cichlids

 

Algae Control

 

Algae out-breaks are common in African Cichlid aquariums. In this article, I will explain why, and also give some pointers on how to rid your tank of it and prevent its return. Algae is a plant, and plants need four things to grow: light, nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Let's take a look at these in order. Light Fortunately, cichlids don�t have any specific wavelength requirements. Plants, on the other hand, predominantly use blue and red light, while reflecting green. (Lamps that emit red and blue light shed a fluorescent purple light on your tank.) Now cool white and a lot of cheap aquarium tubes are heavy in the yellow/green spectrum, which just so happens to be what we see best. By using one of these lamps, you deprive algae (and other plants) the wavelengths they need most. Don�t get too excited, however, because algae will readily adapt to any environment, but by using a lamp heavy in yellow and green light, you are putting the algae at a disadvantage. One of the greatest causes of algae out-breaks can be linked to running the lights too long. With my first tank, I used to run my light (which unfortunately came from a reef tank, and emitted red and blue light) 16 hours a day. As a consequence, I couldn't ever keep my water clear. Cichlids don�t need lots of light, nor do they need any specific wavelength. A good rule of thumb is to not run your lights for more than 10 hours, and certainly not more than 12. Also, whenever possible, keep your tank out of direct contact with sunlight. Sunlight will only turn your water green before you know what happened, not to mention the drastic temperature fluctuations it will inflict upon your fish. Nitrogen Plants need nitrogen in order to grow. They get this from your fish. Most of the nitrogen in a tank actually comes from fishes' gills, but a large percentage also comes from fecal waste. I won't go into any detail about the nitrogen cycle here, but once nitrogen has been broken down into NO3, it can be used by plants, such as algae. Overstocking your tank or overfeeding the fish can cause nitrate levels to skyrocket--providing an environment for algae to flourish and a stressful environment for your fish. Regular water changes, proper and sufficient filtering, and even cichlid-friendly plants (e.g., Anubias spp.) will ensure that nitrate levels stay where they should be--below 25ppm. Phosphate Perhaps the number one reason for algae outbreaks in Cichlid tanks is due to the water requirements of these fish. Cichlids require "hard" water, with lots of minerals. Magnessium, Bicarbonate, and Phosphates are among the most common minerals in tap water. Plus, a lot of commercial fish foods have Phosphate added to them. There is not much you can, or should do, to lower the phosphate levels in an African Rift Lake aquarium. Potassium There is not a whole lot to say about this. Potassium is found in many fertilizers, and you only have to watch out for this if you are trying to grow other plants. But, Potassium can actually be beneficial in helping other plants to uptake other nutrients. These other plants can then (hopefully) outcompete the algae. Treatment There are a lot of chemicals out there that claim to kill the algae and return your tank to its previous clarity. With my first tank, I tried "Algae Destroyer," and "Brite N' Clear." They did work, but they also killed off my plants. I would discourage you from using these regularly becuase they chelate (i.e., remove) excess phosphates from your water, which is needed to maintain the water conditions your cichlids prefer.

Plants and African Cichlids

There is a pervasive belief that the only way to keep African cichlids is to create large rock piles and to leave it at that. May I suggest a better way � an aquarium supplemented with plants. Plants will not only add beauty to the tank, but they will create a more stable and harmonious environment. Plants act as living filters, consuming the toxic waste products produced by your fish while giving off oxygen. They also provide an amazing number of hiding places. Both fry and adults find refuge in the additional hiding spaces created by the overgrowth of live plants. Furthermore, the leaves will create shade, giving the fish a sense of security, causing them to spend a greater amount of time out in the open. Perhaps this belief that rocks are all that�s needed is due to the typical failure of aquarists to successfully keep their plants alive in a rift lake set up. Contrary to popular belief, live plants can be kept successfully with African cichlids. That�s right; you read correctly. You may be dubious, but with a little information and a few tricks, soon your plants will be flourishing and you�ll find yourself trimming them back. There are few tricks that I�ve learned over the years and I�d like to share them with you.

I had to learn these tricks the hard way � by trial and error (mostly error). When I first began keeping cichlids, I tried my hand at aquatic horticulture (on a very small scale), but quickly gave up any hope of ever keeping plants with my cichlids. It would be another three years before I would try again. Photographs of Dutch-style aquariums rekindled my interest and now I was ready to give it a more devoted effort. It�s important to appreciate that not all African cichlids are the same, and not all plants are the same either. Before attempting to plant your tank, you need to educate yourself with the possibilities. Most aquatic plants will not thrive in the alkaline water conditions required by African cichlids. This quickly reduces the selection of possible plants, but the good news is that there are still more than two dozen plant species to chose from. In my article Plants 102 I will discuss each of these plants and its specific care. What I want to discuss here is simply the idea that not just any plant will work and some that will work with one cichlid, will not work with another. Generally speaking, however, thick leafed Anubias species and Java Fern will work with practically any set up. But before you head off to your local fish shop, let�s talk about a few planting tips. The first tip is to consider lighting. While not all plants require a lot of light, the proper spectrum of light should be provided. Make sure your aquarium is outfitted with a fluorescent tube that emits light in the blue and red ends of the spectrum. Wavelengths of 450 and 680 nm are those that are utilized by plants; therefore, your lights must provide these wavelengths. You may be able to make due with a single light strip depending upon the light intensity requirements for your plants, but I recommend a dual light strip even for the low-light intensity plants to ensure the best growth, especially if your tank is over 18-inches tall. Algae outbreaks are another discouraging problem often experienced in planted rift lake aquariums. This is due to the high level of phosphates in the hard water and intense lighting required by the plants. The regular use of chemicals like Algae Fix™ will greatly reduce the amount of pernicious algae growth. Regular water changes are also important in keeping your nitrates below 5 ppm and consequently the algae in check. Plecostomus usually get along well in african cichlid set ups. I�ve found bristlenose plecos to be far superior to the common pleco in clearing algae. Be aware, however, that plecos will munch on soft plants. This brings us to our third point of consideration. Third, it is important to know what plants will thrive with your mix of cichlids. Vegetarian cichlids should not be kept with most of the soft plants because they will devour them. I learned this the hard way. I had just planted my 75 gallon aquarium with 25 18-inch spiral valls before moving three of my adult Pseudotropheus sp. �Acei� to this tank. The Acei wasted no time in razing this small water garden; within two days it was gone. In fact, their feces were bright green for a couple days following this tragedy. Note, spiral valls work just fine with other non-herbivorous cichlids. The lesson is to know your fish and pick your plants accordingly. Vegetarians can be discouraged from nibbling on your plants by keeping them well fed. Providing vegetable matter in their diet on a daily basis is also helpful in keeping them distracted. Blanched vegetables like zucchini slices and spinach leaves are usually accepted with delight. The fourth item in need of consideration is how to plant your plants. The answer varies from species to species as some do best if fastened to a rock or driftwood while others should be planted in gravel or sand. Again, specifics will be covered in greater detail in Plants 102. Perhaps the most daunting thing about keeping plants with cichlids is the latter�s tendency to dig and uproot the plants. Any plants should be fastened to prevent the cichlids from uprooting them. Java Fern should be tied to drift wood or rocks with black string or fishing line. Other plants should be potted (when possible) and wedged-in with rocks (refer to photos). Plants can be effectively potted by using small red clay pots. A pebble can be used to block the drainage hole to prevent everything from falling out the bottom. Next you can put in a couple of centimeters of peat moss mixed with a pinch of micronized iron. The pot is then filled with gravel. I like to pack the plants thickly in these pots because if any gravel is visible, some cichlids will pick at it until the plants are uprooted. The last trick is the use of additives. I strongly recommend the use of sea salt, NOT plain Sodium Chloride. Sea salt contains not just Sodium but traces of other important elements as well. BUT use it sparingly. Add only 1 teaspoon of sea salt to every 8 gallons of aquarium water. Note this is quite different than the tablespoon per 5 gallons often recommended for medicinal treatments. The use of fertilizers is also strongly encouraged. If you want to keep plants with African cichlids, it can be done, but it�s important to provide proper and adequate lighting, to put your plants in pots, to perform frequent water changes, and to use phosphate-chelators, sea salt, and plant fertilizers. Most importantly, learn about the diets of your fish before purchasing any plant and then chose the toughest plants.

