Proper African cichlid care is not as complicated as you may think. Having a tank full of happy and vibrantly-colored cichlids is achievable with the right products and information. Cichlids care starts with a foundational understanding of these dynamic freshwater beauties.
Are you ready to dive into the world of cichlid fish care? In this complete guide, we'll walk you through expert tips for ensuring the ultimate health and happiness of your cichlid fish. From setting up the perfect habitat to creating a balanced diet, we'll cover it all. Discover the importance of maintaining water quality, understanding proper feeding habits, and creating a stress-free environment.
At Splashy Fish, we're passionate about aquatic life, and we want to share our knowledge with you. Get ready to witness their vibrant colors shine, their unique personalities flourish, and their overall well-being thrive. Whether you're setting up your first tank or looking to improve your existing one, following these expert tips will help your cichlids flourish.
African cichlids have one thing in common-they’re all beautiful. Where they can differ is in their diet, temperament, size at full maturity, and longevity. These are all considerations that will help determine the size of tank that you select as well as the type of cichlid that you choose to keep.
It’s advisable to group fish of the same species and origin in the same tank. They do not tolerate their own species trying to invade their territories. Only add to your tank one male from each species, with some of the Malawi fish the females can be as volatile as the males, in this case it can be a matter of trial and error with selecting the fish.
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There are a few ways of dealing with the aggression if it occurs, against all fish keeping principles, over stocking the tank will reduce it. The theory behind this is that with high stocking levels the fish will have problems establishing territories. The only downside to this is that the filtration used in the tank must be to a high enough standard to cope with the extra waste load that the fish will produce.
Dither fish can be introduced; these are fish that are capable of escaping the aggressors before they are injured. Malawi fish if threatened will kill other tank members to defend their spot.
New fish added to the tank start from the bottom, for the first couple of weeks they will try to keep a low profile, probably hiding a lot, if attacked by another fish they will try to swim away out of trouble. However after the initial 2 weeks they will start to fight back, this is to get their place sorted in the hierarchy and is perfectly natural. The same process will occur if a fish has been removed for a period of time for whatever reason. Once re-introduced, it will have to work its way back into the pecking order.
As I have mentioned earlier, when adding new fish re-arrange the rockwork to disturb territories, add the newcomers in the evening when the lights are out, the current inhabitants will be at their most sluggish.
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Understanding African Cichlids
Although African cichlids are found in Asia and South America, their roots are deeply planted in Africa. The three primary lakes are: Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria.
Lake Malawi is Africa’s third largest lake and is home to many types of cichlids. In fact, our research has uncovered over 2,000 species! Most Rift Lake cichlid species are endemic to one specific lake, however, they have been introduced to many parts of the world including the southern United States.
Their colors rival those of marine fish but being easier to keep and usually less expensive, they are sometimes described as "poor man's saltwater fish".
Lake Malawi
Popular Cichlid Species
- African Cichlid
- Oscar
- Angelfish
- Discus
- Convict Cichlid
It has to be the intense colouration that attracts fish keepers to the African cichlids, the males will provide an awesome display when they are in breeding mode, but a lot of buyers miss out on the fish as the juveniles will often be bland or toned down taking on the females colors, because of this they are often ignored in the pet stores.
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Another problem that this can cause is trying to sex the fish at a young age, when I have setting up breeding projects I have relied on buying a group of six fish and letting them pair up naturally.
Keeping Malawi cichlids is definitely not for the faint hearted fish keeper. All of the Malawi species originate from one place, Lake Malawi in Africa. There are more than 600 species of cichlids in this lake and they are endemic to it, you will not find them anywhere else in the world.
Most of the scientific world agrees that all the endemic species of this lake evolved from one species over a time span of thousands of years, this I find well fascinating as all of the species display uniquely vivid colouration, as well as this there are varieties in some of the body shapes.
Mbuna vs. Non-Mbuna
Mbuna cichlids are the most aggressive, they are to be found in the rocky regions of the lake, as there is less space in that region they have to spend more time defending their territories. Among the most popular species on mbuna sold are Melanochromis, Cynotilapia, Labidochromis and Pseudotropheus.
Non-Mbuna species include Aulonocara, Cyrtocara, Nimbochromis and Lethrinops. These are larger fish than the Mbuna and supposedly less aggressive, I have never found a lot of difference in the aggression myself.
Setting Up the Ideal Habitat
Creating the ideal environment is critical for cichlid care. Cichlids need ample space to thrive. A general rule is to allow at least 20-30 gallons of water for smaller species like Angelfish or Kribensis. For larger species like Oscars or African Cichlids, opt for Cichlid tanks that are 50 gallons or more.
Remember, cichlids are from the wild where they have open swimming space. They are also territorial, especially Mbunas-they love to claim their spot in the tank. Some species prefer to hang out in rock-formed caves while others are happy to just cruise the tank, but they all need space.
Keep these essential factors in mind as you shop for an appropriate tank to last their lifetime, which could be 8-10 years. If you want to take a deeper dive into Malawi cichlids, add author Ad Konings to your reading list.
The tank size for these fish is usually larger rather than smaller. Most Malawi keepers will use at least a 1000 liter tank, sometimes up to 2000 liters, the bigger the better. With all of the territorial squabbling going on space is limited anyway, give them as much as possible.
Place the tank near a power source in a low-traffic area, away from direct sunlight and drafts. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon. Pick a very sturdy, stable base for your aquarium, then fill the tank with water.
Tank Decoration
Layer about 3 inches of gravel or sand on the bottom of the tank. (That works out to 1½ pounds of gravel per gallon of water.) Rinse the gravel before putting it in the aquarium.
