Who Gives A Fish Forums

I grabbed this fish from a local pet store and I thought it was super cool, but I have no clue what type it is... I just wanna make sure it doesn't need any special care. My water parameters aren't great right now, but it seems to be doing alright so far. It's been chillin' next to my heater, so I turned it up a notch, hoping it likes warmer water.

Please help me figure out what kind of fish I've got!!!!!

Thanks for takin' the time.

Appears to be a goldenly Cichlid.

You may want to exercise caution with this species, as they can grow to 4" in length. I'd appreciate it if you could share your current tank size, stocking, and water parameters.

Initially, I thought this might be a feisty one, but given the appearance, I'm inclined to believe it's a female, which should be relatively docile.

For further information, you can refer to these resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanochromis_auratus and http://www.infobarrel.com/Home_Aquarium ... ly_Cichlid.

I'm somewhat perplexed that the store didn't provide you with more information about the species you purchased.

Just a heads up, what's your current water parameters, specifically pH level?

I'm not too happy with my water parameters because they're not ideal, to be honest. I've been having some issues and I'm still trying to get them sorted out.

I'm pretty new to aquariums, so no idea what this fish is, but it looks really nice. Oh and just a guess, maybe it's always near the heater because it wants warmer water or feels safe there.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that particular cichlid undergoes a color change as it matures.

Only the males change color as they enter adulthood. However, I've noticed a slight color difference between males and females even at this size - I'm guessing this fish is around an inch or slightly more.

This is an Auratis (Melanchromis auratus), a Lake Malawi Mbuna Cichlid. Not exactly a beginner-friendly fish. Yes, as someone mentioned, they can be aggressive, but in my opinion, they're not significantly more aggressive than most other Mbuna.

It requires a pH of about 8.2 and hard water. If you decide to keep it, I'd recommend setting up a tank specifically for Mbuna cichlids. They prefer sand substrate and large rocks for creating caves and territorial boundaries. Being territorial fish, they need their own space.

Thanks a ton for the info, it's a huge help. I'm a bit bummed that I'm a beginner and this fish might be a bit too much for me. My tank's only 10 gallons, and it's pretty planted up, but I guess that's a good thing, right? My water parameters are pretty good, I think - pH 8.1, ammonia and nitrite are 0.0ppm, and nitrate's 0.0ppm too. The temp's been brought down a bit, and my water's super hard, so that's a plus. The pH's stuck at 8.1, so I'm not too worried about that.

She doesn't seem too aggressive so far, but I only have about 10 ghost shrimp in there with her. I've been feeding her brine shrimp in the morning and mysis shrimp in the evening, just like the store owner said. But I read this article that said I should add some veggies to her diet - what kind should I try? Should I just let her eat the plants that are already in there and see what happens?

I'm a bit annoyed that the store owner didn't know what kind of fish it was, but I guess that's not their fault. If I'd known it was a cichlid, I might've gone with something easier. But she's really cool, so I'm gonna make it work. I think she was just hiding by the heater because it's the biggest thing in the tank, so I'm gonna get some rocks or decorations to give her a hiding spot. My substrate's a mix of crushed coral, plant substrate, and some bigger gravel.

I'd love to hear more about this fish and get some ideas on how to care for her. I'm gonna be online most of the night, so feel free to ask me any questions or request some pics.

I've been reading through the info and I'm a bit concerned about the diet. I've been feeding her brine shrimp and mysis shrimp, but I just read that I should be giving her more vegetation. I've heard that if I don't feed her the right foods, she can get Malawi bloat, which sounds really bad.

I'm thinking of getting some algae wafers and breaking them into smaller pieces for her to eat. I've also read that spirulina is a good ingredient for her, so I'll make sure to look for that. I might even try putting a piece of zucchini in the tank for her to munch on.

As for the tank, I know it's not ideal. My 10-gallon tank is heavily planted, but I'm worried that she'll start destroying the plants once she feels more at home. I'm thinking of getting some rocks or decorations to give her a place to hide and feel more secure.

I'm also a bit concerned that the store owner didn't know what type of fish she was, and I'm worried that I might not be giving her the best care. If anyone has any advice or tips on how to care for her, I'd really appreciate it. I'll be on here for most of the night, so feel free to ask me any questions or give me any advice you might have.

Thanks so much for the great info, I really appreciate it.