Alex Scharnberg, West African Cichlids

West African Riverine Cichlids, natural history, care and buying guide

Alex Scharnberg has been keeping tropical fish off and on after his dad bought him his first 5 gallon tank when he was 8 years old. A few years later he inadvertently spawned a pair of Pelvicachromis pulcher, which proceeded to kill off everything in the entire tank. Years later he still never forgot the beauty of those fish and has since devoted his cichlid keeping to West African Riverine Cichlids, focusing on the genus Pelvicachromis. Alex also enjoys keeping Cyprinids, swordtails Anabantoids and tetras with his "Westies" and growing Apongeton and Cryptocoryne plants in his 10 tanks.

When he's not working with his beloved "Westies" he he can be found tending over 65 roses, bonsai and carnivorous plants in his garden or nurturing his orchids and tropical plants in his greenhouse. He also keeps Bull, Corn, Louisiana Pine and Eastern Black Kingsnakes.

Professionally, Alex teaches seventh grade science at one of the larger public middle schools in the Charlotte area and spends summers near Asheville running the nature program at Camp Mondamin. "