Determing Your Cichlids' Gender

 

Determining the sex of fish seems to be a very popular question. This is not always as easy or reliable as one might hope; nothwithstanding, there are several techniques for determining a fish's gender. If your fish are dimorphic (i.e., males and females have distinct coloring patterns), the task will be rather easy. All you need to do is find pictures of both the male and female for your species, and then simply compare. Sometimes fish that are dimorphic have very subtle differences and distinguishing them can be difficult, and may not always be apparent. In this case, solving the mystery of gender for these fish should be addressed as if they were monomorphic (i.e., males and females look similar). Determining the gender of monomorphic species requires a process commonly called "venting."This involves removing the fish (with wet hands) and examining their dorsal side, looking for the genital pore between their anus and anal fin. As these twopictures demonstrate, the more anterior pore is the anus, while the second pore is the genital papilla, or vent. The genital papilla (also called an ovipositor for females) is the pore through which the fish will excrete either eggs or milt. Generally speaking, females will have a larger genital papilla than their male counterparts. This larger size is needed to accommodate the passage of eggs. This difference is more difficult to distinguish for substrate egg layers (e.g., Neolamprologus spp.) because their eggs are smaller than those of female Mouthbrooders.

	Male Frontosa		Female Frontosa

There are some cases where certain species demonstrate pigment differences between the male and female vent. And with some species, males will have an elongated and tapered genital papilla, such as the Julidochromis regani. With these males you can move your finger across the vent region from left to right and the genital papilla will also move. When venting your fish, be sure to handle the fish only with wet hands. I have found that grabbing them with a net gives me a little extra grip so that they can't slip out of my hands. Also be sure that you do not keep them out of water for more than about 30 seconds. You want to make this as un-stressful as possible, so try to keep the number of times you examine them down to no more than 3. Once you have sexed your cichlid, you will want to keep it separate from other un-sexed cichlids. Think about how you are going to address this before you start handling them. There are other methods aquarists use to sex their cichlids, albeit less reliable. Some of these include noting behavioral differences, size differences, body and fin shape differences, as well as the presence of egg spots. Most male Mouthbrooders have at least one egg spot on their anal fin, if not many more than this. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of species where males exclusively have egg spots. Many females also commonly display at least one egg spot. This fact makes relying upon the presence or absence of egg spots unreliable at best, but it can still be helpful, as males tend to have more egg spots than females of the same species. Note this is a broad generalization. Another "shotgun" method is relying upon body size, as males are often larger than females. And then with some species, particularly Lake Malawi species, fin shape is a somewhat reliable method for determining gender. Below I have posted pictures of wild pair of Auloncara hansbaenschi. A difference can be seen by looking at the most posterior portion of their dorsal fins. Males' dorsal fins end with an exaggerated point, while females' dorsal fins end with a rounded curve.

