# madagascan cichlid



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

has anyone ever kept a Paratilapia polleni... aka marakeli cichlid..
i will be getting one of these and was wondering if anyone has any has any experience or information on these cichlids would be much appreciated..


----------



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

i realised there is a better suited section for this.. how do i move it?


----------



## wiseoldowl (Feb 19, 2008)

What do you want to know.


----------



## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

In my experience they are pretty similar to ca cichlids.


----------



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

what environment, the type of food and the conditions to help them thrive...
cheers


----------



## joel.uejio (Aug 28, 2009)

I have a 2" polleni in a 75g with a 2" firemouth, 4" male salvini, silver dollars, raphael cat, bn pleco. Here's what I've read / observed:

+ A varied diet is helpful
+ Prefer harder water
+ Spends a lot of time at the top of the tank
+ Appreciates having plant cover (I'm a little lacking in that b/c of the sd's)
+ Flares with the fm, but they seem to be evenly matched for now
+ Can be pretty aggressive

What size tank and tank mates are you planning for yours?


----------



## wiseoldowl (Feb 19, 2008)

Keep an eye out for velvet and Fungal Diseases mine have spawned twice and
had a out break after each. Even with vacuuming gravel and 30% water changes
every other day.


----------



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

*** just bought him... about 1- 1/2 inches.. housed in a 30g on his own... will be living with a crayfish.. im not going to put any other fish in there only feeders when he's big enough.. heard they grow slowly so i have a bit of tim before he out grows the tank and have to find him a new home or move him to my bigger tank..
so i can plant plants in there with him without him ripping them up?
he is very shy and hasnt come out of his hiding place much.. 
hopefully he will become more lively soon.. 
thanks


----------



## aussy612 (Jan 31, 2009)

My first polleni grew tremendously fast, but then again he was young. He (she?) doubled in size in a few months, aka 3 or 4. He was just under two inches when purchased and just over four when he died. I fed him very heartily, because i also had to feed the bigger cichlids in the tank. I was really distraught when he died, because i really liked him (btw he died when the jags started to breed). I have recently bought a new one, probably 6.5 inches. He is still being weaned but he seems to be doing fine. Personally i find them one of the most attractive fish *** owned. The spots will turn blue if viewed under the right light. He is a VERY robust fish, with beautiful fins. I should be able to get a picture up when hes all settled in. 
I fed mine a staple of NLS pellets, supplemented with bloodworms, brine shrimp, kriss, mysis, everything. A lot of water changes and you'll soon have a very impressive beautiful fish. Hopefully your fish will become more outgoing, and he is still very young. If you have any more questions ill try to answer them. Mine have never torn apart plants, but it can vary from fish to fish.
Good luck :thumb:


----------



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

yea thanks for the info... im looking foreward for mine to grow up... a picture would be good.. mine is still shy. *** had her/him for a few days now and hasnt eaten at all.. *** tried feeding her all sorts of food.. bloodworms.. hakira cichlid pellets.. tropical fish pellets and other and she just stays in her cave and doesnt come out.. any advice on this?? i dont think she will survive much longer if this goes on...
cheers


----------



## joel.uejio (Aug 28, 2009)

Mine took 2 weeks to settle down and eat normally -- I would just keep feeding and give it time.


----------



## aussy612 (Jan 31, 2009)

Yes they need to be weaned. Mine both also didnt eat for some time. Stick to your staple diet and he will eventually come around. Fish can survive for weeks without food, so don't worry about it starving. Try feeding really small amounts 1-2 pellets every few hours. Eventually he'll try it and spit it out, but soon he'll take to it. Also, adding some livebearers will show him that its safe to swim out. Young fish are programmed to be afraid of predators, and the smaller fish will show him that its safe. He is still very young, so dont worry about it too much. He will also see the livebearers eating, and will try some himself. Eventually the livebearers will be killed or needed to be removed, but in the meantimes can provide a food source for your polleni with their fry. 
It will take him a few weeks to get settled, and he will start eating. Try adding the livebearers if he is still to scared.


----------



## 6footer (Dec 19, 2009)

i put food in then walked away and watched from a distance.. the fish did come out and eat the food.. and actually stayed out when i walked back closer to the tank but hid again after there was no food left... i threw in a blue ram and a top dwelling fish from my 180g ( it was the only fish i could catch as my tank has alot of hiding places and plants its impossible to catch anything) she got territorial with the top dwelling fish (i cant remember the name of it) so the top dwelling fish is too scared to dwell at the top and hangs at the bottom now but the polleni just went and hid again... i like this fish already and cant wait for it to be more lively around me.. still waiting for those photos aussy612...
thanks for everyones help


----------



## n.o.musicman (Aug 27, 2009)

I don't have a polleni but I do have paratalapia blekeeri which I am told is almost the same fish.
They are not too difficult to keep, I have mine in a hap/peacock tank and they seem to add a flair to it.


----------

