# Thinking of switching from Africans to Salt Water



## Hapguy63 (Feb 8, 2014)

So I have been in the hobby for 20+ years now. I started off with community fish and for the past 15 years I have been almost exclusively Africans more specifically Haps and Peacocks. The reason I love haps and peacocks are because you used to be able to get a fresh water fish that had the color of a salt water fish for at least half the cost. Over the past 5 years the cost of male haps and peacocks has skyrocketed out of control. To get a high quality fish you can expect to pay $60 to $100 dollars or more. I was at a lfs this weekend and they had 5" male Taiwan reefs for $125....I thought to myself I can't believe this. I decided to browse the salt water section as I always wanted a salt tank just thought they are too expensive but low and behold most fish were $50 dollars or less. They had a few over the $100 dollar range but for the most part most were cheaper than the African Males.

I am thinking maybe now is the time to go salt. I currently have 3 tanks. My show 5' 120 gallon tank and 2 55 gallon grow out tanks. I am thinking of going from 3 fresh water tanks to 2 salt. Keeping 1 of the 55 gallons as a grow out quarantine tank.

I am looking for thoughts from those who have gone from fresh to salt or vice versa and if you regret going salt. Thank everyone.


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## FredTheFishHead (Jul 15, 2014)

I've kept both. Cichlid tanks for 40 years and Reef tanks for 20. I am currently switching over the reef tank I have at home back to a Cichlid tank. My advice is that if you do switch, be sure you always have at least 1 Cichlid tank set up somewhere. There is something about these fish that will always draw you back.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=326706

...here's someone who regretted it...


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## Hapguy63 (Feb 8, 2014)

I don't know I just am extremely frustrated with the out of control prices. If you want quality fish these days you are going to pay through the teeth for them. Also nothing can compete with the color of reef tank something I always wanted to try.


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## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

I think it's just a matter of perspective, perhaps...
From what you said, the longer you were in the hobby, the more exotic or rare fish you wanted... 
So now you're comparing top end haps to run of the mill salt water fish, even though you admit "they had a few over the $100 range".
I have mbunas I paid less than $10 for, and I love them. But, I already find myself investigating more exotic (and more costly) fish...
You're "the type"... like many of us! The type that wants to continually improve/change/upgrade... The lower priced salt water fish are only going to satisfy you for awhile, probably...
and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but perhaps helpful to recognize it for what it is...
I've watched my husband do it with numerous hobbies over the years. Building something up... the journey vs. the destination... that's the kicker for many people... and then, need to go do something else.
Maybe try something species-specific? If I had room... man, I love this little Pundamilia fryereri Nansio Bay (I think) that I would love to see a whole tank of... (yes, I said I had an mbuna tank... 3 fish from Petco have sought political asylum that were not mbunas, so I had to take them.)
Anyway, maybe you just need to do something new to make it different, and exciting for you again, and perhaps that will not involve completely changing over from cichlids to something else.
Salt water seems really expensive, too... Seems like a lot of unexpected costs there. Anyway, Good Luck!


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

No Salt Water for me.....countries exporting corals harvesting the seabeds .... destroying the whole ecosystem for home enthusiasts.


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## cumbrianewbie (Jul 25, 2013)

I would have thought the answer was obvious - never mind the salt water, you need to start breeding Taiwan Reefs


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

If you're worried about the $$$ don't bother with marine.


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## shelbynjakesdad (Mar 13, 2013)

I'll add my $0.02 since I'm currently keeping both, and actually am really enjoying both - but they are vastly different.

To me, In the marine world, the focus is more on the reef / corals / environment than on the actual fish. If you were to overstock a marine tank like a cichlid tank, you'd go broke doing all the huge water changes. Tanks are usually lightly stocked with fish and heavily stocked with coral since they have a very low bio load. If done correctly and good equipment is used ($$) then maintenance is quite low and manageable. That being said, the cost of the fish is not really a concern as the cost of the equipment and corals (if you go that route) will make the fish seem quite cheap.

Back to the cichlid side... The focus is definitely the fish. I really enjoy my mbuna tank - they are very colorful, active, and full of personality. As I said, there would be no way to keep so many fish (per gallon) and get so much action when going marine. I really enjoy both, but for very different reasons.


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## Hapguy63 (Feb 8, 2014)

chopsteeks said:


> No Salt Water for me.....countries exporting corals harvesting the seabeds .... destroying the whole ecosystem for home enthusiasts.


The salt hobby is changing a lot. I have a buddy who is a hard core reefer and we discussed this at length. At least in the US most of the corals you see in the hobby today are tank raised. If fact there is a big movement where people will donate frags from their tanks to be planted back in the ocean to rebuilt damaged reefs. Also more progress is being made with breeding salt water fish rather than harvesting them. Most clowns are now tank raised.



smitty814 said:


> If you're worried about the $$$ don't bother with marine.


No not worried about the $$$ I just feel that if I am going to be spending that kind of money on fish I might as well spend it on salt water fish.

Thanks for the perspectives everyone I am still on the fence so I have a lot to consider over the next few months to decide what I am going to do.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Well if not worried about the $$$ then go marine. A vastly more diverse environment. Fun things to watch 24/7. If balanced, you need do little more than top offs to compensate evaporation.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Hapguy- are there no local breeders or clubs? I feel like we discussed this before... Maybe not.

Around here, sexed male peacocks and haps(3-5") go for an average of $20 from the private breeders. Some of the rarer fish are a bit more. An LFS by me sells pairs of Aulonocara and various haps for $150. That's insane.


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## Hapguy63 (Feb 8, 2014)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Hapguy- are there no local breeders or clubs? I feel like we discussed this before... Maybe not.
> 
> Around here, sexed male peacocks and haps(3-5") go for an average of $20 from the private breeders. Some of the rarer fish are a bit more. An LFS by me sells pairs of Aulonocara and various haps for $150. That's insane.


There are a few breeders but one has a really bad reputation so I am avoiding them. I just got word of a new local breeder that is in the process of starting an online African Cichlid only store. It looks promising but I will have to wait and see what their prices look like.

The online sellers are getting a bit pricey as well that combined with the cost of shipping cost wise it on par with salt water.


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