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Beginner African Cichlid Care Methods
BEGINNER METHODS FOR AFRICAN CICHLID CARE
The methods of care for African Cichlids can vary, and it is vital that beginners to learn how to maintain ideal aquarium conditions. Once you have created the ideal environment for your African Cichlids, you may refer to the following guidelines for maintaining their nutritional and environmental needs.
Water Conditions
African Cichlids prefer a water pH within the range of 7.4 to 8.4. To achieve this, you may need to enhance your tank water with commercial “Cichlid Buffer†which can be purchased through any aquarium supplier. You’ll also need to use special Cichlid salts and trace elements for your fish to exhibit superior coloration, and provide anti bacterial conditions. Aquarium water can quickly deteriorate, and you’ll need to replace evaporated water regularly. A good filtration system is vital for optimum conditions to assist in the breakdown of bacteria, and to provide good water flow and movement. You’ll also need to use ammonia removers for superior water condition. Follow to the manual that comes with your filtration unit, and familiarize yourself with how to maintain it properly. Water temperature should range between 74- 82F.Monitor your aquarium heaters’ thermostat, to provide ideal water temperature.
Lighting
Lighting is necessary to view your fish in the evenings. It’s better to illuminate your tank from late afternoon until late evening, to better appreciate your aquarium. Full spectrum lighting
is best , and Arcadia tube bulbs are highly recommended. Avoid leaving your tank lit during the day. You may cause excessive algae problems.
Feeding
Feeding African Cichlids the right type of food is very important. Due to their extremely long intestinal tracts, it takes a long time for them to digest food. Once you have identified the four different dietary habits of African Cichlids, and know which species you maintain, you can purchase the correct food. Inappropriate foods will rot in their stomachs causing bloating, sickness and sometimes death. For this reason, foods with a large proportion of spirulina and vegetables are best. Frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp are also good for most species, but meats and live blackworms are not recommended. Researching specific foods for specific species is essential.
Aggression Control
It’s important to know that African Cichlids often exhibit aggression. Even the milder tempered Cichlids are aggressive compared to other species of tropical fish. Some species are more aggressive than others, but it’s difficult to generalize their behavior.
It’s not possible to control Cichlid aggression, but there are some things you can do to help reduce their aggressiveness. You may want to try lowering the water temperature slightly. Also focus on keeping the male population down, by learning how to identify males from females. Do not overstock you tank, and provide a variety of hiding places so that your Cichlids can establish their own territories. This should ensure a pleasant environment for your Cichlids to thrive in.
Your site gave me a lot of info—-Question is it true that you can’t mixed African Cichlids with South American Cichlids. Please reply
Thank you.
I have a 55 gallon tank that has been set up for a couple weeks. I’m almost ready to buy some Malawi cichlids, but I don’t know how to arrange my tank. If I could get some tips, they would be very helpful.
hi Harry
I have has similar questions re mixing different species as well as mixing cichlids with other tropicals to enhance the functionality within my tank.
With the result, that I’ve added a pleco to assist with the bottom feeding of all the food and plant debris.
I have found that mixing Lake Malawi species with Lake Tangykikan species quite distatrous as the latter are quite aggressive. Needless to say, I lost a pair of Lake Malawi’s due to this. I have seen a compatibilty chart at a good local pet shop here (I’m in Johannesburg, South Africa) which was very imformative. It had pics of the different fish, which meant that it could be used my the novist aquariust without having any knowledge of the scientific names.
I hope that this helps.
thanks for the info. There’s a lot more to learn, I know. More info please on starting a tank
This site also helped me greatly. What temperature should my tank be when I have Cichlids?
I have a new 290 liter tank. 1200mm long, 600mm high, 450mm wide. An undergravel filter, two Powerheads for air, a Dophin 1600 Bio-filter, a heater. Underneath the hood the water surface is covered with sliding glass panels. Fitted in the hood is 3 aquarium bulbs. The tank was filled with tapwater of excellent drinkable quality, added to that was the prescribed dosage of Nutrafin Water Conditioner Aqua Plus and also Nutrafin Cycle for new tanks. The filters and heater was running for a week before I started putting in fish. This was done in 3 batches over about 6 days.
I have 25 African cilchids – Malawies (varying sizes +- 1″ to 4″) and 2 s.catfish (1″ &1.5″). I was adviced by various people to overstock the tank to overcome aggressive nature of these fish.
The floor is a gravel & coral bed. Plenty of rock caves. Enough free open swimming space. One small mature log from an older fishtank for the benefit of the catfish. No plants at all.
They eat a variety of Daiichi frozen food and some Aquafin cilchid pellets, sinking Tetra pellets for the catfish.
