Do not feed live feeder fish to your African cichlids, as their nutritional value is limited, and they can carry diseases. Research the dietary needs of your fish and choose foods accordingly. Once the temperature is set and a water conditioner has been added, allow your aquarium to run for 48 to 72 hours before adding fish. Here are some helpful tips to make sure stocking your aquarium goes smoothly:. Many species of African cichlids are mouthbrooders, and some species can be quite prolific.
After spawning the female carries her eggs and newly hatched fry in a special pouch in her mouth. Eventually baby fish can be seen darting among rocks and other decorations, and a few will grow to adulthood. African Rift Lake cichlids are among the most rewarding freshwater fish to keep, and in many ways, they involve the least amount of work to maintain!
Please join our newsletter , connect with us on Facebook or contact us for more information. Read More. Aquarium Choose an aquarium of at least 75 gallons for a mixed community of Mbuna rock dwellers, Peacock cichlids and other medium sized species.
Lighting Live plants are not part of an African cichlid display and the fish prefer more subdued light, making standard aquarium lighting more than adequate. Substrate Standard aquarium sand or gravel can be used, but crushed coral, coral sand or crushed oyster shell will help maintain the proper pH and alkalinity to support good health and color in your African cichlids. Filtration A robust filter with strong mechanical filtration capability is a must with Rift Lake cichlids as many species love to dig, stirring up debris.
Feeding Mbuna cichlids are mostly herbivores, while Peacocks, Haplochromines and many Tanganyikan cichlids are carnivorous. Stocking Once the temperature is set and a water conditioner has been added, allow your aquarium to run for 48 to 72 hours before adding fish. Here are some helpful tips to make sure stocking your aquarium goes smoothly: Start out with juvenile fish.
They will be less aggressive and more accepting of one another as they grow to adulthood. Ask your local aquarium expert about the aggression level of each species before you buy them. Bottom-dwelling fish can make good tank mates, as long as they match the cichlids for size and aggression. Good examples are African catfish, they are fast-swimming, large, and aggressive enough to defend themselves. They have evolved in different parts of the world so they have different immune systems, which means that species from one region can make the other sick.
Most of the time, only one species of cichlid is kept per tank to avoid fighting. If a tank is big enough then more species could be added, but this will always be a risk. African cichlids eat different things in the wild such as plants, insects, and meat. Most species will happily accept both plants and meats in the aquarium.
Peacock cichlids are insectivores, meaning that most of their diet is made up of insects. Some species of the Tilapia genus are herbivores, mainly eating plants and algae.
The African butterfly would naturally eat small fish, whereas Electric yellow cichlids are more omnivorous, eating plants and the occasional fish. Always research the specific species of fish you want to keep to ensure you can provide them with a suitable diet. Though they have different diets in the wild, in the aquarium they will all be happy eating flake foods bought from stores. You can add in their natural preferences alongside fish foods. These include frozen foods, live foods fish or insects , or algae wafers.
Those species that spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank will enjoy wafer or pellet foods. This will encourage their natural behavior of sifting through the substrate for food. Bloodworms can be used now and then to mix up their diet.
Species that are used to a more herbivorous diet will enjoy raw fruit or vegetable matter that you have around the house. African cichlids are a large group of cichlids, so they could be affected by many diseases. Some common ones are:. Mixing African with South American cichlids can increase the chances of getting a disease because they have evolved different immunities. All Cichlids lay eggs and most will lay their eggs in the safety of a cave and guard them until they hatch substrate spawners.
Some species are mouthbrooders. It takes about 21 days. Once hatched, a female will look after the fry for a week or two, but after that, they must fend for themselves and the female is able to breed again. Some may show their full colors within 3 months and be able to breed within a year, but this will not be the case for everyone.
African cichlids have strong parental instincts and usually become much more aggressive during breeding times. To attract a mate they usually perform some sort of courting ritual involving specific movements and a display of colors. This can be an impressive sight to watch. This means no aqua-scaping, no addition of new fish, and no changes to the water parameters. Cichlids are able to cross-breed hybrid speciation , which is where two different species will mate.
This is much more common in captivity because females are surrounded by fewer males of their own species than they would be in the wild. These are some of the most colorful fish in the world and can brighten up any room. Thank you. Like the size ranges and suitable tank mates.
