[Paul Recife]

Hi. I have just joined the forum literally 15 mins ago, so forgive my ignorance of all things cichlid!

I am a Brit living in the northeast of Brazil for many years. A few months ago I decided to start a widlife pond in my garden on the edge of an area of tropical rain forest. I didn't know the first thing about fish and still don't but I wanted to do something beautiful and benefical for the local fauna. I ended up putting a few sword fish and mollys into the pond to eat the mosquito larvae as I was told that they would survive anything including me! The pond has a high ph and lots of aquatica plants and rocks. I am quite happy with the result but recently I decided to stock it with yellow cichlids - the ones with a black edge on their dorsal fins. So earlier today I went to the always lively and exotic Mercado da Madalena - a place that brings me fond memories as I used to take my kids when they were little to see the birds and animals and aquarium fish on sale.

I bought 4 juveniles and have no idea what sex they are: neither did the shop owner. I have some maybe even many doubts and questions. I understand that I have a lot to learn and I will make mistakes along the way but I am looking forward to the journey.

I wonder if my yellows will feed on the frogspawn which appears quite frequently in the pond? WIll the large frogs and toads kill my yellows? Am I mad!!!!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Fogelhund]

The first and main concern, is if there is any chance, of these fish escaping into the wild, and creating an invasive species situation, threatening local fauna.

What is the coldest the air temperature gets at night there, over the course of a year? I don't know about them eating frog tadpoles, but they'll probably thrive eating insect larvae off the rocks. How big are the frogs and toads there?

 

[Paul Recife]

Thank you Fogelhund.

I agree the worst thing that could happen is introducing another invasive species here. Rest assured the pond is about 13 M2 in area and is more than a mile away from the nearest stream. So I believe it is well isolated.

The lowest night temperature in June/July is about 18 celcius. I know this is a little too cool for cichlids but apparently the water remains warmer in the deeper parts of the pond. Fingers crossed!

There is a pair of beautiful small sky blue frogs which I often see on the water lilly, but also a couple of large toads about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide. I have had the pond for a year now and I imagine the toads eat the smaller fish and fry which the swordfish and mollies produce in large numbers. Though there are many juveniles surviving too. I also expect the yellows to feed on the availible fry.

I have zero experience with fish but have always loved other peoples aquariums and ponds!

Any suggestion is more than welcome.

 

[Fogelhund]

Chances are pretty high, that the Yellow Labidochromis caeruleus will survive and breed in this pond. Perhaps some fry will be eaten, but I doubt that the adults will be eaten by the frogs. Their bright colours might make them easier targets for herons/storks though. If the pond is deeper than three feet, most of the fish will stick to deeper parts of the pond, where the herons won't get them. If it's an established pond, you really just need to put the fish in, and see what happens. If they don't survive, there are probably more local, and native cichlids, that would be better adapted to your pond.

 

[Paul Recife]

Thanks again Fogelhund.

I hope you are right, and it is the reason I decided to go ahead with the experiment in the first place. If they do survive and breed I will be a happy man, and if not I'll have to start all over.