The only sure way to determine the gender of your African cichlid is to examine their vent region. Sexually mature adults are, of course, easier to sex, but with experience you will soon be able to determine the gender of most species at as early as four months of age with a high degree of accuracy. Aquarists familiar with a particular species often rely upon some of the differences we've just discussed even though these are not fail-safe. Again, venting is the only sure way to determine your fishes’ gender.
Tumbling Cichlid Eggs
Tumbling your Cichlid eggs can sometimes be a critical necessity, for instance, if your mouthbrooding female spits the eggs out before they have hatched or if you accidentally (or purposefully) strip the eggs from the female too early. In this article, we will discuss why you need to tumble your eggs, when to tumble them, and for how long.
Mouthbrooders differ from other egg-layers in that their eggs are non-adhesive, whereas most substrate spawners� eggs stick to whatever they are laid on. Substrate spawn-ers, like most American Cichlids and many Tanganyikans for example, will guard the eggs after laying them and the female will fan the eggs by waving her pectoral fins back and forth. In this way, the female increases the oxygen available to the eggs. Mouthbrooders, on the other hand, suck water through their mouths and over the eggs, gently rotating them in their buccal cavity. The concept is essentially the same: the eggs need lots of oxygen. If not, they will quickly necrose and succumb to fungus and rot.
In 1954, the scientific community demonstrated just how vital the churning action provided by mouthbrooding females is to the eggs. In an experiment, Evelyn Shaw and Lester Aronson created large flows of water over Tilapia macrocephela eggs. By placing them in a special tube with slight depressions the eggs were not allowed to �roll over� or tumble. The sides of the eggs exposed to the current lived while those parts turned away from the flow died. This experiment performed almost half a century ago clearly demonstrated that the churning of the eggs in a mouthbrooder�s buccal cavity is to expose all parts of the eggs to oxygenated water. This experiment further demonstrated that the fungus that appears on dying eggs is not what kills the egg, but is merely a secondary infection.
Now that we understand why Cichlid eggs need to be tumbled, let's talk when to tumble them. Female Cichlid mouthbrooders typically incubate their eggs for a period of 21-32 days, with 28 days being more typical. It usually takes the eggs 14-21 days to hatch. If you end up with eggs that have not yet hatched (either accidentally or purposefully) it will be imperative to tumble them. And even once their heads and tails have "popped out," I still would encourage you to tumble the eggs (perhaps a little less vigorously) until the fry can move around a bit. But for sure, once the fry are "free-swimming," tumbling is no longer necessary. At this point, the fry will still have their egg sac, which will take several more days to be completely absorbed. This egg sac contains their food source so you shouldn't feed them until this is gone.
The basic idea of tumbling your eggs is to gently rotate them. The simplest way to do this is to place them in a small container, which can then be placed inside a fish tank. Something with a rounded bottom is best because square containers often allow the eggs to get stuck in a corner. This container doesn't have to be very big. It could be a plastic soda bottle or even a food strainer (i.e., collander). I have found the best thing to use is an old undergravel filter lift tube. More on this later. Using an air tube (airstone is optional), I adjust the bubbler so that the eggs are barely moving. It is important that they not rest on the bottom. You don't want them bouncing hard, just gently moving. If you bounce them too hard, they will bruise and die. Remember, you are trying to simulate what the mother does for her eggs.
Here are a few tips that I have picked up along the way:

• Check on the eggs several times a day to make sure there aren't any dead fry or fungused eggs. This often happens if not all of the eggs were fertilized. If you find any dead fry or eggs, remove them right away to preven fungus from spreading and killing the rest of the brood.
• Be prepared to experiment and find a method that works best. Do expect to keep all or any of the first couple attempts (and you'll be happily surprised when you do!). Also, the eggs of some species require a little different tumbling technique. For instance, those who produce small eggs, like most Victorian Haps, hatch best when they are gently bounced on the bottom of the tumbler. Larger eggs, like those of C. frontosa, Tropheus, and Cyprichromis should not bounce. These hatch better if they are just gently moving on the bottom of the tumbler, in a swaying motion. Mbuna eggs, I have learned, are the most forgiving and do fine with either method.
• The time it takes to hatch is strongly dependent upon temperature. The higher the temp, the sooner they'll hatch. Be careful though, because the temperature also affects the speed with which the fungus grows and could potentially kill the whole brood. I suggest starting with a temperature of 78�F for the first couple of days, watching for any dead or unfertilized eggs, and then slowly increasing the temperature to 80�F - 82�F.

How To Strip Mouthbrooders
I tend to be a naturalist when it comes to my fish. That was, at least until my first holding mouthbrooder (Hap. sp. "Ruby Green") didn't carry her brood full term (and ended up swallowing the eggs) and my second holding female (Lab. trewavasae) held her eggs for over 31 days. At that point, she was very emaciated and weak. Concerned, I tried to strip the eggs. I looked at dozens of web sites where people explained methods for stripping the eggs using a turkey baster, or a Q-tip. The owner at my LFS told me that he just puts a pregnant female in a cup or holds her out of water for a minute in order to get her to spit them out. Well, the turkey baster idea sounded pretty experimental and the other ideas didn't work. So on day 32, I took the female to the LFS where I bought her. The dealer was kind enough to get them out and I brought home 24 fry!

	This is a photo of me stripping the eggs from a female Labidochromis caerulus after three weeks of "holding." Note how I grip her using the net.

What that LFS owner did was hold her lower lip open with his finger nail, while holding her by the gills with his other hand. To prevent her slippery body from getting away, he held her wrapped in a fish net. So then, holding her out of water, with her mouth being held open with his finger nail, he dipped her head into the water until all of the fry swam out. Now, this process took a good two - three minutes, and I was a little uncomfortable having her out of the water for so long. I use this same technique now but hold the female under the water.
Often times, I don't have to hold her mouth open in order to get them all out. I will use my finger nail to get about 10 out. After that, she will typically ram the sides of the net, trying to get away, and in the process, drops the rest...right there in my net!
If you don't wait long enough and end up pulling the fry out too early, they will still be in egg-form, "unhatched." If you are caught in a situation with eggs and no mother willing to take them back (as has happened to me when I have pulled a fish out of the community tank), you will need to raise the eggs in a tumbler, otherwise they will succumb to egg rot.
To prevent a situation like this, however, I wait 2-2.5 weeks before I remove the female from the tank with the other fish. That way, if she does spit the eggs, they are developed enough that I don't have to worry about egg rot. And, I typically strip the female at this time anyway.
There are at least two advantages to stripping a female early:

1. She doesn't shrink as much due to fasting
2. She can join her tank mates and mate again all that much sooner.

Once your female has released the fry, it is typically a good idea to keep your female in a tank all by herself for 1-7 days depending upon how aggressive your male is, and how weak your female appears. I wait until she has eaten 2-3 meals. (This is also a good way to ensure that all of the fry have been released.) A recovering female usually does not show interest in food for 12 hours until after "releasing."
I don't necessarily recommend the turkey baster method for stripping a holding female, but here is the technique. Note, it works very well but can be a bit brutal on a female.

1. Insert the female head down into the tube of a kitchen baster.
2. Insert the lower 1/3 of the baster into a container of water from the nursery tank.
3. Replace the baster bulb and gently squeeze the bulb. The young are safely expelled from the mother's mouth and into the water.