Cichlids love digging, so choose a sand or fine gravel substrate. Include rocks, caves, and driftwood to mimic their natural habitat. These aquarium decorations provide hiding spots, reduce stress, and help establish territorial boundaries.
Plenty of rocks should be added to the tank, build them up and create loads of hiding places for the fish. Think of it as a freshwater reef and you will soon know how to create it. Make sure that the rocks are safe for your fish; a rock with jagged edges can cause injuries, only sue the smoothest rocks that you can find.
To assist building your rock formation, I found milliput to be an invaluable epoxy to hold the rocks together. It doesn’t matter how nicely you set up the tank, the Malawi fish will rearrange everything to suit themselves. This can be very frustrating when the tank looks all nice and neat, then the fish start leaving piles of gravel all over when they have been burrowing or the plants have been uprooted after all of your effort. This is a burden the Malawi keeper has to put up with.
Fill the tank about halfway up with dechlorinated water. Add a beneficial bacteria supplement to the water to promote biological waste breakdown. Add the thermometer, heater, filter and other necessary equipment.
Time to decorate! Add plants, rocks and décor. Because cichlids are territorial, provide enough hiding areas that each fish can establish its own territory. Cichlids also like to hide, so put several cave structures in the tank. Rinse all décor before adding it to the tank. Finish by filling the tank the rest of the way with water then add the hood with lights.
Lighting
Cichlids prefer moderate to low light. Excessive lighting can lead to stress, while too little light can dull their vibrant colors.
Quality lighting is important for the colorful display of your cichlids while also maintaining a healthy tank environment for proper African cichlid care. We suggest using LED lights, for most applications, in a color spectrum intended to enhance the color of your fish.
Time it right. Just as the sun in their natural habitat warms the lake for 8-12 hours each day, we recommend giving your cichlids a break from the bright lights as your evening wraps up.
Filtration
Cichlid fish are messy eaters, so a high-quality filtration system is essential to maintain water quality. Choose an aquarium filter that can handle a tank twice the size of your actual setup to ensure adequate cleaning.
Maintaining a good filtration system will improve water quality and ultimately the health of your fish. You don’t need to get too caught up in which filter to use-there are numerous options and we have had great results with Fluval filters. Just be sure to choose a filter size that will process all of the water (gallons per hour) in your tank around five times each hour.
An aquarium filter should be able to process all of the water in the tank 5 times an hour. For example, the filter in a 20-gallon tank would need to push through at least 100 gallons of water each hour. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for choosing and setting up the filter.
As mentioned earlier in the article, the filtration in a Malawi set up has to be very high. Five times the tank volume is the least amount of water flow per hour that is required. With all of the burrowing and food consumption that is taking place there will be a lot of suspended detritus floating about in the water. This needs to be pulled out by the filters very quickly.
I would recommend using two external filters so that the water flow is spread evenly across the tank; the other advantage is that twice the media can be added to them.
Water Quality
Cichlids are sensitive to water conditions, making it crucial to monitor and maintain the right water quality.
Lake water in their natural environment is nutrient-rich and warm. To best simulate their natural habitat, the optimal water pH should be maintained between 7.8 and 8.6 and is best achieved by using natural limestone rock in your tank called Texas Holey Rock. Texas Holey Rock buffers the water pH levels naturally and provides some of the best water conditions for your cichlids.
Is the water pH low in your tank? You could be missing out on the full color potential of your fish. A stable water temperature in the range of 76°F - 82° is best for cichlids. Most cichlids thrive in temperatures ranging from 75°F to 82°F (24°C to 28°C). Some species, like Discus fish, prefer warmer water around 82°F to 86°F.
Cichlids are highly sensitive to pH fluctuations. African Cichlids generally prefer alkaline water with a pH between 7.8 and 8.6, while South American Cichlids like Discus and Angelfish prefer softer, more acidic water with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
The pH of the water should be kept at a lower reading of 7.8, and anywhere up to 8.5. Never let it drop below the minimum; if it does there are ways to increase it which I shall write about later. Malawi need hard water, the GH should always be above 10, keeping the KH to at least 8 will ensure more stability of the pH.
If you are having problems keeping your pH to the required levels then this probably means that the KH of the water is too low. One of the easiest methods of raising this is to add to your tank water sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), this should be done as slowly as possible. Raising the KH will stabilize the pH of the water to the required level. If low pH is a recurring problem, one of the reasons could be that the water flow is too low.
Keep ammonia and nitrite levels at zero, and maintain nitrate levels below 20 ppm.
Heat & light: Check the temperature your African cichlids will need before you bring them home. Tropical fish need warm water that’s between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (23-28 Celsius). Choose an aquarium heater with 5 watts of power for each gallon of water in the aquarium. A large aquarium may need a heater at each end.
Wait 15 minutes after filling the tank before turning on the heater. Place the heater close enough to the filter to distribute the warmed water. Run the tank’s filter and the tank’s hood light for 24 hours, then check the water temperature and adjust the heater if necessary.
With a heavily stocked tank, it is absolutely necessary to maintain a good cleaning regime to keep your tank free of bacteria overgrowth. Be sure to follow the water change regime recommended for your tank size and cichlid species. A weekly 25-50% water change is a good time interval to start with. The rule of thumb is to use a cleaning frequency that suits your tank size, fish population, and their feeding and waste activity.
To keep water conditions consistent and healthy, consider having a calendar reminder on your phone or keep a simple log of your water changes and filter cleaning under your tank stand.
How to Add Cichlids to Your Aquarium
Bring your cichlids home right away after you buy them and ensure you only buy cichlid varieties that are compatible with each other in diet and temperament.