Like to hear more possible tank mates tho. Mine are convicts. Her mate was Fred. Turned 2 fish into 30 pretty quick. Have the tank gotta build a stand. Commercial stands are simply a desaster waiting to happen. Thanks, Robert. To keep snails with cichlids you need numbers, not size.
The smaller the better. Get plenty of them, as many will become a snack. Dont get too many though as they will multiply at an alarming rate. You can often get snails from pondkeepers because they are a nuisance and overpopulate ponds. I began more than 20 years ago with cobalt zebras.
I still love keeping the fish from Malawi though I have read and studied all of the others. This time around I began with different varieties of the zebras: orange, blue, blotched; and two melanochromis johanni — about fish altogether. The johannni took off — I have about a dozen or more. The zebras I totally expected to breed and they have inter-bred which as an amateur fish keeper intrigues me with the different colors and patterns. Just to add to your excellent advice: begin with the largest aquarium you can afford; use pebbles for substrate which they still move but not as easily ; the best power filter you can get cichilds are dirty and their size increases the waste ; and rocks and Java Fern provide plenty of hiding spaces.
With as many fish as I have now, I have to clean the 75 gallon aquarium once a week, but the fish provide a beautiful display of aquatic nature. Great hobby! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us Ron.
I have been planning the set up of an aquarium at home my first aquarium for some time now and, having considered at lots of different options, I feel I am getting close to making a decision.
However, I have quite a few questions. When it comes to finding the right tank setup, you just have to stick to the fundamentals. Make sure all the fish in the tank have enough space and the water is comfortable for everyone. As long as you take care of these basics and maintain a healthy tank, everyone should be just fine.
Fish that are at least six inches long should be considered larger, and require a minimum of 30 gallons of aquarium space. Smaller fish need at least a gallon tank. Should you want to add more fish to the aquarium, you should accommodate about three extra gallons per additional fish.
Keep in mind that the fish will grow, so plan your aquarium around the size of adult cichlids. Most African cichlids prefer either open water or rocky spaces, so make sure to accommodate for both. Some fish like to search for food in the sand, so it is ideal to have a fine-grain substrate they can search through without getting injured. African cichlids are very territorial, so having lots of cavities and hiding places is crucial for avoiding conflict.
Aquarium plants, furniture, and rocky caves are suitable for this. If rocks are used, they must be secure and not able to fall onto the fish in your tank.
Of course, there must also be a suitably-sized filter and heater in each tank. Special lighting is not required but often used for viewing pleasure. The water in the tank should be moving, to mimic natural current.
This is usually achieved with a regular tank filter, however, African cichlids that are found in rivers may appreciate a slightly stronger current. An additional air or water pump can be used for this purpose.
Having a water level test kit on hand is crucial for monitoring the conditions in your tank. This should be the standard protocol for ensuring that your tank is in a healthy condition for your fish. The freshwater lakes and rivers that these fish reside in have hard water. Therefore, they need a pH range of 6. The exact number is more specific to the type of fish. The ideal water temp for African cichlids is a fairly flexible range between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This should be plenty to allow you to make them comfortable and also accommodate their tank mates.
Due to the aggressive nature of these fish, there are specific types of tankmates that should be avoided. Number one on this list would be fish that prefer swimming in open water.
They will most likely be attacked since they will be mostly defenseless. However, they require different care, and will likely fight.
Bottom-feeding fish that are large enough to defend themselves will most likely be left alone, such as African catfish. These tend to be considered the ideal tank mates for African cichlids. If you want to play it safe and ensure that no one gets attacked, then the best option will always be a solo-species tank. You still get a tank of colorful and exciting fish, but you never have to worry about walking in on a horror scene. Variation in the African cichlid diet is key.
Depending on the kind you own, they might be mainly insectivores, herbivores, or omnivores. It is good to include a little of everything including a solid base of fish food. Varieties of food you can give them include small fish meat, tubifex worms, insects, cichlid pellets, frozen food, wafers, or brine shrimp, as well as some household fruit and vegetable supply. To avoid overfeeding, the fish should be given no more than they can eat in three minutes.
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