Stripping mouthbrooders is often times necessary but care should be taken so as not to injure the female's jaw and to not overly stress her. Some hobbyists argue that stripping should not be done as it leads to future generations of females who won't "hold" their fry full term. I'm not saying this isn't a potential consequence even though I have not seen proof of this myself, but what I am saying is that many times this practice can actually be better for your fish than to allow them to release the fry naturally. And, it certainly has the potential for higher yields of fry over time.
Getting Your Cichlids To Breed
Cichlids in general are prolific spawners, but they don't always cooperate. Below, I've prepared some comments about breeding cichlids and included some tips for getting your cichlids to spawn. These are some methods I've used and that seem to work pretty well for me. I hope they help!
Breeding Tips Perhaps the best piece of advice I can give you to get your Cichlids to breed is to keep them healthy. A good filtering system, with regular water changes, with the water chemistry matching their requirements, will keep them in good spirits. Only healthy fish will be interested in mating. Because females will be required to incubate the eggs for up to four weeks, she will need to be strong and healthy before she will be able to go without eating for that period of time.
It is also a good idea to have several females to one male of each species you keep. This way, not just one female takes the aggression of the male. Having at least 2 females will spread the damage an aggressive male will dish out. And, if he is not ripping their fins too often, they will be stronger and healthier, and hence more likely to mate.
Diet is also important. I raise my Victorians and Malawi Cichlids on spirulina flake, with supplements of brine shrimp, blood worms, krill, and plankton. It is important to go light on the latter in order to prevent them from getting "Malawi Bloat." But feeding them frozen food once a week (and only what they can consume in about 30 seconds) seems to get them in the mood. I have noticed that most of my Cichlids have spawned within a few hours after I feed them one of these frozen foods. The most plausible explanation for this is that when a fish is going to breed, it has a certain amount of energy and materials (e.g., proteins, fats, etc.) that it can spare from the resources it needs to survive and grow. These materials will be put into the eggs. And so by feeding your Cichlids protein-rich foods they then have more resources to put into making eggs. The more resources they have available, the more eggs they'll make.
The last thing that I know has helped me and many others in getting their fish to spawn are caves. I use holey rock (limestone) with its many tunnels and caves. I know some people use clay pots. What's important is that they have a place they can hide, and call their own. This is especially important for mouthbrooders because they will need extra protection from enemies while they are holding because they can get pretty thin and weak.
Just a word of encouragement for any first-timers: The first time mating for a female is the biggest milestone. Once she has reached maturity and learned how to mate, she will continue to spawn with surprising regularity. Also note, I have noticed that the first time a female gets pregnant is often unsuccessful. They tend to be finicky and don't carry the eggs full term (either swallowing or spitting them out after a week). All of my females have had some sort of trouble the first time they conceived. But by the second time, they usually figure it out.
Still Can't get them to spawn, huh? One problem people often experience is that their fish are overfed. What you can do, if they are sexually mature, is to separate mating pairs (you could do this with dividers, separate tanks, etc.) and starve them for a week. It is important to separate them because Cichlids get more aggressive with hunger. You should notice males digging a lot, making nests, and preparing to spawn. After a day or two of this behavior, reintroduce the females and wha-la! -- they should spawn.
Some supposedly easy-to-breed species can often be finicky. Make sure they have personal nooks, males have ample female selection (ratios of at least 2 females to one male), and keep water temps around 76�F or 78�F, with alkaline, hard water.
I would just encourage you to be patient. Some species, like Auloncara and nyererei are very slow to reach reproductive levels.

Mouthbrooders

Most African Cichlids are what's called "maternal mouthbrooders." Mouthbrooders are highly advanced from an evolutionary standpoint. They have developed a method for protecting their young at the most vulnerable time of their development. Mouthbrooders brood their eggs in their mouths!
Once a male has fertilized the eggs, the female will pick them up, and incubate them in her mouth for a period of 21 to 36 days, depending upon the species and temperature of the water. While "holding" the eggs, the mother does not eat, which can be very taxing on her, especially if she and the male are still in the same tank, as he will chase her, trying to mate with her yet again. I have observed, however, that during the last week of incubation, the mother will pick at small pieces of flake � most likely to feed to her fry. Once the yolk sac has disappeared and the fry are free-swimming, she will release them.
Most male Cichlids (and even some females) have "egg spots" on their anal fin. In this photo of a male Ps. Zebra (to the right), nine egg spots can be seen clearly. I have seen males with anywhere from 1 to 12 egg spots. Some will even have more on the posterior tip of their dorsal fin as well. These egg spots seem to serve a useful purpose in getting females to spawn, or in the indirect fertilization of her eggs. More on this below.
They are called egg spots because, to the female, they appear to be eggs. They are the same size as eggs (in my estimation) and the same color. Furthermore, as the male does his shimmying dance, the spots will wave. The movement of these spots on the male's fin induces her to either lay her eggs, or if she has already picked up her laid eggs, the movement will cause her to think that she has left some behind. She will then open her mouth and reach for them. At this point, the male will release his sperm into the water, fertilizing the eggs on the gravel, or in her mouth if she has already picked them up.
The male will repeat this process dozens of times, and seems to only stop because the female loses interest. It seems logical to me that after a few dozen fertilizations, the female would be confident that they've been successfully fertilized by that point. Now whether the male actually releases sperm each time he does his dance and she shows interest, I don't know. Probably not.
Interestingly enough, females will spit out eggs during their incubation period if they were not fertilized. If you watch your pregnant female closely throughout her holding period, you will notice that the load she carries in her mouth decreases after a few days. You may even be lucky enough (or rather unlucky) to see her discard them. Once she spits them, they probably won't be around for long if she has any tankmates. Recently, however, I found an unhatched egg among a group of fry that I stripped from a wild Protomelas taeinolatus, but this is a rarity in my experience.
Several studies performed by Eva Hert have shown that egg spots are not absolutely necessary for fertilization but that females prefer, and more stimulated by, males that have them. In fact, she determined that egg spots have the effect of priming females to produce more eggs!
In her first study, Hert showed that females of Haplochromis elegans prefer males with egg spots. She divided a group of males into two, the experimental males from whom she erased the anal fin spots (by touching the skin briefly with a metal that had been dipped in super-cold liquid nitrogen) and the control males whose spots remained intact. Females found the males with egg spots more attractive than those lacking them.
In a subsequent experiment, she showed that males who possessed more egg spots primed females to produce more eggs. Females placed with males showing egg spots produced twice as many eggs as females placed with males lacking them! She later did this experiment with Ast. elegans and achieved the same results.


