I have a bunch of baby electric yellow cichlids and i really want them to get those extreamly black fins, because i like the look against the yellow. I was wondering if there is anything i can do to really bring out the black, such as a food or water temp, or something i don't know. Also, i do know most is genetics, but the father of them had extreamly black fins before getting eaten by a catfish (r.i.p.) its just these babies don't really have any, (they are between 1" and 2")

Nothing you can do to bring out the black. If they're pure (not hybrids) they should already have a nice black band (male and female) the yellow lab is probably the most popular african cichlid out there. For that reason, they are the most prolific hybrids species in the hobby today. Chances are, if you didn't buy them from a very reputible dealer, then they're probably hybrids. The males will show off thier colors a bit more when they are wanting to breed but again, both the males/females should have a nice black band to begin with. Hope that helps!

completly wrong greasemonkey. High protien food is the last thing you want to feed mbunas. They're know for being omnivores and require a high veggie diet (spriulina, etc.) Here, read this article, it should help you understand what mbunas feeding requirements are (yellow labs). Not trying to be a jerk by any means but I'd avoid high protien foods.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... chlids.php

hahahahah spriulina is 70% protein so i think you should read that article just a little better

greasemonkey,

Mbunas (what a yellow lab is, just in case you didn't know) need a high amount of greens to include Spirulina and significantly less amount of protiens. Other great food options would include fresh veggies.

Other Lake Malawi species, such as Peacocks and Haplochromines are more carnavorious and can handle a higher amount of protien. With that being said, Sprirulina does in fact have a high amount of protien (as seen in attached website)
http://www.spirulinasource.com/earthfoodch2a.html

However, that's "pure Spirulina" (good luck trying to find that). Something like NLS (new life spectrum) or Omega products like this one http://www.omegasea.net/super_veggie_flakes.html are recommend for MBUNA, these types of product contain Spirulina while maintaing a nice low amount of protien (33-35%)

What I was simply stating, is that MBUNA need veggie based diets. It's a fact not just something I'm pulling out of thin air. I'd recommend a spirula based food (just like it states in the article that you read! Not pure Spirulina genius)

Now, there is nothing wrong with occasionally feeding your MBUNA krill or other higher based protien food but it's not suggested as an everyday good habbit. And to say that protien is going to produce a brighter color in a mbuna is wrong, a well balanced diet will produce your best colored fish, also if you cared to read my previous post above, you will notice my little post about the original question regarding the yellow lab....get your facts straight buddy!

if it is such a fact then why on perth cichlids does is state that they should be fed hi protein foods and breeders for over 15 years all say the same ,mind you this society has been established for over 20 years its better to feed them this as in the wild they only what they can get ie algae and veggie matter these fish are not in the wild they are in an aquarium where they are feed by a human not tryn to scavenge for anything they can find all lfs will tell you the same thing every one is intitled to an opinion, nothing is wrong or right its just different strokes for differemt folks and dandman if u know what they eat WHY ASK??????