The assembly of a system for African cichlids is relatively simple and requires some important requirements.
Bear in mind that, like any tank, needs a good filtering system, partial exchange of water and a heating control that varies no more than 2 degrees 24 hours a day.
Imagine the most diverse aquariums possible because we are not talking only of fish in large lakes of the Rift Valley, "also involves fish in rivers throughout West Africa, as in other lakes Barombi MBO and the cichlids of the island of Madagascar.
These aquariums can have a wide range of parameters that you can imagine, since black water with a pH of 5.5 to brackish water with a pH above 8.6.
Aquarium fish from large lakes to the Rift Valley.
It is wrong to think that all fish to cichlids are equal!
For a single tank can be mounted several configurations depending on the species involved, these aquariums are divided as follows:
Malawi Mbunas:
Aquariums for Mbuna group, fish that inhabit rocky areas and need to play for shelter and demarcation of territory.
Malawi Haps:
To Haplocromideos of Lake Malawi, this type of aquarium does not need many rocks as they are to open more waters to fish, just some rocks for shelter in case of fights.
Malawi species:
Aquarium with the three existing groups of fish in Lake Malawi (Mbunas, Haps and aulonocaras).
Tanganika species:
Aquarius for all groups of Tanganika mixed.
Tanganika Shell Dwellers:
Aquarium fish to residents of shells!
Aquarium community of African cichlids:
Species of fish with two or three lakes together.
This mixture should be well thought, because depending on the species can occur many fights!
Define the type of aquarium and which species will live to take the idea of the size and equipment required for assembly.
A rule is usually used as reference:
Two liters of water for every inch of fish.
Take into consideration the size the fish will attain in adulthood, many believe that the fish grows as the size of the aquarium, wrong!
The African cichlids has a rapid growth in four months and double in size, is poorly designed you will have to change the aquarium because of the size of fish and fights that result in loss of copies.
Size of the aquarium!
The largest aquarium conditions that have to buy, but always above 100 liters, with a larger aquarium is easier to maintain the parameters of the system.
Basic equipment: These are the same as those of other types of aquariums, with heater thermostat, thermometer to monitor temperature, tests for pH, GH and kH, water conditioners to remove chlorine from water, etc..
There are several substrates that can be used in aquariums for African cichlids, their price can vary greatly depending on quality and tamponade.
Dolomite:
This is the cheapest option, a white gravel found in various sizes of grains, have several disadvantages, loses the power to tamper with time, depending on the thickness do much dirt.
Concha ground:
It has the same properties and disadvantages of dolomite.
Halimeda:
It is the skeleton of the algae Halimeda SPS has the appearance of oat flakes, has a great buffering due to slowly dissolve, releasing carbonate.
Aragonita:
A mineral with high power of tamponade and a beautiful appearance, take years to lose its power of tamponade.
Sand beach:
Currently this is in high use of beach sand in the assembly of African cichlids in aquariums, it's a natural look to the aquarium, and very close to the lakes found in Rift.Tem the disadvantage of being neutral, which is interesting in that type of aquarium, to resolve this issue we can put a layer of Halimeda or Aragonita at the bottom, cover with a nylon screen and cover with fine sand of the beach, another solution is the use of large quantities of limestone.
These substrates must have a minimum height of 8 cm in aquariums up to 120 liters in volume and 12 cm above it.
The cichlids of Lake Malawi are belonging to two distinct groups:
Mbuna:
That inhabit the rocky part of the lake.
Are smaller, more active and aggressive.
Usually herbivores, feeding mainly on algae is growing on the rocks and small crustaceans.
Non-Mbuna:
All other.
Less aggressive mainly because their territories are not so close together and are less defined.
Are larger and most of them are omnivores.
Feeding was fingerlings, small invertebrates, plankton and so on.
Parameters:
Temperature between 24-29 ° C.
Ideally keep the temperature between 26-27 ° C.
Higher temperatures speed up metabolism and therefore the appetite, increasing aggressiveness.
The higher the temperature the lower the rate of oxygen dissolved in water.
In both situations it would be interesting to increase the temperature to the point (29-30 ° C)
To promote spawning, or increase the appetite and consequently the growth of fish, mainly of fingerlings.
Ammonia - Nitrite - Nitrate:
All fish are generally sensitive to ammonia, but it is more toxic to the cichlids.
The ammonia in an alkaline pH is more toxic than in a neutral pH.