What makes Tanganyikans different from keeping Lake Malawi cichlids is the ability to create a so-called "community tank." This unique trait can make keeping cichlids a rewarding experience. In this article we will discuss what a community tank is. In order to understand how to create a Tanganyikan community tank we will explore why this community concept is difficult at best with Lake Malawi cichlids. We will then discuss how a Tanganyikan community tank is supposed to work. Finally, we will conclude our discussion with a few examples of community setups.
First of all, what is a community tank? In the broadest sense a community tank is an aquarium in which the plants and animals therein are all compatible. This means the tank inhabitants won�t normally fight with each other nor eat one another. In other words, you have a harmonious environment where all plants and fishes are compatible with each other and should survive and even reproduce over a sustained period of time.
The number one barrier to harmony in any aquarium is aggression. Aggression in cichlids is usually the result of competition for (1) territory or (2) food. If food is plentiful, and it is in a home aquarium, the question of territory is the only real concern for the aquarist wanting to create a community environment. This is a real problem when trying to keep cichlids from Lake Malawi. Let me explain with some examples.
Living among large piles of rocks along the shoreline of Lake Malawi is a group of cichlids called "Mbuna" (the native name for these fishes). In the aquarium, mbuna all inhabit the same niche � the rocks and caves. Realistically, only a few mbuna will be permitted to claim a residence among the rocks in an aquarium because there is a limit to space. Those mbuna left without the protection of a cave make for easy targets by the more dominant and aggressive fishes. Subdominant males will be less likely to reproduce without a claimed territory of their own. Brooding females will become overly stressed without the safety of a cave and their longevity is in jeopardy. Plants are rarely considered in an aquarium with mbuna because they have a tendency to eat or uproot any plants. As you can see, creating harmony with mbuna is challenging.
While the haplochromines of Lake Malawi (e.g., Cyrtocara moori, Placidochromis electra, Protomelas steveni, etc.) are sometimes compatible with a few select plants, the "Haps" of Lake Malawi don't lend themselves to a community environment either. The different Hap species have a strong tendency to cross breed. Furthermore, the Haps normally stick to the open water, as opposed to the mbuna who take to the rocks. This is problematic because space quickly becomes scarce. For spawning to take place, spawning sites must be staked out and nests built. If the tank is overcrowded, spawning is less likely to occur.
Okay, you're probably thinking, why not mix a few mbuna with some Haps. The reason why this is not recommended (and why it would not make an ideal community tank) is due to a few reasons. First of all, mbuna are aggressive eaters while Haps are usually more relaxed eaters. Mbuna can outeat Haps if kept together. The mbuna will get fat while your Haps thin out. Even if this dietary incompatability could be overcome, differences in temperament make these two groups of cichlids poor tank mates. As already suggested, mbuna have a more aggressive temperament, and some would even say obnoxious. Haps on the other hand are generally milder. If the mbuna out size the Haps, then they will stress the Haps. If the Haps on the other hand are larger (Haps outgrow mbuna by several times when mature) they may prey on the mbuna. And assuredly, the fry of the mbuna will be preyed upon by any Haplochromine tank mates.
Sure, these fishes can be mixed and maybe even co-habitate peacefully but the resultant environment is not one of harmony where all fishes will survive and even reproduce over an extended period of time. Only with Tanganyikan cichlids, I propose, can a truly holistic community tank be established.
Remember, the two main barriers to creating a community tank are agression from (1) lack of food and (2) territory disputes. These barriers are easily removed with a Tanganyikan setup if approached correctly. Unlike other east African cichlids, the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika adhere strictly to particular habitats. (This is somewhat of an oversimplification, but holds true for all practical purposes in the aquarium.) Several popular species are immediately excluded from the "community" because they are compatible with only a few select tank mates for reasons we will not discuss here. These include Frontosa, Tropheus, and Petrochromis.
The various habitats are easily recreated in the aquarium. In the aquarium, these habitats are reduced (and simplified) to 4 primary niches: open water, rocks & caves, shells, and open sand. The open water niche is filled by genera like Cyprichromis and Benthochromis. The rocks & caves niche is generally inhabitated by lamprologines, Julidochromis, and the gobies. Shells are occupied by the smaller lamprologines and Telmatochromis. The open sand is then claimed by sandsifting Xenotilapia, Ectodini, and Callochromis.
There are many ways to fill each of these niches! Deciding what fishes to mix is one of the most exciting steps in maintaining a community tank, so we won't steal all of the fun. However, we did want to provide a few specific examples to get you started.
 

75-gallon aquarium		135-gallon aquarium
Open Water: 12 Cyprichromis leptosoma		Open Water: 20 Cyp. sp. "leptosoma Jumbo"
Rocks & Caves: 2 Eretmodus cyanostictus 2 Julidochromis ornatus 2 Chalinochromis brichardi		Rocks & Caves: 8 Tanganicodus irsacae 4 Julidochromis regani 2 Neolamprologus leleupi
Shells: 3 Lamprologus occelatus 2 Neolamprologus brevis		Shells: 3 Neolamprologus calliurus 5 Lamprologus meleagris
Open Sand: 6 Xenotilapia ochrygenys		Open Sand: 8 Enantiopus melanogenys          -OR- 4 Cyathopharynx furcifer

Hopefully our discussion has provided some helpful tools for understanding what is required in setting up a successful Tanganyikan community tank. Creating and orchestrating this community can be one of the most satisfying experiences in fishkeeping. A Tanganyikan community tank requires a little extra planning and forethought, but is ultimately more rewarding.
This is a very thorough explanation of what is required to set up an aquarium for African cichlids. In this article I cover the tank, water requirements, temperature, water changes, filtration, substrates, decorations, feeding, and controlling cichlid aggression.

