African cichlids care is not as difficult as some would have you believe. The fish themselves are very hardy and their, needs once set up, are easily followed. What is even better, their colors are as bright and varied as most salt water specimens.
There are three things that are a must with these fish. The pH levels must be correct, the DH levels must be controlled and the water temperature must remain constant. The pH level in Lake Malawi can range from 7 to 8.2 while Lake Tanganyika has a range of 7 to 9 on the pH scale. The water hardness or DH in all of the lakes is very high and the temperatures in the wild range from 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit. These levels must be met in the tank before adding the fish.
Because there are three different lakes that these fish are taken from and each lake has different water makeup you cannot mix fish from different lakes. That should not be a problem for most aquarium lovers because there are over twelve hundred different species of cichlid to choose from that occupy the lakes and even more species in the surrounding rivers that feed the lakes.
When putting the tank together there are some items that are "must have" pieces of decor. These fish need rocks arranged to have openings like caves. They will mark them as their property as soon as they are put into the water. You will also need to supply them with plastic plants with ceramic bases. They dig in the pebbles in the tank and move the plants around trying to enlarge the territory they have claimed.
One of the joys of this fish is that you can over crowd your tank and it is highly recommended that you do. With less space to become territorial about there are far fewer battles over the space. You will want to be careful not to place fish that are of the same size in your tank together because they will fight for dominance. Smaller fish will be safe so long as they are not small enough to eat.
You will have no problem feeding your fish. They will eat anything you give them. They are partial to frozen or live food such as worms and brine shrimp but flakes are just fine for them too. They need to have some vegetation also so you can float lettuce on top of the water.
The cichlid has been attributed with a personality and recognition skills. They have been said to be able to recognize their owner and crowd the front of the tank begging for food when they are near. That would show them to be an interactive pet that people can enjoy even more.
When giving African cichlids care all you want to remember is that they will need hard water, excellent filtration, a lot of hiding places and many compatible tank mates to ensure they will have a long and healthy existence in your tank.
There are three things that are a must with these fish. The pH levels must be correct, the DH levels must be controlled and the water temperature must remain constant. The pH level in Lake Malawi can range from 7 to 8.2 while Lake Tanganyika has a range of 7 to 9 on the pH scale. The water hardness or DH in all of the lakes is very high and the temperatures in the wild range from 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit. These levels must be met in the tank before adding the fish.
Because there are three different lakes that these fish are taken from and each lake has different water makeup you cannot mix fish from different lakes. That should not be a problem for most aquarium lovers because there are over twelve hundred different species of cichlid to choose from that occupy the lakes and even more species in the surrounding rivers that feed the lakes.
When putting the tank together there are some items that are "must have" pieces of decor. These fish need rocks arranged to have openings like caves. They will mark them as their property as soon as they are put into the water. You will also need to supply them with plastic plants with ceramic bases. They dig in the pebbles in the tank and move the plants around trying to enlarge the territory they have claimed.
One of the joys of this fish is that you can over crowd your tank and it is highly recommended that you do. With less space to become territorial about there are far fewer battles over the space. You will want to be careful not to place fish that are of the same size in your tank together because they will fight for dominance. Smaller fish will be safe so long as they are not small enough to eat.
You will have no problem feeding your fish. They will eat anything you give them. They are partial to frozen or live food such as worms and brine shrimp but flakes are just fine for them too. They need to have some vegetation also so you can float lettuce on top of the water.
The cichlid has been attributed with a personality and recognition skills. They have been said to be able to recognize their owner and crowd the front of the tank begging for food when they are near. That would show them to be an interactive pet that people can enjoy even more.
When giving African cichlids care all you want to remember is that they will need hard water, excellent filtration, a lot of hiding places and many compatible tank mates to ensure they will have a long and healthy existence in your tank.
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