An African cichlids care is not as difficult as one might think. They are a very hardy fish and adapt well to tank life. They are also some of the most colorful fresh water fish available. Some people say that you can get all the colors of salt water tanks without the trouble of maintaining a salt water tank.
Once you get the water pH and DH in the correct range and warm the tank to over eighty five degrees you are ready to add your fish as soon as the filtration is in place. The water in your home is not geared for these fish. They need very hard and highly alkaline water and household water must be treated prior to introducing your fish to it. The filtration is very important for the health of your fish. You would do well to install filtration in the bottom of the tank as well as on the exterior of it.
Because the cichlid fish imported from Africa come mainly from three lakes you need to find out which lake they come from. Fish from different lakes cannot survive in water that has been regulated to mimic another lake. There are more than a thousand different kinds of cichlid to choose from so selecting compatible tank mates should not be a real problem.
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.
According to many owners of these fish they recognize their humans. When their human passes their aquarium they will flock to the front glass and beg for food. They further add that if a stranger passes they will hide at the back and under plants. If true, this adds an unexpected element of camaraderie to owning fish.
If you keep the water and filtration correct and feed them properly African cichlids care can be simple. They can be some of the most beautiful fresh water fish you will find anywhere. Their colors are brighter than salt water specimens and a lot less work for the aquarium owner.
Once you get the water pH and DH in the correct range and warm the tank to over eighty five degrees you are ready to add your fish as soon as the filtration is in place. The water in your home is not geared for these fish. They need very hard and highly alkaline water and household water must be treated prior to introducing your fish to it. The filtration is very important for the health of your fish. You would do well to install filtration in the bottom of the tank as well as on the exterior of it.
Because the cichlid fish imported from Africa come mainly from three lakes you need to find out which lake they come from. Fish from different lakes cannot survive in water that has been regulated to mimic another lake. There are more than a thousand different kinds of cichlid to choose from so selecting compatible tank mates should not be a real problem.
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.
According to many owners of these fish they recognize their humans. When their human passes their aquarium they will flock to the front glass and beg for food. They further add that if a stranger passes they will hide at the back and under plants. If true, this adds an unexpected element of camaraderie to owning fish.
If you keep the water and filtration correct and feed them properly African cichlids care can be simple. They can be some of the most beautiful fresh water fish you will find anywhere. Their colors are brighter than salt water specimens and a lot less work for the aquarium owner.
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