Choosing the Right Size Tank

Often, the size of the tank is not the optional factor, but rather, hobbyists are forced to ask, what will work in my already existing tank? Well, there are too many fish out there to go species by species, but in general, I recommend a 55 gallon tank as the minimal size. This is the same as a 200 Liter tank. Smaller tanks will work for some dwarf species, Tanganyikan Shell-Dwellers, and Victorian Hap�s, but even for these, I would not go under 35 gallons unless you are willing to house just one or two of these fish. Many species require an aquarium aquascaped with lots of rock. Once you get the rock in your tank, you have lost much of the available swimming space and available oxygen. Plus, a smaller tank will heighten aggression, because there is less territory to claim.

In general, the larger tank the better. The more water you have, the more stable their aquatic environment will be. The temperature will not fluctuate as much, nitrates will not build up as quickly, and there will be more swimming space available. Also, if you put your hands in the tank, and by accident have some toxic chemical on them, it will be less likely to harm the fish due to the dilution factor. But not all large tanks are created equal. Aquariums that are long and skiny, allowing a large water-to-air interface are best because they permit a greater amount of water oxygenation. If this value ever gets too low, your fishes's health will quickly become compromised.


pH Levels

pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the water, or in other words, the availability or unavailability of Hydrogen ions. What does this mean for your fish? Well, African Cichlids enjoy alkaline water conditions (i.e., pH above 7.0). pH levels vary depending upon the lake. The ranges for the three East African lakes are as follows:

Lake Malawi..................7.4 - 8.6

Lake Tanganyika............7.8 - 9.0

Lake Victoria.................7.2 - 8.6

These values are approximate ranges. In nature, the pH levels will vary somewhat as the levels of the lakes will rise and fall through the years, making them either less salty or more salty. In the aquarium, African cichlids can adapt to wide ranges of pH. What you need to be mindful of is to not make any rapid adjustments to the pH level. Such a careless or unknowing act will severely shock your fish, suppressing their immune system, making them more susceptible to disease. Keeping in mind all that I have said, I recommend keeping African Cichlids at a stable pH of 8.2 - 8.4. Fish from all three appreciate pH levels within this range. Cichlids from West African or the rivers and streams of East African require water that is more neutral - pH 7.0.

The water from these lakes is very hard, containing many dissolved minerals and salts, such as Carbonate and Magnesium. If you live in an area with hard water, you may count yourself very lucky. But for those who do not, there are many easy measures you may take to make your water more alkaline and "hard." Crushed coral sand, shells, limestone, and other rocks such as slate are good at pushing the pH of the water up into the alkaline range by adding Phosphates and Calcium to the water. These alone will typically only drive the pH to 7.6, which is suitable, but not ideal. Remember that Africans can adapt to a wide range of alkaline levels. If after using these measures, you still want to raise your pH, there are many commercial Cichlid buffers on the market. Several manufacturers also offer Cichlid Salts and Trace Elements, which try to simulate the exact salt and mineral conditions of the rift lakes, in addition to raising the pH. Alternatively, you can make your own for a fraction of the price, using the Homemade Rift Lake Buffer recipe.

If your tap water has chloramines, you will need to use a conditioner (dechlorinator) to remove them. Many of these are good; however, I like use AmQuel because I can buy it by the gallon. But, that�s because I go through a lot of it as I do water changes on the scale of 100 gallons a week between my three tanks. A gallon lasts me a little over a year.

You should also be aware that ammonia can be much more stressful to your fishes at a high pH, such as African cichlids require. At a pH of 8.0, for example, the ammonia in your aquarium is effectively ten times more toxic than at a pH of 7.0. That is because the ammonia is in the NH3 form at a higher pH (instead of NH4+), which is more toxic.


Temperature

The optimal temperature is 76 - 80°F. I keep my tank at a constant 78°F. I never have to worry about my temperature fluctuating, be it winter or summer. This is in part due to the very large water to air ratio (which helps to cool it off), and more importantly, three submersible pumps (which heat the water slightly). I don�t use heaters on my fry or grow-out tank, and so the temp is naturally a little lower (76°F), however, I know of people who aim for temperatures of 80°F or even 82°F with their fry tanks. This brings me to my next point.

High temperatures will increase a fish�s metabolism, boost their immune response, as well as stimulate aggression. So, by raising the temperature to 80°F for a fry tank, one would speed up their metabolism, causing them to eat more and grow faster, but also require more water changes. Conversely, you could lower the temperature in your tank as a means of stemming aggression. This can be helpful if you have some really nasty fish on your hands (e.g., Melanochromis auratus, Metriaclima lombardoi "Kenyi"). This is due to the fact that the number one cause of aggression among Cichlids is food-related. If they are not feeling a need to eat as often (because their metabolism has slowed), then they are less likely to be territorial and feisty.


Water Changes

No matter how good your filter is, you will eventually need to do water changes, although filters certainly help in keeping the water quality in good shpae for a longer period of time. Because African cichlid setups usually lack plants, and are "crowded" (more on this below), the water quality can quickly deteriorate. Experts suggest that 10-20% water changes every week are best. And then, if you go every other week, double that. I will admit, I am a little on the excessive side, but that�s because I have heavily stock some of my tanks, which I feed several times a day. With most setups, it is also important to vacuum the gravel. I rigged a setup, which I call Under Gravel Jets, which has permitted me to escape the need for vacuuming. The reason for vacuuming is because waste can build up in the gravel, and anaerobic pockets can form, leading to a suboptimal condition because your aerobic bacteria can't get to it. Vacuuming these spots will prevent this situation.


Filtration

There are so many different types of filters, not to mention all the variations on a filtration system one could devise with these. Because there are so many types, brands, and setups, I won�t discuss specifics here (for the most part). Instead, I want to talk about a few generalities.

If you have a small tank (i.e., 10-35 gallon), then a simple hang on the back filter will work just fine. You want the gallons per hour (gph) flow to be 4 - 6 times the volume of your tank. So if you have a 20-gallon tank, you will want a filter that cycles 80 - 120 gph. If you have a larger tank, you will need a more sophisticated filtering system, mostly because many "hang-on-the-back" filters aren�t adequate and can�t meet the gph requirements. AquaClear and Emperor power filters are exceptions.

