| Every guide you read about breeding cichlids and | | | | movement. You will ideally be feeding the fry four |
| raising their fry will tell you that water quality is | | | | quick and small meals a day, they are growing |
| the most critical factor. More or less if you have | | | | quickly and will be generating plenty of waste. I |
| the basics right then this is excellent advice. To | | | | find the best floating aquariums have large holes |
| expand on this idea with a little more depth this | | | | that can be covered with mesh when the cichlid |
| article is going to look into a couple of the lesser | | | | fry are very small, the mesh can later be |
| understood factors that affect the quality and | | | | removed once the fry have grown in size and are |
| health of your cichlid fry and their mother. | | | | producing more waste. |
| Cichlid Fry Aquarium Tips | | | | · The PH of your water is critical and should |
| · Keeping a slightly higher water temperature will | | | | reflect your species natural environment as best |
| shorten the number of days the mother holds her | | | | possible. The PH should also be stable and you |
| fry before releasing, the fry will develop faster | | | | should know how much buffer you are adding to |
| and lose their sack earlier. Slightly higher water | | | | tap water with each water change. Cichlids require |
| temperature means one or two degrees above | | | | a relatively high PH and providing this on an |
| your species average recommended temperature | | | | ongoing basis can be very beneficial. |
| and no more. Further to this, you should only | | | | · Further to the idea of replicating the species |
| expect the duration of holding to be reduced by a | | | | natural environment, consider the use of lake |
| day or two. | | | | salts. These can be purchased for Lake Malawi, |
| · Particularly if the mother is in your display or | | | | Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika aquariums, |
| community aquarium it is important to make sure | | | | they provide trace minerals found in the wild along |
| there is adequate water movement throughout | | | | with the benefits that salts give to your aquarium. |
| the aquarium. The mother will be looking to hide in | | | | At the very least the additional salts will provide |
| caves and crevices where she can protect her | | | | some extra resistance against disease and some |
| fry, the water in these parts of the aquarium | | | | fungi. |
| should not be stagnant. You can increase water | | | | · Perhaps the best and most underutilised tip is |
| flow with a power head and consider the outlet | | | | to feed your new born cichlid fry with baby brine |
| of your filter system. Within reason you can't | | | | shrimp and blood worm, although you can get |
| really have too much water movement in your | | | | away with crushing flake and miniature cichlid |
| aquarium. | | | | granules, the difference in growth rate is amazing. |
| · If using a floating isolation aquarium to raise | | | | Brine shrimp can be grown in small containers at |
| your cichlid fry then consider an air stone inside | | | | home and you should be able to pick up a starter |
| the floating aquarium to assist with water | | | | kit at your local fish store. |