Considerations to Make When Buying Cichlids

Before you buy cichlids, you need to be sure you are willing to be committed to the pet. Owning a cichlid takes commitment as well as devotion of time, energy and effort. If you are not willing to put forth the effort that it takes, chances are you will end up with a dead cichlid. Nobody wants that.

Firstly, you should always buy cichlids from a reputable dealer. This is important because you will want for your cichlid to be healthy.

The best places for buying cichlids include:
A reputable local pet store
Online through a reputable website
A local cichlid breeder

Ideally, you would know someone who has purchased a cichlid, and he can make a recommendation to you. The main advantage of buying cichlids from a local pet store or local breeder is that you may observe the fish before you purchase one. Observation is the best way to give you some insight on what to expect from your fish.

Next, before buying cichlids, you need to do some research. Educate yourself about the needs of this type of fish. Too often fish are purchased without the buyer having any prior knowledge about what to expect. Many people figure they will learn as they go. More often than not, these fish will end up sick or dead if you use this method.

Nearly all cichlid dealers will offer some type of return policy with the fish they sell. Before buying cichlids, know the exact return policy offered by the seller. The best policy will offer reimbursement of cost or a replacement fish in case your fish becomes ill and dies within a few days of purchase.

Finally, you should ask a lot of questions before you buy a cichlid, in order to help educate yourself on the factors you do not already know. If you cannot find someone to answer your questions, you can turn to the library, or many different online sources to find your answers.

Once you have decided which cichlid you want to buy you can start researching its natural environment and create a perfect aquarium for it. Recreating its natural habitat in your aquarium is one of the best ways to reduce aggression even in the most aggressive cichlids.

Of course, if you are adding your new cichlid to an existing community aquarium then you might want to make sure that it doesn't have a reputation for attacking or eating other fish. A little research will give you all the information you need.

Learn more about the ins and outs before you buy cichlids. Before you buy, knowing what types of cichlid diseases may affect your future fish is valuable information.