I have never used an undergravel filter, but almost everyone I have spoken with has at some point switched from these to some other form of filtration. I am not saying you shouldn�t use one, but here are a couple of reasons why I would discourage you from using one: First, African cichlids are diggers in the full sense of the word. Undergravel filters require that they be covered with your substrate (e.g., gravel) to be effective. Well, African cichlids don�t cooperate. I have seen undergravel filters made 30% bare within a few hours and these tanks had a good 4" of substrate! Second, they require a lot of attention because they can get dirty very quickly. They pull the water down through the gravel, trapping any fecal wastes in the gravel; therefore, frequent water changes with mandatory vacuuming, are required. You don�t want to miss more than two weeks or you�ll find algae and fungus growing on your gravel. I have found that a system that works the opposite works well, with currents rising upward, and then water off the top gets filtered.

I recommend submersible pumps with sponges. These are good because they grab waste, provide an additional niche for beneficial denitrifying bacteria, and when mature, can become a backyard garden on which algae can grow and the cichlids can harvest. I also like them because they are placed at the bottom of the tank, where most of the waste is deposited or accumulates. Outside power filters with biological wheels and or sponges with carbon are also a good choice. Whatever you choose, it�s a good idea to clean out the impeller shaft, the impeller, and the sponge every few weeks. Otherwise, the flow rate will slow, sponges will get clogged, and your filter will stop doing its job.


Substrate

There are several options. Gravel, sand, crushed coral, even crushed marble or granite. There are also all sorts of color one could select for their substrate.

A very popular substrate is crushed coral gravel or coral aragonite sand. I have used these for years and really like them for several reasons. First and foremost, I like the way it looks. It�s very white and clean. I also like the occasional shells my Cichlids dig up. Second, the coral slowly dissolves and thereby increases the hardness of the water. My water is already hard (GH 14), but it helps to stabilize my pH and the hardness of the water. Hard water, if left alone and tested a week or so later, would show a decrease in its hardness. This is because minerals, which make the water hard, don�t stay suspended for very long. Unless you use buffer, have rocks in your tank, or use crushed coral, water changes are necessary not only to reduce nitrates, but also to restore the pH and hardness of your water. I have read claims that crushed coral irritates the gills of cichlids, but have yet to see any conclusive data affirming this.

Dolomite (crushed limestone) is also used specifically as a buffer, but it does not dissolve as well as coral, and is not as desirable for that reason. It may also contain copper and other miscellaneous metals found in limestone. I use limestone for decoration, but use NovAqua and AmQuel to remove the copper and other toxic metals that may potentially be present.

Peacocks and many of the Tanganyikans prefer sand. You can keep them with gravel, but will be missing out on many of their unique, endearing behaviors. You can either purchase sand from your LFS or you could acquire regular sand from a pool and spa retailer, as they use sand as a filtering substrate. If you get silica sand, be sure it's 99% quartz. The reason for this is because a friend of mine used to use silica and he frequently had algae blooms of diatoms, who's outer shell is made of silica. He was convinced that the sand led to an excessive amount of dissolved silica in the water, which enabled the unicellular algae bloom. When he replaced the substrate with crushed coral sand (which is Calcium Carbonate based) the problem disappeared.

Some people prefer black substrates while other prefer white, and some even mix the two. Depending upon the fish, some look best against a dark substrate, while others do not. If a fish is kept over a dark sand, for example, it will darken up, in an effort to blend in with its environment. Any black markings will be more obvious. The opposite is true for the same fish kept over a light-colored substrate. So, pick your substrate (when possible) based upon the fish you plan to keep.

Because most African Cichlids are diggers and can rearrange your tank quicker than you can reset it, I recommend using at least 2" of substrate in your tank. This is equivalent to 1 pound of gravel or 2 pounds of sand for every gallon of water. For more on substrates, see Aquarium Substrates.


Decorations

Decorations is perhaps the second most important point to consider when setting up an African Rift Lake aquarium. You should decorate your tank with lots of rock to provide caves and hiding places for your cichlids. Aggressive fish usually claim a territory. I have noticed that by providing them with lots of caves, dominant fish claim less territory. Egg layers absolutely need a cave to spawn and then to guard the eggs. Mouthbrooders tend to have less of a need for a permanent territory, but they still like to have a place (particularly, a flat rock) they can claim and on which to spawn.

There are lots of options here. This is where you really need to get creative. I use holey rock (a.k.a. honeycomb limestone), which has dozens of tunnels through it. At night, many of my fish will sleep in these holes. I have seen many people use clay flowerpots; either turned on their side or turned upside down and given a hole. I don�t like the unnatural color or look these give, but do what you will like. Some people even disguise these by gluing sand, gravel, or rocks to the pots. Most often people will just stack limestone or some other rock with slate, creating layers with caves between.

Rocks I would recommend include limestone, slate, petrified wood, lava, granite, tufa, "pagoda," and "lace rock." Before you put these rocks in your tank, be sure to clean them with bleach. And then be sure as heck to rinse that bleach off before you put it in your tank with the fish. The sniff test works for me: if I can smell it, I know it�s still got bleach on it. I have purchased limestone that was purportedly "clean." When I got to cleaning it, I found all kinds of dirt and roots in some of the holes of my limestone. I was glad that I took the extra precaution.

There is one thing that you should keep in mind when doing a little rock-hunting for your aquarium, that is that some rocks contain a large metal content that will leak into the water. These heavy metals include iron, lead, and copper. Heavy metal poisoning is always fatal to fish and it usually doesn�t have any warning symptoms. To avoid using any rocks that have metal content in them, there is an easy way to check them. Simply look for any veins with a metallic color, such as a rusty iron orange, and add lemon juice or vinegar. If you observe any fizzling then this rock will leak metal into your tank. This rock is best left where you found it. Double check this test using a magnet as vinegar is a weak acid and won't react with heavy metals.

Because of the immense weight of your rocks, especially if they are stacked, you should consider how they are placed in your tank. This is especially important because your cichlids will dig and could undermine a rock formation that could come tumbling down. To prevent such a disaster, glue rock formations together with silicone. Some people use egg crates on the very bottom of their tanks, before laying gravel. This prevents a rock from applying pressure to a single point on the glass, which could lead to crack. In addition to silicone, there is a product called AquaStik®. It is an epoxy putty that is non-toxic and is made specifically for aquariums. It even cures underwater. Just knead the two compounds together and then use it to secure your rocks together, just like gum. It cures rock-hard in 24 hours. It is made by Two Little Fishies, Inc. out of Florida.

