CICHLIDS

By: Gatekeeper

Your enjoyment will come not from having vast shoals of brightly-colored fish milling endlessly about your living room, but rather from watching and appreciating the fabulous parental behavior of a wonderful little cichlid.

Water Conditions -

First, these Cichlids enjoy waters with an alkaline pH, that is, above 7.0. The ranges for the lakes Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria are listed below.

These values are approximations; ranges in nature may be more or less, but these are the values we have found the resident Cichlids can tolerate well. For the sake of ease, I recommend keeping tanks which house African Cichlids at a stable pH of 8.2-8.4, which fish from all three lakes will appreciate. The water African Cichlids live in is also very hard, containing many dissolved minerals and salts.

Since these fish appreciate this higher pH, African Cichlids are one of the few fish whose aquariums may be decorated with coral and shells, which normally push the pH of a freshwater aquarium above most fishes natural ranges. In some instances, it may be necessary to buffer water to reach these higher pH levels. There are many suitable commercial "Cichlid Buffers" on the market which can be used. Many of these manufacturers also offer "Cichlid Salts" and "Trace Elements". We recommend using both the salts and trace elements, as fish which are kept in water containing them often exhibit superior coloration (because they are in water which more exactly recreates their natural conditions).

Choosing The Appropriate Aquarium -

The next thing to consider is the tank itself. When choosing the size and shape of the aquarium, it is important to remember the larger the capacity and the more surface area (length and width), the greater the selection of Cichlids you have to choose from. In addition, you are less likely to experience losses due to aggression. Related to this, you should also "over filter" a Cichlid tank in most instances. This is because they are usually kept in conditions which require it.

Tank Decor -

Finally, decoration is extremely important in the African Cichlid tank. Species which are mouth brooders tend to have less of a need for permanent territory, whereas substrate spawners tend to defend a more or less permanent home. In any case, all Cichlid tanks should be moderately to heavily decorated with rock. Preferable types are slate, tufa, lava, "pagoda", petrified wood, "lace rock", and most other rocks offered for sale at your aquarium store. AVOID the large chunks of glass sold as DECO or GLASS ROCK. Always be sure to purchase your rock from an aquarium dealer. It will cost more, but it is almost guaranteeably safe and clean.

Besides rock, we also usually have gravel in display tanks, and possibly plants and driftwood. If you plan to use a substrate, make sure it is a natural color. Dark and light gravels both have their disadvantages, some fish will look better on one or the other. Sand (not silica, crushed coral sand is recommended) is an option if you are not planning on using an undergravel filter, and this is a good substrate. Many African Cichlids prefer sand, such as Aulonocara, many of the Shell-Dwelling Neolamprologus, Xenotilapia and Enantiopus among others. Plants can be used sparingly, although they usually take up too much swimming space, especially in the case of mouthbrooders. Fake plants are usually the way to go, although there are a few suitable live plants, such as Java Fern, Vallisneria sp., and Anubias sp. Sometimes, your Cichlids may dig live plants up, so always plant them in a pot. Also, some Cichlids will eat your plants too, especially if underfed. Unless prepared to possibly lose live plants, go with their fake plastic alternatives. Although it looks nice, driftwood is not usually recommended, as it can lower the pH of your aquarium and stain your water yellow with tanic acid.

Maintenance

Maintenance of this type of tank is relatively straight-forward, and consists of three things other than feeding the fish. You have to:

1. Waterchanges

Waterchanges is one of the most boring events. If you have several big aquariums it sux. But if you want to keep extreme cichlids like Tropheus it's a must. If you miss once it's most possible that some of them get sick and die. Malawicichlids is more forgiving.

How often?

Once every week is often enough for the ordinary aquarium and everything besides Tropheus. I you like to breed Tropheus two times a week is more adequate.

How much?

If you change often 10-20% percent is good value. I change once a week 30-40%.

Water treatment?

This is most depending on your water values. Where I live the water quality is very good. pH is about 7 and dGh is always low.

To fix these values I only ad salt without iodine and bicarbonate to the water when I fill the aquarium.

Waterchanging methods?

• The bucket way

• Changing with a hose

• Semiautomatic

• Automatic

The bucket way

Don't use this method if you have more than one aquarium! You use a hose to suck the water to a bucket. Use the bucket to fill the aquarium with water.

Changing with a hose

I use this method thou my aquariumroom is prepared for a semiautomatic system. You use a thick hose to suck the water out. Another hose is connected to the shower so you can fill the aquarium. I don't use the same host concerning diseases. This method gives the fishes a boost since so much new water adds.

Semiautomatic

You need an overflowing system (see the picture) that transports the water away. When you need to do a waterchange all you have to do is fill the aquarium with water. It will automatically overflow. Disadvantages with this method is that you need to drill a hole in your aquariums and the fishes doesn't get the same boost. On the other hand it's much easier. If you have many aquariums this is a must.

Automatic

Please write to me if you have any experience about automatic systems.

2. Rinse the sponge filter

You can do this when you do your weekly water change. Take out the sponge filter and squish it in one hand under some warm water. The first squish you will see lots of dirt come out in the water. Repeat the squishing until you no longer see signs of dirt coming out. This is actually good wrist exercise. Five or ten squishes is usually enough. Reattach the sponge. That's it!

3. Clean the glass

You shouldn't need to do this more than say once a month. Use your white scrubee pad. Rinse it under warm water to clean it. Don't use any soap! By the way, you are only doing this for the sake of visibility -- the green algae doesn't hurt the fish at all, in fact, they eat it. For that reason, I usually let the algae grow everywhere but on the front glass.

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