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphin)
- Iodotropheus sprengerae (rusty)
- Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow labs)
- Labidochromis caeruleus (red eyes variant - purchased in Ohio)
- Otopharynx litobates
- Otopharynx tetrastigma
- Otopharynx heterodon (Royal Hap)
- Pseudotropheus Acei (yellow tail)
- Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos
- Pseudotropheus elongatus ruarwe (jewel spot)
- Placidochromis phenochilus tanzania (saphire)
- Pundamilia nyererei
- Pundamilia sp. "crimson tide"
- Xystichromis sp. "Kyoga flameback"
- Synodontis multipunctata
- Synodontis hybrid

I've purchased some at BAs over the years. I watch for new species when they get them. I know they also do special orders. I have purchased from out-of-town also, when I go to conventions. The annual Ohio Cichlid Extravaganza is an awesome place to get hard to get species (depending on the year). I agree that it is difficult to find tanganykans in particular. I know there's been a few hobbyists on this site that have kept them. Perhaps they can chime in.

[Al]

I am also an avid cichlid keeper and currently keep west Africans - but have for the past 11 years that I have been in Ottawa, have kept mostly tanganyikans. I moved here from SW Ontario and the cichlid scene was/is much more vibrant with a much larger market/demographic to draw on.
Look at the cichlid section in this forum, there were 9 posts during the last 6 months of 2013. In my time in Ottawa, I have known maybe a handful of people keeping tanganyikans, for example. A close friend of mine, Mark (also originally from SW Ontario) used to do a fair amount of breeding of tangs here in Ottawa and 99% of his stock would go to Toronto or the US before import regs changed - there was not much of a market locally or better yet, there was no market. I remember a couple of times, one specifically where he had to thin out stocks and brought some bagged fish to the annual auction - $15-$20 fish and he could barely get $1/fish - I know that's an auction environment but there was little interest in what were some unique fish. I know anytime I have had fish to sell, either fry or mature adults, at the cost of tanganyikans I could never sell them locally - they mostly were sold to the Toronto market and usually pretty quickly - and fishkeepers would drive here from Toronto no problem to pick up unique fish. My experience in Ottawa, not a slight but reality, is if I am selling something and I am located in Greely and a buyer is in Kanata for example, it's a no-starter - period. That may be a bit of an exaggeration but it's close.
I can understand the dilemna retailers are faced with - give the market what they want - if it is profitable and turns over relatively quickly and in Ottawa, it doesn't seem to be cichlids so much - no blame here, it is what it is. For myself, I have rarely purchased fish at retail - maybe when I first started in the hobby - but since my early days and today, I have always dealt with importers or breeders for my stocks, I don't need a middleman. Not knocking the LFS. In the same fashion, if I was buying a puppy I would never and have never bought one from a pet shop - I buy directly from a breeder where I know all the variables and history. I have downsized my aquariums but even when I had more water volume, buying fish was never a shopping or impulse buying experience for me. I buy fish, keep them several years to fully appreciate them and then do a full tank change. I wouldn't go the LFS and "see what they have" - I would plan out a biotope and tank inhabitants and then talk with importers and breeders that I knew  I could depend on and source the fish - in todays market, it's pretty simple bringing in fish from across the country or from the US. For a local retailer to sell let's say some unique tangs, they have the local market to sell to which I think we would agree is very small. For the internet seller/breeder/importer, if he has some unique tanganyikans for example, he can pretty much draw on the entire North American market for demand and get your fish to you within 48 hours. They have a lot larger audience for those fish, although I am sure it still isn't a cakewalk and a license to print money.
Thanks for listening.

[ajm1961]

Well said Al.
Nice to hear from you!

