Yesterday, I was thinking about writing a piece for the Buntbarsche Bulletin. I haven’t submitted anything to them in a while.
From beginner to hardcore, a wide gap exists between cichlid hobbyist information needs
New Cichlid Stage t-shirts and one free giveaway!!
Though I don’t sell blog products online, I do have blog swag. Why? I give stuff to my interviewees for their time and effort. I also take items, such as t-shirts, to conventions and shows as giveaways.
Facebook group for the 2026 American Cichlid Association (ACA) Convention
Want to stay up to date on the Bluegrass Bash, this year’s ACA Convention in Lexington, KY? Consider joining their Facebook group. With posts almost daily detailing the events, providing speaker bios, and other useful information, the group is highly active. Check it out and join!
For more information about the convention (e.g., registration, schedule), visit the official website.
New Facebook group focused on taxonomy
Want to stay up to date on the ever-changing world of cichlid taxonomy and classification? I have just the thing for you.
Engage with other hobbyists
One of the best ways to not only learn about cichlids but also stay abreast of the latest cichlid news is to engage with fellow hobbyists. There are multiple ways to do this.
Lake Tanganyika videos
Want to know what the bottom of Lake Tanganyika looks like, or parts of it, and see cichlids in their natural habitat? Since most hobbyists will never travel there and experience it firsthand, videos are one of the best alternatives.
Get a new t-shirt from The Cichlid Stage – for free
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One quick-acting blog reader can win a free t-shirt right now. I will even ship it for free (anywhere in the world)! To participate you must be a member of at least two of the Facebook groups listed below. The rules are simple and are listed below the Facebook groups. You must complete each step in the rules. The first reader that completes each step below wins!
- Dwarf Cichlids World Wide
- Shell Dwellers
- Cichlid Keepers
- Tanganyika Cichlids in the USA
- African Cichlids Worldwide
No more advice!
As a long time hobbyist, I try to help fellow fish keepers whenever possible. This includes giving advice to cichlid keepers in various groups on Facebook (FB). However, that’s going to stop today. Why? Keep reading.
Ben Ochart Interview
If you’re like me, you utilize all resources at your disposal to find information about cichlids. This includes YouTube. In fact, there are numerous YouTube channels dedicated to fish keeping, especially cichlids. I visit several of them regularly.
One day a few weeks ago, while I was looking for some information, I stumbled across a YouTube channel I had not seen before. Intrigued, I decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. The channel is named after the guy who runs it – Ben Ochart, also known as Ben O’Cichlid.
No homework equals tragedy
A couple of days ago, I saw a post in the Facebook group African Cichlids Worldwide where a guy had nearly 30 dead cichlids, some of them large, laid out on a towel. They came from multiple tanks. He didn’t know how they died.