I got a call from Ernesto at Green Lakes Tropical Fish in Lake Placid the other day. He said his brother Carlos had picked up a couple of tropical fish for me and he was anxious for me to stop by.
I love these guys and I truly envy their vocation. To be surrounded by thousands, maybe millions of fish all day and to work in that environment seems like a fun career to me.
Like many aquarists, I’m always on the lookout for different tropical fish, and Carlos was right, I had never seen either of these fish before.
One of the fish, a mated pair of Kenyi cichlids, is my choice for writing about in today’s column.
Unlike many of the African cichlids that I currently raise, the Kenyi cichlids are mbuna’s, hailing from Lake Malawi. These fish are not recommended for beginners as they share the same aggressive manner as all Africans. They may even be more aggressive than my peacocks.
But for an experienced hobbyist, one who understands their aggressiveness and is able to provide an aquarium suitable to their liking, they are an interesting fish.
The pair Carlos got for me are fully mature adults. The male is a bright yellow while the females tend to be a light shade of blue with vertical stripes. Like most African cichlids, they are mouthbrooders.
These fish are usually found at depths of around 32 feet, and dwell where the rocky bottom of the lake meets the sand surrounding the islands. The males excavate nests underneath rocks in the sandy area and will aggressively defend their territory from other males.
Kenyi cichlids are notoriously aggressive, and they need a large aquarium to allow them to establish a territory. Numerous caves and overhangs should be provided in their tank, along with flat areas to allow them to graze for algae.
The minimum aquarium size for Kenyi cichlids should be viewed as 55 gallons, though a 75-gallon aquarium is recommended for keeping these fish. A larger aquarium allows the male to claim a territory, while still providing enough space for the females and any juveniles to swim freely.
Kenyi cichlids mainly feed on algae and plankton in the wild, and their diet in a home aquarium should mimic this as closely as possible. While they will accept most prepared foods, it’s best to only feed them food designed for herbivores. Vegetables should also be offered regularly, and blanched zucchini medallions are especially appreciated. Some other good vegetables to feed them are shelled peas, cucumber medallions, and leafy greens like spinach.
They are also more difficult to breed than most Africans and it is recommended that if you desire to breed them, you should provide multiple females in a species only tank.
The male will excavate a pit in the gravel and then become very aggressive to the female. Eventually the female will deposit her eggs in the pit the male has dug and wait for him to fertilize. Once the eggs are fertilized, the female will swoop them up and hold them in her mouth for several weeks before releasing them as free-swimming fry.
The other fish Carlos and Ernesto got for me was a pair of Panda Uaru cichlids. The pair are adults and I’ll be writing about them in next week’s column.
As many of you may know, I have a lot of aquariums in both my garages and my office. My goal over the years has been to increase the size of the aquariums and eliminate many of the smaller tanks.
I talked with Ernesto and Carlos, and they will be allowing me to bring some of the smaller aquariums over to Green Lakes Tropical to sell. I haven’t taken any over yet, but I plan to set up 5-, 10-, 20-, and 29-gallon aquariums with gravel, filters, and a few decorations, to sell at garage sale prices.
This is a great place to buy your fish. You’ll find better prices than you’ll find in the big box stores and a family-owned business with great people.
If you stop by, tell the brothers Red said hi!
Don Norton, often referred to as “Red,” is a bass fishing guide, custom rod builder and tournament bass fisherman. He is also an accomplished aquarist, with over forty aquariums. If you are a fish hobbyist, you can read his column in Tuesday’s newspaper.
