| If you have decided to set up an African cichlid | | | | and filled with dechlorinated water, you need to |
| tank, odds are that this is not your first aquarium. | | | | determine the pH and water hardness. You can |
| I first decided to keep African cichlids after seeing | | | | buy water test kits at your local pet shop. With |
| some red zebras and yellow labs in a pet shop | | | | the limestone and crushed coral, you have already |
| and wondering why these colorful fish were not in | | | | elevated your pH and water hardness from what |
| the salt water section. I had never seen such | | | | it comes out of your tap. You will need a pH of |
| colorful fish that were not saltwater fish. African | | | | 7.4 to 8.6 and a water hardness of 10.0 to 20.0 |
| cichlids are also a very interesting to watch. They | | | | dH. |
| are a territorial fish with a bit of an attitude. This | | | | It has been my experience with relatively soft |
| can be handled by proper stocking of your | | | | tap water with a neutral pH that if I use the |
| aquarium. | | | | cichlid tank setup described above, all I need to do |
| First you must decide on which of the three lakes | | | | is adjust the water hardness and the pH is right |
| you want to set your aquarium up to imitate. | | | | where I want it. |
| African cichlids come from Lake Tanganyika, Lake | | | | Test your water hardness. If your tap water is |
| Victoria and Lake Malawi. All three of these lakes | | | | hard enough, you may get lucky and not need to |
| have hard water with a high pH. I would suggest | | | | make any adjustments. Most likely though, you |
| starting with mbunas from Lake Malawi. Mbunas | | | | will need to increase the water's hardness. You |
| are a class of rock dwelling, mouthbrooding, and | | | | can elevate the hardness using African cichlid salt. |
| omnivorous cichlids. The common varieties can be | | | | You can find this at your local pet shop or online. |
| found in most local pet shops and are not very | | | | Add the cichlid salt until you reach a hardness level |
| expensive. | | | | around 15.0 dH. At this point, check your pH. Your |
| Mbunas require a lot of space and hiding spots in | | | | pH should be around 8 at this point. If necessary, |
| their aquarium. You should use a 55 gallon | | | | you may need to adjust it also. This is unlikely, |
| aquarium or larger to keep these cichlids. You can | | | | once you have elevated the hardness to this level. |
| use limestone or holy rock (limestone rock with | | | | Now you can purchase your first African cichlid. |
| lots of holes) and caves. These are usually placed | | | | Initially just purchase one cichlid for the tank and |
| towards the rear of the tank which allows for a | | | | let it have the tank to itself for about two weeks. |
| free swimming area at the front of the tank. A | | | | This will give the aquarium time to grow the |
| common substrate used in mbuna aquariums is | | | | bacteria necessary to break down waste in the |
| crushed coral. Using crushed coral as the | | | | tank in what is called the nitrogen cycle. You can |
| substrate helps maintain the elevated pH and | | | | get around this by setting up one of the sponge |
| water hardness. | | | | filters in an established aquarium for a couple of |
| Cichlid tanks require a lot of filtration to keep the | | | | weeks prior to setting up your cichlid tank. This |
| inhabitants healthy. I usually use two large sponge | | | | way the sponge filter will have all of the bacteria |
| filters in each of the rear corners in combination | | | | needed for the nitrogen cycle. When you then |
| with a large filter hanging on the back of the tank | | | | move it to your new tank, you have effectively |
| or two smaller ones submersed within the tank. | | | | moved the bacterial colonies that the new tank |
| The hanging filter (or the submersed ones) cleans | | | | requires. |
| particulate matter from the aquarium while the | | | | At this point you have your African cichlid tank up |
| sponge filters house large quantities of the | | | | and running! If you chose mbuna for your tank, |
| bacteria which convert ammonia to nitrites and | | | | feed them spirulina flakes and cichlid pellets. Once |
| the nitrites to nitrates. | | | | it is fully stocked, perform 30% to 50% water |
| African cichlids require a water temperature of | | | | changes on a weekly basis. Vacuum the gravel |
| around 80 degrees F. This will most likely require a | | | | when you do this and you will have a healthy, |
| 150 watt heater on each end of a 55 gallon tank. | | | | thriving community of African cichlids. |
| The submersible type with a temperature setting | | | | One last note: The large sponge filters and large |
| is preferred. They cost a little more but are | | | | water changes may be relics of my years |
| worth it. They will last much longer than the less | | | | keeping discus, which require a very clean tank. I |
| expensive ones that hang on the back of the | | | | can tell you from experience that you will very |
| tank. | | | | rarely if ever have health issues with your fish if |
| After the aquarium is set up with the proper | | | | you keep an aquarium in this manner. |
| substrate, plenty of hiding spaces, heaters, filters | | | | |