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African Cichlid Advice
Free African Cichlid Compatability Advice from Cichlids Are Special, your source for Quality African Cichlids at Low Prices.
Basics for keeping healthy Cichlid fish:
Most African Cichlids prefer a temperature of 78 to 80 F. They also like moderately hard to hard water with a PH of 7.8 to 8.0. Some Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika require a higher PH of 8.2 to 8.6 and are not as easy to mix with other African Cichlids. Temperature can be achieved with a quality hard case thermometer. These fish are active and they will damage or destroy hanging and soft case thermometers. PH can be raised using either a buff specifically made for African Cichlids or a salt water buff. Adding African Cichlid Reef Lake salt also tends to help with the hardness and to promote better color.
Most African Cichlids prefer a temperature of 78 to 80 F. They also like moderately hard to hard water with a PH of 7.8 to 8.0. Some Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika require a higher PH of 8.2 to 8.6 and are not as easy to mix with other African Cichlids. Temperature can be achieved with a quality hard case thermometer. These fish are active and they will damage or destroy hanging and soft case thermometers. PH can be raised using either a buff specifically made for African Cichlids or a salt water buff. Adding African Cichlid Reef Lake salt also tends to help with the hardness and to promote better color.
As with all Aquarium fish, they need quality water filtration. There are a number of filters on the market that can be used to reach this goal. I prefer Aqua Clear hanging filters, because they are easy to clean and maintain. These type filters have a sponge and a carbon insert. In addition, a bio pack insert can be added to them for even better results. The amount of filtration you need will depend on the size of the tank you are using and the number of fish you plan to stock. In general, however, the more filtration used, the better.
Feeding:
There are four types of African Cichlids: Predators (Fish Eaters), Micro-Predators (Small Invertebrates or Plankton Eaters), Omnivores (Vegetation and Small Invertebrate Eaters), and Grazers (Plant Life Eaters). Therefore, I recommend feeding African Cichlids, in Mixed Community Aquariums, a variety of foods. My favorites include: O.S.I. Spirulina, Cichlid Excel, Omni, Kent Platinum Cichlid Extreme, and New Life Spectrum Fish Food. All of these, along with many other food options, can be found in our aStore. Beware, however, of foods with high protein levels, especially Brime Shrimp Pellets. Too much of high protein foods can cause bloat, often with fatal consequences. If you choose to feed brime shrimp, feed only live brime shrimp in small portions.
Color:
With few exceptions, Male Cichlids develop the most vibrant colors, often rivaling that of some salt water fish. However, because African Ciclids are freshwater fish, they tend to be much easier to keep in the aquarium environment than salt water fish. To help males develop their maximum color, we recommend one to two female tank mate of the same species. For the best chance of spawning, its good to have at least two females to one male. Beware, however, that multiple males of the same type or with similar colors, do not mix well in the same tank. In some cases, one male in the group will tend to become dominate, and he will be the only male to reach full color. In the worst case, males may fight until only the strongest is left.
With few exceptions, Male Cichlids develop the most vibrant colors, often rivaling that of some salt water fish. However, because African Ciclids are freshwater fish, they tend to be much easier to keep in the aquarium environment than salt water fish. To help males develop their maximum color, we recommend one to two female tank mate of the same species. For the best chance of spawning, its good to have at least two females to one male. Beware, however, that multiple males of the same type or with similar colors, do not mix well in the same tank. In some cases, one male in the group will tend to become dominate, and he will be the only male to reach full color. In the worst case, males may fight until only the strongest is left.
Accumulating New Arrivals to Your Aquarium:
When you receive your fish from us we suggest that you take them inside immediately. Open the box(es), remove any heater packs (winter time), and let the fish set in their bags for 30 to 45 minutes, in order for their water temperature to come to room temperature. Next open the bags. Put your incoming fish, and the water the arrive in, into a clean (used for fish only) Bucket.
Method A) Run a small air hose from the water in your tank. Put a knot in the hose to reduce water flow to a slow drip. Allow the drip to continue until the bucket is twice as full, as when you started. Remove one fish at a time from the bucket, with a net, and add this fish, to your tank. Watch for signs of stress. If this fish shows none, continue adding fish to your tank, using a net.
Method B) Add a cup of water from your tank, to the bucket of incoming fish every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes. Fifteen minutes after adding the third cup of water, trying using a net to add one fish, to your tank. If the first fish shows no signs of stress after 10 to 15 minutes, continue to add the remaining fish to your tank, using a net.
