Your First Cichlid Aquarium
Excerpt : Your First Cichlid Aquarium By William Berg of Sweden, for http://www.aquaticcommunity.com So you're thinking about trying cichlids. A good choice. In this article I shall try to give a few
Your First Cichlid Aquarium
By William Berg
of Sweden, for http://www.aquaticcommunity.com
So you're thinking about trying cichlids. A good choice. In this article I shall try to give a few examples of good cichlid aquariums that are suitable for beginners. I've tried to suggest set-ups that will be beautiful and easy to maintain, and species that are easily bred so that you might observe this fascinating side of cichlid behaviour.
This article targets those who haven't that much experience with aquariums in general and cichlids in particular. If you are a more experienced aquarist who is just new to cichlids these set-ups will still be good, and you have a lot of other options as well since you are probably capable of keeping more sensitive species than those suggested in this article.
Aquarium:
It is possible to keep some cichlids, such as Lamprologus ocellatus, in very small aquariums. However, for your first cichlid aquarium I would recommend a larger aquarium of no less than 30 gallons/120 L. There are several reasons for this:
- A larger
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
Also see :
Aquarium Lighting
Aquariums need light for the fish to survive, this doesn't
matter if it is a freshwater set up or a marine set up. There
are however different...read more
Aquarium Hoods
When you have an aquarium you need to have lighting set up and
to do this you need to have somewhere to put it. Before now when
it came to...read more
|
aquarium is easier to maintain and easier to keep in good condition.
- Cichlids are aggressive. Some cichlids are much more aggressive than others, but almost all cichlids are aggressive and a larger aquarium makes it easier for weaker fish to avoid this hostility.
- Cichlid behaviour is usually more interesting if you can keep more than one isolated pair in an aquarium. For example this may allow you to see the parents guarding their young.
Water conditions:
Which water conditions you should have depends on which cichlids you want to keep since their preferences differ greatly. For your first aquarium I recommend keeping species that are less sensitive to water conditions, and if you choose to try the species I recommend in this article you normally won't have to think about water conditions. I don't recommend keeping cichlids from the great African lakes as your first cichlids if you are an inexperienced aquarist, since they have more specialised demands.
Feeding:
The cichlids I recommend accept all kind of food, however I would recommend giving them a diverse diet consisting of pellets/flakes, frozen food
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
and occasional live food.
Species:
Now to the fun part: choosing fish species to your new aquarium. I will give three examples of possible aquariums. The first one has its origin in African rivers and is more friendly, while the second one features cichlids from Central America. I will also give a suggestion for a composition that has its origins in the Amazon. However this composition is a little bit harder to get to breed and requires a larger aquarium. I would recommend at least 50 gallon/ 200 L.
1. African cichlid aquarium (30 gallons)
1 pair of kribs (Pelvicachromis pulcher)
1 pair of African butterfly cichlids (Anomalochromis thomasi)
1 pair of Egyptian mouth-brooders (Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor)
4 Ancistrus (plecos)
2. Central American aquarium (30 gallons):
1 pair of Archocentrus sajica (T-Bar cichlid)
1 pair of convicts (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus)
2 Hypostomus (plecos)
3. Amazon aquarium (50 gallons):
4 angelfish ( Pterophyllum scalare)
1 pair of Aequidens curviceps
1 pair of Aequidens maronii (Keyhole cichlid)
6 Ancistrus (plecos)
Tank
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
Also see :
Aquarium
An aquarium is made of glass or extremely strong plastic and is
basically made for holding fish, amphibians or any other type of
marine animal....read more
How To Keep Your Aquarium Clean
No one likes living in a dirty, stuffy house. Thank goodness a
little dirt is not hazardous to our health. The same cannot be
said for our aquatic...read more
|
set-ups:
1. African cichlid aquarium
All of these species are relatively friendly and have different behaviours that will reduce stress between the different pairs. These species prefer a well planted aquarium and leave your plants alone so that you can use all sorts of plants. They also require hiding and spawning places. Kribs spawn in caves which can be created using roots, rocks and flowerpots. A. Thomasi spawns on flat surfaces such as rocks. You will have to leave free areas without plants and rocks to create swimming space and allow you to see your fish more often. Use fine sand as this promotes spawning of Egyptian mouth-brooders. If you just keep the aquarium clean and your fish well fed they will thrive and spawn in this aquarium. If you find your aquarium a little empty you can add some small schooling fish such as tetras to the upper water levels.
2. Central American aquarium
The species in this set-up are more aggressive, which explains why I only recommend keeping two species in this tank. Both species lay their eggs on rocks so caves aren't that necessary, but I would still recommended that you create a
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
few as hiding places as these species can be quite aggressive. This is especially true when they are spawning and caring for their young. A sajica usually leaves your plants alone, but convicts often eat plants, so I recommend using more hardy plants such as sword plants, anubias and Java ferns if you want to use plants. Whether to keep plants or not is completely up to the aquarist. The cichlids will thrive with or without plants as long as you provide a few hiding places. Both species are very easy to breed and it is almost impossible to keep convicts from spawning. It can be very hard to find new homes for the fry, so I recommend letting the parents keep their young and see if any survive. In this aquarium some usually will.