[Mike L]

 You make good points Al. I had no idea the cichlid scene was that bad here. I sent out the thread to gauge interest in cichlids. By the response to the thread your point is proven. It's shame really as I find cichlids and there behavior to be fascinating and the breeding of them rewarding There was a time in Ottawa when there where 4- 5 stores in the region that stocked cichlids and it seemed that every 2 hobbyist was keeping them. Your right about using importers/breeders it's cheaper and I know what I'm getting as well. As it is the prices being charged for the fish available are often higher then getting a wild caught or F-1 from an importer. I have met a couple of people from OVAS that keep Tangs and have been able to procure what I wanted for the most part through them.
Mike 

[limmer]

I am also an African Cichlid keeper. (Though my last buy was some yellow shrimps and miniature corys)
I have about 7 types of Peacocks and some Haps and Mbuna from Lake Malawi.  My favorite being Labeotropheus Trewavasae mpanga at the moment.
I also have some Paralabidochromis Chromogynos and Haplochromis species from Lake Victoria.
I have some odds and ends of Altolamprologus types and Julidochromis Dickfeldi which I find very interesting from Lake Tanganyika.
I have about 20 tanks.

I agree with Al. I find Ottawa does not have a large market willing to spend.  I think it is pretty hard for the Retailers trying to make a living and will try to stock what will sell easier.

[fischkopp]

I am enjoying cichlids as well!

Aside from some west african fish I am keeping mainly south americans. It was the dwarf cichlids that got me started in the hobby more seriously. Unfortunately they are harder to come by in the past few years, so I am only keeping two generations of Apistogramma eunotus. I am also keeping discus and plan to concentrate a little more on them in the future as I would like to go through the whole breeding/raising thing with my own stock. On top of that I have a group of Geophagus that I got as 1inch fry a year+ ago and that are now going towards 4inch. These fish are literally growing on me, very colourful and active fish, lots of dynamic in the group. They are kept in check by a pike cichlid. It's all these different behaviors and dynamics that make cichlids so interesting. One day I will try rift cichlids, but for now, soft water is still very appealing.

Most of my fish aren't bought locally. Sadly, I haven't bought a fish in LFS for several years now, unless I had ordered it. Looks like this market in town demands the basic fish only.

[Bob_S]

I have had Cichlids for years, in particular Yellow Labs (Labidochromis Caeruleus) currently keeping them with Cobalt Blue Zebra (Metriaclima Callainos) in my 120 Gallon their colours compliment each other. I prefer to keep only one or two species in a tank at the same time.
My biggest problem is that I am limited to three tanks a 120 gallon and 50 gallon on a wet/dry system and a separate 30 Gallon. The benefit is that I'm on a well so water changes are simple and the parameters remain very constant.

Over the years I have had Julidochromis Dickfeldi, two breeding pairs. At one time I had three groups of fry from the same pair in a 50 Gallon tank. You would see little wigglers, 1/4" fry and 1" fry alone with the parents, quite a site. I have had Peacocks and Mbuna and some from lake Tanganyika. By far my favorite were the Tropheus, I had Murago's, fascinating to watch and a bit of a challenge to keep.

Most of my purchases have been from OVAS members or Local Fish Store's, I did get my Cobalt's from Big Al's in Scarborough great selection of cichlids. I'll have to make a trip to Montreal to see their fish stores. I have to admit that I have never ordered from a supplier, I prefer to see what I am buying, just a personnel choice but will look into that for future purchases.

Usually when I drop by a LFS they have some of the more common Cichlids which most people are quite happy with. It starts to get pricy when they have something special, and as in previous comments the Ottawa Market has its limits.

Some very interesting information put forth. I enjoyed everyone's comments.

Thanks;

[bitterman]

I have had cichlid's for years. I have cut a ton of tanks down so now focusing on my Mpimbwe Gibberosa.


Bruce

[sniggir]

I am just getting back into it.after a long time in Sw but African chichlids was where I started ans tangs were my pasion I am sad to se how hard it is to get decent stock... in Ottawa. .. in lfs or other... but allnis good there are still awesome supliers just have to look out of the box...unless you was yellow labs and other basic over breed malawi chichlids

[lucius]

Time for some C.L.A.M.

Cichlids Lovers Anonymous Meetings 

[robt18]

Ok cichlid people, I expect to see you all at next months meeting with Larry Johnson! If you want to get your hands on some really high quality Africans and hear/see an awesome presentation, here's your chance.