When you receive your fish from us we suggest that you take them inside immediately. Open the box(es), remove any heater packs (winter time), and let the fish set in their bags for 30 to 45 minutes, in order for their water temperature to come to room temperature. Next open the bags. Put your incoming fish, and the water the arrive in, into a clean (used for fish only) Bucket.
Method A) Run a small air hose from the water in your tank. Put a knot in the hose to reduce water flow to a slow drip. Allow the drip to continue until the bucket is twice as full, as when you started. Remove one fish at a time from the bucket, with a net, and add this fish, to your tank. Watch for signs of stress. If this fish shows none, continue adding fish to your tank, using a net.
Method B) Add a cup of water from your tank, to the bucket of incoming fish every 15 minutes, for 45 minutes. Fifteen minutes after adding the third cup of water, trying using a net to add one fish, to your tank. If the first fish shows no signs of stress after 10 to 15 minutes, continue to add the remaining fish to your tank, using a net.
Illness Prevention:
It is best to set up a quarantine tank for new arrivals. For African Cichlids, to avoid possible ICH problems, I suggested treating them with Quick Cure (up to one drop per two gallons) for three days, than one drop per two gallons every other day for an additional eleven days. Be sure to get plenty of air (02) into the tank and do not over treat. If fish stress do a 50% water change and reset treatment to 1/2 dose. This treatment will destroy your bio, however. Every 3 days do a 25% to 50% water change and reset the dosage. Be careful not to overdose. Only increase dose to 1 drop per gallon if you see white spots starting to appear on the fish. Quick Cure usally knocks out ICH on fish and swimming ICh in about three days. But, ICh produces spores that contain more ICH swimmers that will return later. Therefore, treatment needs to continue for 14 days to break the ICH cycle.
IF a bacteria attach occurs in African Cichlids use Rally Reef. However, do not mix it with Quick Cure.
For catfish, I suggest using Kich-ICH. Quick Cure will kill catfish. This needs to be done in a separate tank from any tank being treated with Quick Cure. Do not mix Qick Cure and Kich-ICh or Ruby Reef Rally treatments.
IF a bacteria attach occurs in catfish use Rally Reef.
It is best to set up a quarantine tank for new arrivals. For African Cichlids, to avoid possible ICH problems, I suggested treating them with Quick Cure (up to one drop per two gallons) for three days, than one drop per two gallons every other day for an additional eleven days. Be sure to get plenty of air (02) into the tank and do not over treat. If fish stress do a 50% water change and reset treatment to 1/2 dose. This treatment will destroy your bio, however. Every 3 days do a 25% to 50% water change and reset the dosage. Be careful not to overdose. Only increase dose to 1 drop per gallon if you see white spots starting to appear on the fish. Quick Cure usally knocks out ICH on fish and swimming ICh in about three days. But, ICh produces spores that contain more ICH swimmers that will return later. Therefore, treatment needs to continue for 14 days to break the ICH cycle.
IF a bacteria attach occurs in African Cichlids use Rally Reef. However, do not mix it with Quick Cure.
For catfish, I suggest using Kich-ICH. Quick Cure will kill catfish. This needs to be done in a separate tank from any tank being treated with Quick Cure. Do not mix Qick Cure and Kich-ICh or Ruby Reef Rally treatments.
IF a bacteria attach occurs in catfish use Rally Reef.
Other Web Sites with Cichlid Information Links:
cichlidresearch.com
cichlidrecipe.com
aquarticles.com
allcichlids.com
thatpetblog.com
wetwebmedia.com
aquahobby.com
http://www.riftlakes.com
aquahobby.com
cichlidresearch.com
cichlidrecipe.com
aquarticles.com
allcichlids.com
thatpetblog.com
wetwebmedia.com
aquahobby.com
http://www.riftlakes.com
aquahobby.com
Fish Forum Links:
Cichlid-forum.com
eastcoastcichlids.org
Monster Fish Keepers
www.cichlids.com
fishprofiles.com
africancichlids.net
wetwebmediaforum.com
LakeMalawiforum
cichlidforums.com
cichlidae.com/forum
cichlidzone.com
aquariumadvice.com
Cichlid-forum.com
eastcoastcichlids.org
Monster Fish Keepers
www.cichlids.com
fishprofiles.com
africancichlids.net
wetwebmediaforum.com
LakeMalawiforum
cichlidforums.com
cichlidae.com/forum
cichlidzone.com
aquariumadvice.com
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