Yes, you can safely add water conditioner directly to your tank AS you’re adding new source water. No idea where the myth started that you shouldn’t do that.
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Amazonas magazine and rheophilic cichlids
Interested in rheophilic cichlids (i.e., cichlids that inhabit fast moving water like rivers/streams)? This month’s issue of Amazonas magazine (July/August 2025) has a couple of great articles about two such species – Orthochromis torrenticola and Teleocichla centrarchus. There are many cichlid species endemic to these waters, some of which are available in the hobby.
Online cichlid retailers updated!
Back in 2020, I compiled a list of online cichlid retailers. Occasionally, I update it. I did so today.
Mike Liu interview
In July of this year, I attended the annual American Cichlid Association (ACA) Convention, which was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. As with every ACA convention, there is ample opportunity to meet fellow cichlid keepers and to even acquire fish. Registered attendees can sell fish at the convention and, historically, have done so out of their hotel room at the convention hotel. Yes, the sight of numerous tanks set up in hotel rooms is very interesting, to say the least.
New food from Xtreme Aquatic Foods
Last week, a representative from Xtreme Aquatic Foods contacted the blog by mistake. He thought he was contacting another hobbyist, who he wanted to send some sample food to. As it turned out, I knew who the rep was looking for but seized the opportunity and told him that I would be happy to receive some samples in exchange for a blog post about them.
Tragedy in the Julidochromis marksmithi tank
Earlier this week when feeding the fish, I noticed one of my J. marksmithi juveniles lying partially upright on the bottom of the 20g long, species only tank in which it resides.
Amatitlania nanolutea are coloring up!
I posted in early August about the Amatitlania nanolutea that I picked up at the recent ACA convention. After a couple of months, they’ve settled in and have really begun coloring up.
Use high quality foods!
I can’t overstate the importance of feeding high quality foods to your fish. Besides regular and consistent water changes, the quality of the food you feed your fish may be the most important factor in their health and longevity.
A short video tour of the basement fish room showing all nine tanks
Though I have posted photos of all my tanks over time, I have never shown them all at once. I thus decided to take a video of my entire fish room.
Peter George interview
At this year’s annual ACA convention in Cincinnati, I was able to meet many well-known cichlid keepers who I have not met. Never passing up an opportunity to score some new interviews, I eagerly searched out a few folks who I knew were attending.