I recently read about a clever trick, which would prevent any of the above catastrophes. This ingenious aquarist used pumice stone, which is an inert volcanic rock that floats. It is also soft and very porous. To prepare the pumice, he boils it in a large pot, holding them under with a heavy piece of granite or basalt. After 10 minutes or so, he removes the pumice and drops it into a bucket of cold water, and again weights it down. Once the pumice cools, it will now sink like a feather through the air. How does this prevent toppling or possible cracking? Well, with ever so light rocks, you can pile these up high in the tank without having to worry about their pressure on the glass. And their rough surface helps hold them together. They have two other advantages. Their porous interior provides yet another niche for denitrifying bacteria to live. You could easily drill pumice with a two-inch bit if you wanted to create tunnels or caves.

African cichlids and live plants are often a "no-win" combination. Most plants have a tough time growing in very alkaline water because of the high levels of Magnesium. Besides, many cichlids do a good job of trimming down plants. Still, live plants can be kept if you know what you're doing. Either way, live or fake plants will provide yet another niche or territory for a fish to claim or hide in.

There are a few species of plants that they don�t seem to like and that are well adapted to their alkaline water. These include Java Fern, Vallisneria sp., and the Anubias family: A. barteri, A. congicus, A. gigante, A. gracilis, A. heterophylla, and A. nana. If you decide to take a stab at growing these plants in your tank, be aware that mbuna are terribly adept at digging up plants. For this reason, you should plant your plants in pots. Some plants can also take up too much swimming space for Haps and Mouthbrooders in general.

I discourage the use of driftwood in any African Rift Lake setup. It can lower the pH of your water and stain the water yellow with tanic acid.


Feeding

There is a whole section on this Web site dedicated to just this topic alone, so I won�t say much about feeding here. Briefly put, however, Africans do extremely well if feed Spirulina flake, with an occasional treat of live or frozen food. Never feed them more than they can consume in 2 minutes totalled over an entire day, not 5 minutes! Cichlids have sensitive bowels and so food should be selected and fed with care so as to prevent "Bloat."


Controlling Aggression

As I mentioned earlier in this lengthy article (hopefully you can remember that long ago) that the primary reason for Cichlid aggression is driven by food. You can control aggression by feeding your fish less, but more often. They are territorial because they want to stake out their own backyard garden from which to hunt and harvest. Conspecifics (i.e., similar looking fish) are seen as a threat (because if they are similar, they will compete for the same foods), and are chased off. Therefore, by having fish from a wide variety of species you can cut down on intra-species aggression. I have read and heard of several accounts of people keeping only Pseudotropheus demasoni. The result was that a colony soon turned into a lone, victorious male. Also, by giving your fish lots of room to swim, and lots of territories to claim and caves to hide in, you can reduce inter-species aggression.

With few exceptions, males are the more aggressive, and they tend to rough females not interested in mating. For this reason, almost everyone recommends keeping at least 2 females per male of a given species (for polygamous mouthbrooders only), that way his aggression and frustration are not received by just one female. Instead, it gets distributed.

Also, by "crowding" your tank, you can distribute inter-species aggression. Not just one fish is a target of abuse, and aggressors tend to lose victims more easily when the tank is crowded. Just be sure that you "over filter" your aquarium if you are going to "crowd" it.


African cichlids are a higly rewarding fish to keep and breed. If you follow these simple recommendations and tips, you'll soon be on your way to enjoying those cichlids.

Lake Malawi in eastern Africa stretching as it does for some 600 km is one of the great lakes of the world. The inhabitants of Lake Malawi, the Malawi Cichlids, are some of the most beautiful creatures in the world. Most of the fish from Lake Malawi are Mbuna.The colors of the mbuna start developing while they are quite small, but the young utaka remain rather plain, and only become colorful with maturity. The utaka are also less aggressive than the mbuna, and therefore should not be kept with the rowdy mbuna.in an aquarium setting, it is best to use a large, species-specific tank with a small population. In order to replicate its original environment, it would be helpful to place a number of rocks in the aquarium so that the Malawi Cichlids can mark out their territory. Limestone rocks would work perfectly.

It would also be beneficial to provide rocks with rich algal growth on them as Malawi Cichlids love to feed on algae (The correct lighting would promote such algal growth apart from showing your fish to their best advantage). You could also feed them vegetables such as spinach and lettuce.

In some species of Malawi Cichlids the males and females are colored differently. One of the distinctions is that male cichlids may have several light spots on their anal fin, while the females would have fewer such spots. When picking the fish it is best to purchase them in trios (one male and two females). This helps reduce stress as the aggressiveness of the male will be spread over the two females instead of it being the lot of just one.

Most Malawi Cichlids breed quite easily. Malawi Cichlids are largely mouth brooders, that is, once the eggs have been fertilized by the male, the female places them in her mouth for safekeeping. Often, the mothers stop eating at the time of spawning. It is advisable to separate an egg-laden female and place her in a different tank. The reason for this is that she will undoubtedly become weak by not eating, and may therefore be attacked by the other fish. Plus there is also the danger of the other fish eating the fry. In fact, even the female might eat the fry, so it is best to separate even her from fry once they hatch. The fry may be fed the same thing as their parents. This would include flakes, pellets, and frozen food. The only difference would be that they should be ground well when being given to the fry.

The filtration process should not be ignored as all traces of ammonia must be removed from the water. Frequent water changes of 20 to 25% every fortnight would go a long way in keeping the water free from potentially dangerous substances. This would also prove beneficial for spawning fish. A crushed coral substrate could be used. This, apart from being functional, is also beneficial as it gradually dissolves in the water and thereby increases its mineral content. Hard, alkaline, and salty water would keep your Malawi Cichlid quite satisfied.  A pH between 7.6 and 8.6 and a temperature of 25^oC would be ideal.

  ELONGATUS ORNATUS

LABIDOCHROMIS CAERULEUS

MELANOCHROMIS INTERRUPTUS

PSEUDOTROPHEUS SP.ACEI NGARA WHITE TAIL