Lagos:
Victoria: pH 7.2 to 8.6
Malawi: pH 7.4 to 8.6
Tanganyika: pH 7.8 to 9.0
Approximate values, and of course vary in different seasons.
KH:
Refers to the degree of dissolution of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water.
The higher the grade, the water is hard.
It is responsible for buffering, which is the ability to keep the pH stable.
The water in the Rift Lakes contains much carbonate dissolved, leaving the KH between 8 to 10.
GH:
Refers to the overall concentration, especially magnesium and calcium dissolved in water.
The relationship between GH and pH is very small, but it is important for some species of plants and fish.
In the Rift Lakes, the water contains high concentrations of magnesium, leaving GH between 10 and 12.
Salinity:
The water in the Rift Lakes have high level of dissolved salts, but not the salt!
It is common to find that the water is brackish African cichlids.
To meet the water tank of potassium and trace elements, use 1 spoon of salt for the African cichlids (not iodized).
The table salt (NaCl) is recommended only under particular conditions, as control of bacteria.
Filtering:
Frequent exchanges become mandatory, so that the fish remain healthy and have their colors enhanced.
At least 20 to 30% of the water should be changed weekly.
African cichlids eat a lot, producing many waste that builds up quickly in the aquarium.
All the dirt is removed by filtration, the stronger is better.
I recommend the system "Dry-Wet", or an external filter with a capacity adequate to the volume of water of your aquarium!
Using the "Dry-Wet", this trade will not be necessary.
Dichromate:
Usually the male is larger and has more showy color that female.
But while fingerlings, all have color of females, being impossible to distinguish the sex by color.
Only when young, or even adults in some species.
In some situations, however, an adult male may be the color of the female.
For example, when a dominant male is not bothered then, attacked by the dominant, it can acquire color of female, concealing themselves as protection.
The correct way to distinguish the sex and check the channels genitals, that females are larger and more rounded.
Size of the aquarium:
The minimum volume appropriate for the creation of significant African cichlids would be approximately 200 liters (100 cm x 50 cm x 40 cm).
In all cases, the ideal proportion is 15 to 20 liters for each fish.
You should give preference to the width of the aquarium, 10 cm in width to more fara a big difference in the demarcation of territory.
Lighting:
There needs to be strong.
We give preference to those lamps that enhance the natural colors of copies.
Stones and rocks, in appropriate quantity to simulate the natural environment of the Rift Lakes inhabited by the majority of the species chosen for the aquarium.
The burrows serve as shelter and as "nest" for reproduction, they are occupied territories and become aggressively defended.
The rocks, covered with algae, serve as a food source for herbivores.
The aggressiveness is linked to the amount of play, since the less play, more competition for them.
Aggressiveness almost all species are territorial and intolerant.
Sometimes the aggression of the male fish is directly against some of similar color.
This aggressiveness makes it possible to understand the social hierarchy. "
African cichlids form a social hierarchy, which serves both as inter intra species.
Thus, a male is the dominant fish of the aquarium and the behavior more aggressive, chasing all that is approaching.
Among the species there is a dominant male, which does not tolerate any other male of his species in the aquarium.
The dominant end up killing all the other males of their species in the aquarium.
The hierarchy is best observed when there is activity of spawning in the aquarium.
The aggression of cichlids is linked primarily to two factors:
Sex and food.
To try to control the aggression, we should keep the number of males and lower than that of females, creating "haréns and mount the rocks forming many holes two to three for each male, we can decrease the dispute.
The addition of some fish fast surface (eg danios), helps to disperse the aggression.
Introduction of new fish:
By making the fish in the tank recently installed, we should avoid putting the most aggressive first.
To avoid any problems, we should put - them during feeding, may turn off the lights for the new person can find some shelter.
A new person will be persecuted almost hunted during the first weeks and not retaliate, checking the social hierarchy of the group.
When appropriate, begin to challenge those that are the foundation of the pyramid.
Since all oviparous reproduction, the females spawn and the male then fertilizes.
The females bear the fertilized eggs in his mouth and incubarão.
Larvae chocarão after 19 days on average.
When the fingerlings reach about 1 cm, will be able to feed themselves and swim freely.
Stripping Fry:
Technique of manually removing the fry from the mouth of the mother.
Thing I do not recommend, it is best to let nature follow its Curci!
Growth of fingerlings:
For a healthy and efficient growth, the trade would be more frequent and the amount of animal protein should be greater than the plant.
The temperature should be between 28-29 ° C to increase the metabolism and appetite.