I have a couple of Tetra test kits. I can’t get the ammonia en nitrite on the ideal levels. The nitrite and ammonia both stay in the beginning of the stress/danger zones. The Ph is about 8 and the water is hard(both ideal for malawies). Alkalinity is also in the ideal range. Nitrate is very low. Temperature is 28.5C
The first batch of fish was in obvious high stress (high nitrite readings and obvious stress signs) so I did a 50% water change and added more Nutrafin Cycle according to instructions. With the second batch of fish the dealer sold me a bottle Marc Weiss Rift Lake Vital which I added as prescribed by manufacturer. After that I did 2 more 20 – 30 % water changes to try get the water quality right. With 2nd water change I also added some fizzy Ammonia clear tablets from Jungle labs, yesterday I bought some Kent granular Ammonia sponge, that was put inside the bio-filter – all to no avail. I added a little salt, only about 30ml coarse food grade seasalt per water change. (I must mention the area where we live in the Western Cape of South Africa has realy exceptionally high quality tap water)
It is now 10 days since I’ve put the first batch of fish in. The fish doesn’t show signs of stress, but I’m worried that the water quality will cause stress.
your website really heled me alot but i need info on south african cichilds but thanks for your info
exellent site. I have just added an african convict to my established Malawi cichlid tank 80gallon. Will he cause, or be athreat to the others? please advise via e- mail. thanks
HOW OFTEN CAN ELECTRIC YELLOW CHICLIDS BREED? MY JUST HAD SOME FRY BUT I LOST THEM TO THE OTHER FISH SO HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT ?
Hello, I would like to know how many African Cichlids is recommended for a 55-gal tank. The filtering system is a Magnum 350 canister good for up to 75-gal. I recently purchased artificial resin reefs and plants is this recommended. Thanks, Mark.
Do you know what temputure a fishtank should be?
Generally, yes. African cichlids will claim terrritory and normally harass south american cichlids to death. You might be able to put a convict in there. The only problem is that if your tank is too small the african cichlids will kill the convict because there is not enough room to swim and the africans have teeth that do a lot of damage when they attack another fish. LOTS OF ROCKS AND OPEN SWIMMING SPACE IS A MUST>
How do you tell them apart female vs. male?
wat kind of salt minerals does the african cichlid need and where can it be found
so i bought a new 10gal tank. i’m a beginner at all of this so i’m not sure what to do about some things…
i bought my tank about a week ago, put in API aquarium salt (the recommended dose), API stress coat, and i let the water sit for a few days. i have a thermometer and i also have a heater that keeps my tank at about 76 degrees regularly. i’ve been told to weekly or bi-weekly change 25-30% of the water and treat again… i have a standard tank light at the top but i usually keep it on because i have the tank in my basement bedroom… does any of this throw a red flag yet?
i bought a few fish the other day… (after i figured the water was safe)… i bought three bala sharks all about 1.5in so far… one pictus catfish about 1.5in-2in so far… and a tiny african cichlid about a half in. so far… and i’ve been feeding them all tetramin tropical flakes and they have a nice cave that they all seem to like…
however, tonight after my second night of having the fish, one of my sharks seemed to be wounded and he died within seconds of me noticing. (mind you i asked about 100,000 questions to the sales person at the store who seemed to know a lot… about food and tank care, aggression) so…
i did a little research about the fish i have and i dont seem to have all the right foods, environment, and even the right fish together… (with fault of the sales person because he told me they’d get along)…
i’ve decided to go back to the store (with my dead bala), get my refund, and buy some bloodworms, brine shrimp, or catfish wafers… another cave and possibly a plant.
also according to my research these fish will eventually grow too large for my tank. my fiance is setting up a tank at his place now that is 55gal and when my fish get too big i’ll move them over (but he’s also a beginner)…
so my question to you is do you think there is anything else i should be doing that i’m not or have yet planned to do?
and what should i do about my fish now? should i give them to him for his bigger tank and buy smaller fish or i can stick with my plan… because i do like them a lot but i want them to be healthy and happy… (AND NO MORE DEAD, WOUNDED FISH!)
any suggestions?
thank you!!!
This site is extremely informative and has proved to be handy. Full of information and productive articles. Thanks.
I would like to say…
hello, I want to get african cichlids, i have the tank set up, i got the gravel that keeps the ph high for them. put the water conditoner and its been running for about 7 hours. How long should i wait to put the fish in, and any more suggestions?
