Buying Healthy Cichlids

If your past attempts at beginning a cichlid-oriented aquarium have been unsuccessful, you might doubt your abilities as an aquarist. Setting up a perfect tank and watching it fail can be very frustrating and repeated failures have led many to give up on the hobby completely. This is unfortunate, because in many cases disappointing results have little to do with the hobbyist and everything to do with the health of the fish at the time of purchase. Buying healthy cichlids is one of the best ways to increase one's chances of success. Let's look at three things you can do to improve your odds of stocking an aquarium with hearty, healthy cichlids.

First, know your source. Many people reflexively drive to their nearest large pet store and select a few fish for the tank without doing their homework first. You can increase the likelihood of finding healthy cichlids by investigating potential sources of stock first. Visit the store repeatedly over the course of many weeks and take notice of how often (and how well) the store employees clean the tanks. Observe tank temperatures and make sure the store is treating the cichlids correctly. Investigate how many clearly sick or dead fish you spot in the tanks over time. In some cases, a nearby "big box" store may meet your needs. In many situations, however, aquarists have learned that it is worth a longer drive, or spending a bit more, to purchase cichlids from a professional operation.

Second, know your cichlids. Research before you buy. You should understand how the cichlid varieties in which you are interested behave and appear when healthy. Too often, buyers simply assume that the behavior or appearance exhibited in the store is "natural" and overlook potential signs of illness. If the fish seems to have problems breathing, appears to be limited to the upper portion of the tank or is swimming with a lilt or odd angle, illness is a distinct possibility. Before you purchase a cichlid, make sure you know what a perfectly healthy version of the fish looks like and don't settle for less.

Third, ask questions. You will want to ask questions in order to increase your own knowledge base, but also as a means of testing the knowledge of the seller (which is a strong indicator of how well they are probably caring for the cichlids). Ask about feeding tendencies, growth possibilities and any other issue in which you may be interested. Also, ask questions to which you already know the answers in order to "test" the seller. It makes sense to place more trust in a cichlid seller who has a strong understanding of the fish than in someone who is merely interested in "punching the clock" and grabbing an hourly wage from the Mega Pet Super Store.

If you have had a bad experience with setting up a cichlid-based aquarium, don't give up. First, make sure you understand what you need to do to be a success. Then, follow the tips outlined here to help insure that you purchase very healthy cichlids. A great aquarium featuring cichlids is possible and starting with healthy fish is an essential part of every success story.

Justin has been keeping African and Neotropical cichlids for many years; at one time having over 15 aquariums going at once. Justin contributes regularly to AllCichlids.com, a resource for hobbyists to share their experiences, and discuss Neotropical and African cichlids!