The most comprehensive cichlid blog on the Web!
As comprehensive as I try to be with the overall content here on the blog, I try to be equally comprehensive with the interviews. As such, I do make a concerted effort to cover all types of cichlids from shellies to Discus to Angels. Today’s interviewee, Evan Rifkind, is a hobbyist who focuses on cichlids endemic to Madagascar.
Though I have known about today’s interviewee as a cichlid keeper and breeder, I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting him in person. How do I know him and that he keeps some of the same species as me? Facebook.
I posted previously about some new fish I ordered from Dave Schumacher at Dave’s Rare Aquarium Fish. They arrived earlier this week on Tuesday.
I have some exciting news (well, it’s exciting for me). After acquiring new tanks, as well as considerable planning and rearranging, I have some new fish coming soon. What am I getting?
As a long time cichlid keeper, I have sourced my fish from a variety of vendors – both online and my LFS. I have made it no secret here on the blog that one of my favorite online sources is Dave’s Rare Aquarium Fish. Owned by Dave Schumacher and specializing in African cichlids (mostly the rift lakes), this San Antonio, TX based business is first class. From the quality of the fish to expertly bagged, boxed, and shipped orders, Dave does it right. Some of the best fish I have ever had (and still have) came from him.
A few days ago, a school teacher in Pennsylvania reached out to me. Mike Krautzel teaches an elective Horticulture and Aquaculture class at Garnet Valley Middle School. It’s as much a year-round project as it is a single course, which focuses on various flora and fauna around the world. It is such a popular course that hundreds of students sign up for it each year. Mike contacted me thinking I might have some cichlid caves that I would be willing to donate for part of their project.
Looking for some color in your Tanganyikan tank? Check out the line of Altolamprologus compressiceps, being offered by Dave Schumacher at Dave’s Rare Aquarium Fish.
Back in 2018, I posted about the online vendors that I’ve used. Since that time, I have added another. Dave’s Rare Aquarium Fish out of San Antonio, TX is a vendor you should consider adding to your list. Besides the fact that owner Dave Schumacher is just a nice guy, I can vouch for his fish.
I did an interview with Dave back in 2019. Check it out to learn more about his business. He and I are working on a second interview now.
If you read my post on May 9th, then you know I ordered some new fish. They delivered on May 15 and still look great. Currently, they’re all in quarantine. Yes, I quarantine all my new fish regardless of where they come from. My typical quarantine is 4-6 weeks. Many illnesses and maladies will reveal themselves within that timeframe.
Back in March, I posted about losing a seal on my 55g and about 40 gallons of water as a result (yes, that sucked). That was my dwarf mbuna tank. Since I moved all those fish to another tank, I was left with a 55g stand and no tank for it. Yes, I could have resealed the 55g but, because I get a discount on my tanks, it was cheaper for me to buy a new one than reseal the 55g (see my post on time vs. money). So I bought one, a 33g long to be exact. The 55g and the 33g long have the same footprint and bottom dwellers are planned for the new tank. I don’t need the extra height of a 55g, which would end up being wasted space. Yes, I could get some dithers, Cyps, or some other mid-water occupants but…