I would like to say…The cichlid probably is the one who wounded your fish, they are aggresive! you also have to many fish in that small tank. Cichlids dont like sharing there caves with other fish they are territorial. It also sounds to me like your putting to maany chemicals in your tank, tanks take time to break in aka biological bloom! Which means your tank must build up bacteria yes bacteria before it is ready to be a home to HEALTHY fish. Not all bacteria is bad. I use a dechlorinator which removes chlorine from the water. Stay away from multi-purpose treatments things that “say” they treat many diffrent things in one. If you want a variety of fish try community fish which your cichlid is not! Platys tetras your catfish plecos are all good together. Cichlids are a little more complicated to succesfully raise and maintain, not usually recommended to new fish owners! watch out for commision based sales people they just want you to spend more and some dont care what they sell you! as long as they are making money! GOOD LUCK!
I would like to say…I have an african cichlid that keeps off my algae eaters. He killed off the one he grew up with and two since then. Mind you I have had tanks for years but never one with cichlids…a gift from my daughter. Not liking him a whole lot but what do I do with it? He is in a 20 gallon tank with another fish (forget the name) but they get along famously. He is huge by the way. When I put an algae eater in the mix the poor thing always ends up . I have tried the chinese kind and the bigger one I forget its name too. My tank has been taken over by algae and I am tired of cleaning it myself. Is there something I can do or do I need to find the ‘monster fish’ a new home?
i have put a chucklid in my tank and then it died then i cleaned my water but didnt know i needed a water heater thanks for help any other advice would be greatful?
Hello Harry.
you can mix African and South American Cichlids but the South American Cichlids need to be a little larger than the Africans. The South Americans are not as aggressive as the Africans.
I am an expert at african chiclid ibreed them secen i was seven now i am18
what would be a good tank mate 4 africans iam not sure and i need to know soon any info would be fine.
lucy u shuold try to get an pecosumes twice as big as ur african thats what i did whith my south americans
atilla i waited 1.5 months to get my comunity tank running i would just keep getting your water checked and go from ther
I would like to say… Mixing africans and south americans I wouldnt reccommend. Some south americans will kill africans contrary to what others have said. My oscar ruled the roost against all comers african or otherwise and even killed some expensive and so called very aggressive africans as large as he was. Oscars and most south americans live with pirahnas who have very large teeth. Putting a single pirahna for example the Dempseys and terrors and oscars will kill the pirahna of exhaustion for running for its life.
Hi could anyone pls give us some advice to what is wrong with one of our malawi cichlids the one is in the corner by the fillter and sucking up alge (not really the problem) the problem is that it does not eat with the other malawi’s and seems to go to the bottom of the tank and lay there for a while and then will go as far as the other side of the fillter, and sometimes chases the other fish away from that spot. It is not showing any signs of been sick or about to die, I will be most greatfull if anyone could tell us what could be the problem with this fish, thanx.
i was wondering how to test for ammonia and what level will cichlids take?
@Fred Buying an Ammonia Test Kit is the easiest way. Changing the water regularly is another tip but make sure the temperature of the new filled water is similar as the temperature of before changed water.
I have just gotten back into keeping fish and what is available now was either unobtainable or didn’t exist back than. I did keep a few Africans but have jumped back in whole heartedly. Just how frequintly should I test for Ammonia in a 55 gallon with a bio-wheel filter?
Thanks
@TonyLaMorte To be sure, check it daily.
Hi, I need some advice…My Cichlids “Malalwi Mubu” are scraping on decorations and the gravel,The tank is only 1 mounth old, I have had my water tested and everything was in the safe range. They are not showing any signs of flukes or anything else..I just added 4 more and within 5 minutes they were scraping too. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Doug
Is it ok to feed the cichlids tetra color tropical flakes?
@Tim Be sure it is recommend by fish experts.
@Doug Redesign your tank.
I was caring for some African Cichlids and when the owner came to pick it up he put them in a cooler to transport for a 7 hour drive. So when he arrived at his destination 9 out of 15 died. Oh he put salt in the cooler to calm the fish down. What would have caused the fish to die?
Ok my daughter bought a african cichlid and she was told it was a pigmy oscar. she has been using cold tap water and feeding it tropical flakes. her fish has not died so i was wondering if by chance it is not a cichlid. were new at the fish thing and taking care of them how can i find out if it is a cichlid or not.
I would like to say…that this site was very helpful and enlightening,thank you.
@LLOyd It could be the water quality inside the cooler. The temperature should not exceed by 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
I would like to say…if you lost the heater in your tank such that the water temp gradually got lower, at what point would it become to low for cichlids to survive? How long could they survive at say 50-60 degrees f ?
I would like to say…Is there a recomended ratio mix for salt for the cichlids