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Old world or New world Cichlids what is your favorite?

johnscottant

johnscottant

Members
I started out only collecting new world cichlids as I am a huge Green Terror and Red Terror fan. But over the years as Ive gone to more auctions, fish meetings and shows I've begun to collect african cichlids. So my question to you is what do you collect (New world or Old world) and why do you have a favorite? Thanks for taking the time to answer.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Both, but right now I think I enjoy my Mbunas the most. Easy, Bright, Active...always happy to see me...
 
UNCLERUCKUS

UNCLERUCKUS

"THE ALL POWERFUL Q !!
I STARTED WITH MALAWI AND MBUNA WHICH I THOUROUGHLY LOVED. BEAUTIFUL VIBRANT COLORS AND CONSTANT ACTIVITY WITHIN MY TANKS. THEN A BIG POWER OUTTAGE WIPED OUT A MAJOR PORTION OF MY AFRICANS. I NOTICED THAT NONE OF MY CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICAN FISH SUFFERED NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. IT OPENED MY EYES TO A WHOLE "NEW WORLD". PARDON THE PUN LOL.:p KNOWING I COULDNT STAND LOSING FISH OR,BASICALLY, MONEY LIKE THAT THE CHOICE BECAME QUITE EASY. FROM THEN I BEGAN TO RESEARCH AND ASK QUESTIONS, AQUIRE DRIFTWOOD,FILTERS, AND TANKS TO SUPPORT THE SPECIES. IVE BEEN IN LOVE WITH THE NEW WORLD SPECIES EVER SINCE. I PARTICULARLY LOVE THE LARGER SPECIES OF EX-CICHLASOMA AND PARACHROMIS :wub:
 
rich_one

rich_one

Members
I like both, and started with New World years ago. Then, I got hooked by colorful Malawis, and then even got into Tangs (still love occies to this day... one of my very favorite fish!). But recently, I rediscovered New World cichlids, and have been on a New World rampage ever since. I just love everything about them. The size many of them get. The colors. Personality. Hardiness of most of them. I can go through a total lazy period, and these do not care! LOL... Not that I do that much. Just saying. I really love Vieja and Parathereps species the most, though I have a pair of lyonsi that are just awesome!

-Rich
 
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Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
dogofwar said:
New World...
Click to expand...

Says the guys with a peacock as his avatar and more obscure African cichlids in his house than anyone else in the club. :p


I pretty much have all African cichlids right now, probably 75% of them are from Lake Malawi with a few 4-5 Tang tanks.

Malawi is fun. Great colors and boisterous attitudes. The ability to combine a ton of fish into one tank is a nice perk. There's something to be said about being able to keep multiple 8"+ fish in one big tank without crazy aggression. Tangs, West African or new world, that's something unique to Lake Malawi imo.

I like watching the behavior in my big Tang setup. Lots of subtle and not-so-subtle things going on in the 125 featherfin/sandsifter/Cyp setup. My rockdwellers are in 40 breeders and they are kinda cool as well. Julidochromis are like mini-submarines.

I do have a couple of new world tanks though... some growout Parachromis and ramping up the 6' 150 eartheater setup. Pretty stoked about both of these tanks.

It's tough to pick a favorite setup or species.... seems like I have a different one every week. :)
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
It seems hard to stay on one side or the other :) I have mostly Africans for cichlids right now. However the rest of my fish are mostly New World.
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
I have almost all New World...

...but I really like the Enantiopus in my lone African tank. I think Australheros oblongums and Biotodomas are very cool , hard to beat Geophagus colors in some respects if you like big fish, some Apistogrammas are pretty amazing as well. Giant blue veil-tail angelfish maybe have to take the prize if I'm judging...

Thinking we should have a forum category for catfish, where would our societies (aquatic and otherwise) be without someone to tidy up and take out the trash?
 
chris_todd

chris_todd

Members
I suppose I would have to say Discus are my favorite single species, but I keep a mix of Old World and New World, and couldn't pick a favorite there. In thinking about all of them, though, I realize now that I'm a sucker for flashy/highly colorful fish - Discus, Bolivian Rams, German Blue Rams, Apistogramma, Peacocks, Haps (Malawi and Victoria). (Gorgeous George the Oscar does not count, and is the lone outlier)
 
George

George

CCA Charter Member and person in charge of the we
Old world have lots of color but eventually you get tired of the senseless helter skelter behavior. They are not really fun to watch unless you are on drugs.

New world are more directed in their behavior and (whether they do or not is in question) they seem to have more purpose in their movements.

Most people start with live bearers, move to the (UGH) old world beauties, and wind up enjoying the new world fish.

Personally, I love 'em all and plan to switch back to salt water in the near future since I found out they are not that difficult to breed. I used to hear "wow, these old world fish are almost as colorful as saltwater". Why not have the real thing?

And you do not have to have all that expensive equipment for the fish, guys. We are not talking inverts or reef stuff here.

George
 
Hawkman2000

Hawkman2000

Members
WELL SAID GEORGE. New World Cichlids seem to have more diversity in color, shape, size, personality, and compatability. From what I have read; they are also easier to keep plants with as well.
 
rich_one

rich_one

Members
George said:
Old world have lots of color but eventually you get tired of the senseless helter skelter behavior. They are not really fun to watch unless you are on drugs.

George
Click to expand...
ROFLMMFAO!!! Oh man... I just happened to read this comment all this time later, and nearly choked on the water I was drinking when I read it, laughing out loud. Too funny!

I have to admit... since my recent acquisition of a saltwater tank, I have started thinking to myself "it'd be kinda cool to have a new world cichlid tank, old world cichlid tank, and saltwater tank".

Currently just don't have the space... but who knows how any of this is going to turn moving down the line? Once I get a seed planted in my head... it becomes "uh oh" pretty quick sometimes! LOL...

-Rich
 
Leffler817

Leffler817

CCA Members
My start with cichlids was with Malawi but I bored and switched to CA/SA for a long time. I still love the blue spangles. When I moved to MD I found Tangs which weren't available to me before so I've been enjoying, for the most part, the trials of keeping them.
 
Prince

Prince

The ONE who is The ONE
Apisto's and Gt's. I want to try my hand at Red Motaguenses but don't have a big enough tank yet for a pair.
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
I still love the big pretty peacocks -- and the fact that they're always happy to see me. I'm a sucker for the "mommy's home!!" look (from my dogs, too.) I do love my rainbow cichlids, but they only come out to eat and then disappear back into the recesses of planted tank. It's getting a little old, actually . ..
 
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