Suggestions for the Cichlid Room Companion

[Lisachromis]

Everyone!

We are looking for what you would like to see as part of the Cichlid Room Companion. What sort of addition would you think would enhance the site in your eyes? We'd love to hear all your suggestions, and each and every one of them will be properly considered.

So.... get out the thinking caps, and let us know!

[Michael Kwist]

A chatbox ??

and i have maby some photo's with can be used on this site


btw this is a great site with a lot of nice photo's

[Orbital]

More species in the catalogue maybe, looks good over-all to me as-is.

I wouldn't mind seeing more location/color varients in the catalogue though. Like Pseudotropheus has so many sub-types but only one shown for each (that I've seen). Like Ps. Elongatus and Ps. Perspicax, ect. both have probably at least a dozen or more locale types that differ slightly or greatly in color.

[Dave Schumacher]

I'd like to see the max size of the species listed. People buy fish that grow far too large for their aquariums all the time, so it would be a good thing to know ahead of time.

[Juan Artigas]

Thanks so much for your suggestions:

Michael, I will give a second thought to a chatbox, although I turned the idea down a couple of years back as I prefer that the information remains in posts for other people to see, rather than go. But I can probably reconsider the idea. Anymore people have comments about this?

Thanks for your pictures Michael, they are online now. Send more as you wish.

Orbital, I will keep uploading pictures to the catalogue as time allows me to do it, I have way many to upload, I am afraid it will take me years to upload them all. This is not to say dont send me new ones, please do. I have visited your site Orbital and I will ask you for a few pictures shortly. Thanks for your offer!

ds1196, Maximum size for cichlids is a good idea, I will add the field to the database.

Apparently, after reading your comments, basically the site is good enough in what it covers, we just need to keep working in adding the information. Thanks so much for let me know. The site will be ten years next may and I am working on new projects, there is a special section I have neglected for many years and I think now is the time to work on it. I am sure you will like it.

You have probably all seen the new sections (Focus Central American and Tanganyikan Sand Dwellers) here in the Cichlid Room Companion, if you know of somebody who would like to handle one specialized section, please let me know. I would love to have sections on Discus, Starting with cichlids, Mbunas, and many more. I am looking for the qualified people who has an interest in edit them.

Also, we are looking for sponsors, woulnt your local club be interested in sponsoring a couple of cichlid species and get some good publicity in return?

Thanks again!

[MatsP]

I'd like to see the max size of the species listed. People buy fish that grow far too large for their aquariums all the time, so it would be a good thing to know ahead of time.

Whilst at the subject, maybe having basic water parameter ranges (Temp, pH, GH) as well would be a good idea. Another idea would be to have "Compaitibility/Suitable tankmates" and "Furniture [tank decorations]" fields as well.

Take a look at the Cat-eLog at Planet catfish for how that works. http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog

However, I would also like to say to Dave S. that the problem with people buying fish that grow too large is usually beginner fish-keepers that either haven't got a clue that fish will outgrow their surroundings. I agree that it's handy to have a single place to look for the size information, but I think solving the "Buying a fish that outgrows their tank" is a case of educating the fish-keeper in the first instance, which very much depends on the shop's attitude. In a shop where the customer just says "I'll have one of them", and it happens to be an Oscar, and the shop-staff without asking any further questions just bags the fish and says "That'll be 6 dollars", the beginner fish-keeper will just end up with a fish that is too big for his/her tank... A good shop is going to ask about the tank-size, tank-mates, etc, before selling the fish [and it's not just the size of the tank that matters, of course - A 200 gallon tank may well be a good one for a pair of Oscars, but if the tank is full of small fish, it's not suitable to keep Oscars there...].

--
Mats

[tropheus_man]

Hi!!

I didn't know where to ask this so I'll ask it here. Is there any place on this website to advertise Tropheus for sale? I have a few and I didn't see any place to do this?

Thanx!!

[Lisachromis]

We actually don't have a for sale section on the forum, unless you're a sponsor. That tends to cut down on arguments between dissatisfied customers/sellers.

[chris murphy]

A global water parameter list.Maybe members from all of the countries could post tap or well water parameters and we could coellate this data and have a nice display.

[PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn]

Thanks so much for your suggestions:

Michael, I will give a second thought to a chatbox, although I turned the idea down a couple of years back as I prefer that the information remains in posts for other people to see, rather than go. But I can probably reconsider the idea. Anymore people have comments about this?

a couple of thoughts. rather than add to the overall load on the server, how about using a java applet or similar to connect to an existing IRC server. this way the technical running of the server isn't something to worry about. the only problem would be that other people on the server can get on, so you would need some OP's to moderate the room.

as far as I'm aware you, its possible to get a bot from the central server, though setting one up yourself isn't hard. and through that provide a basic level of moderation at all times, as well as Logging all the conversations. though some editing would be required to remove all the ins and outs of people from the room.

[Alex Calder]

More information would be needed. Were this a dedicated server(I don't believe it is) there are a number of Ajax and flash options. Were one to go with a java applet connection to an irc server it would not hurt to be versed in irc. One should plan on maintaining control at all times with a bot and members would have to learn to register their preferred nickname on the server.

I personally run flash chat ($5) which is integrated into my forum, however I also run my own server so load is not an issue.
I have not really noticed a negative effect from the chat feature. There are a hand full of us who use it regularly and we occasionally get a newer user seeking fast answers, typically I try to help if I can and then point them back to the forum.
It has been extremely helpful in the coordination of the Cichlidbase project.

[Juan Artigas]

Yes, I was thinking probably on updates for cichlid profiles, one for all and one per each geographical area. The whatsnew section is tricky though, as it is the combination of many queries in many tables. There is no a table that list what is new. Probably I should even create one updated by a script and then take the data from it. Anyways, sounds like a project for the near future, as soon as I can. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Sébastien Bochenko]

With pleasure. I am impatient that this works !

[Alex Calder]

The query to accomplish the task would be complicated, but the task itself is not. So long as the data is there then one would only need the information from the previous query to rule out those results.

[Juan Artigas]

Sorry I was trying to make it compatible with Internet Explorer, it is working now!

[Alex Calder]

After reading the last post I had to share this classic.

[Juan Artigas]

That is so right!

[Hudson Ensz]

Cichlid of the month! Also a photo lounge would be nice.
it would be nice if the newsletter had some free articles about s/a cichlids

[Vincent Fu]

I think this website is already fantastic, but maps showing the distribution of each species would be very nice!

[Juan Artigas]

I know, the things is, with the current resources I have, that is out of the question. Lets hope in the future I get more support and can work on things like that for the page. Thanks for your comment.