Better improvement

Question
Hello Ron

      I just want to know a few things to see if I can better improve my aquarium. I'm kinda new to them, only about a year.
I have a 36 gallon malawi cichlid tank with the following fish.

1 Electric blue
1 yellow lab
3 Zebras
3 Kenyii
1 deamonsoni
1 gold nugget
1 tiger pleco
3 zebra loaches

There are two other fish which i'm not sure of. They are malawi, they are a charcoal black body with very red fins and are about 2 inches long. I have huge fish books but they arn't in there. Any ideas? Is this overpopulation?

Filtration
aquaclear 70
aquaclear 50
I know is a little overkill

Water changes twice a week at 10-15 percent.

What is the proper food. I've heard so many thing about food but right now i'm feeding Formulate II. They seem to like and have been much healther. I supplement with live brine shrimp a few times a week. Is there somthing else I should be feeding perhaps a different frozen food? Are vegetables ok?

Any advice for care on cichilds would be much appreciated. Thanks
Jack

Answer
Hi Jack,
 Actually it sounds like you are doing quite well.  The twice a week water changes are an excellent way to keep the fish happy and healthy.  While the tank is full, it doesn't sound like it is overly full, but then again, I wouldn't add anything else.  

  There are a million opinions on food. Basically, if your fish are eating it and it is reasonable quality food, i.e., not bargain basement goldfish flakes, then I would stick with what you are doing.  You do not need to feed frozen food.  You can try vegetables; the pleco in particular would probably like the occasional zucchini (cut it into quarters lengthwise and attach it to a rock or something with a rubber band to the keep it from floating).

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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