3. Amazon aquarium
As I said earlier, it is preferable for this aquarium to be at least 50 gallons since these fish get a little bigger. Angelfish shouldn't be kept in aquariums that are less than 50 cm/ 20 inches high. These species are still easy to care for but require a little more from their keeper to spawn. The aquarium should be well planted with free areas for the fish to swim in. Use large sword
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
Also see :
Keeping The Aquarium Clean
You do clean your house don’t you? Well you have to clean your Goldfish’s house too and it’s a lot simpler! Cleaning and maintaining a goldfish tank...read more
Tropical Fish And Aquariums
The hobby of aquarium keeping and tropic fish as pets is fairly recent in the Western World, and took a while to catch on. The keeping of fish in...read more
|
plants or cryptocoryne species to give the angels what they need to spawn. The other species requires roots or rocks to spawn on. Caves are not necessary but preferable, especially for A. curviceps. If you find this aquarium a little empty you might add some free-swimming schooling fish to the aquarium. Never use neon tetras with angelfish, as angelfish like to eat them. The same is true for a number of other small tetras. If you keep the water clean and the fish well fed they will thrive and with a little bit of luck, spawn.
Final words
I have given just a few suggestions for possible cichlid aquariums (there are a lot more) and when you get a little more experience with cichlids the possibilities are countless. Cichlids are very interesting and often beautiful fishes and many of them are quite simple to keep. These are only a few of the reasons behind their popularity. Try them, you won't regret it!
About the Author
Article is written for aquaticcommunity.com by William Berg. William Berg has 20 years of aquarium experience and is the admin at http://www.aquaticcommunity.com
More Aquarium Articles
Aquarium Plants
It is not hard to understand why plants are present in so many aquariums. Lush and healthy plants are stunning to look at and will create a much more...
Aquarium Aeration Basics
As we all know rivers and lakes are the natural habits for fish and other marine life. Rivers and lakes have large surface area which makes maximum...
Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com
Aquarium Tips
|
sitemap
Partners :
Compare Mortgages | Loans | Property in Malaysia | WoW Gold | Find jobs
copyright www.aquariumtips.net 2006
Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/aquarium/public_html/php/footer.php on line 30
Warning: include(http://www.ultrasonicspabath.com/adsenselogger.inc) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/aquarium/public_html/php/footer.php on line 30
Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.ultrasonicspabath.com/adsenselogger.inc' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:../:../../:../../../:../../../../') in /home/aquarium/public_html/php/footer.php on line 30
|
Recently Added Aquarium Articles
The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Part 2
Part 2
Heating
If you want to keep Cichlids you will need to heat them. A good guide is approximately 1 watt of heating per liter of water. A...read more
Clown loaches in aquariums
The Clown Loach is a popular fish in tropical aquariums since it
is very beautiful and not too difficult to keep. Its scientific
name is Botia...read more
What Aquarium Should You Go For?
So what aquarium is best for you. If you've been to the aquatics
or have even seen some aquarium fish in your local pet shop then
you may be...read more
How To Grow Daphnia For The Aquarium
The benefits of feeding live food to fish in a community tank are many: live food will improve vigor and color, and more closely resemble the food...read more
Expert Tips on Choosing Plants for Your Aquarium
When confronted with such variety of plants for your aquarium, there is a great temptation to take a piece of everything that appeals to you. If...read more
Aquarium Supplies Part 2 - My First Experience With Goldfish
If you are seriously considering keeping fish as pets or are just starting out, I would like to stress again the importance of having some basic...read more
Is Your Aquarium Balanced?
The world as we know it is in balance. Animals breathe in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Plant absorbs carbon dioxide and give off oxygen as...read more
Eden below the waves - planting your aquarium
Just as trees, flowers and plants help our environment, add a
food source and make our landscapes beautiful so too do aquatic
plants provide the...read more
Cleaning Your Fish Tank
One of the nicest additions to any home is a fish tank. A fish tank creates a colourful, relaxing ambience and they come in a huge range of sizes...read more
Aquarium Aeration Basics
As we all know rivers and lakes are the natural habits for fish and other marine life. Rivers and lakes have large surface area which makes maximum...read more
Some News About Aquarium
- Aquarium in competition to fund coral reef exhibit
NIAGARA FALLS—The Aquarium of Niagara is seeking votes to help it establish a$ 50,000 coral reef exhibit at its site at 701 Whirlpool St. The Aquarium, in competition with other agencies throughout the country, has filed a grant request with the national Pepsi Refresh Project for a$50,000 grant.
- Aquarium Launches Conservation Center
Baltimore's National Aquarium marked its 30th anniversary by launching a conservation center dedicated to preserving aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
- Aquarium unveils new Conservation Center
Expanding conservation, research role The National Aquarium is set Thursday to unveil its new Conservation Center, established to focus the institution's work in marine conservation and research, and to expand its scope to a national and global stage.
- National Aquarium Unveils Future with Launch of the National Aquarium Conservation Center
The National Aquarium was joined today by honored guests, esteemed partners, elected officials and supporters from the community to officially unveil the National Aquarium Conservation Center and kick off its celebration of the Baltimore venue’s 30th anniversary year. The Conservation Center enables the National Aquarium to become a global leader in conservation, research and education, and to ...
- Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is recruiting Sea Rangers
The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's Sea Ranger Naturalists program equips volunteers from fifth-grade students through adult with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide interpretation, conservation and environmental monitoring at Cabrillo Beach, Point Fermin State Marine Park, the Cabrillo fishing pier and the Salinas de San Pedro Salt Marsh.
- Aquarium celebrates 30-year legacy
A major milestone ahead for what's become a Baltimore landmark. Soon the National Aquarium will celebrate its 30-year legacy. Â
- Baltimore Aquarium Announces Conservation Center
A major announcement from the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas turns 20
The aquarium celebrates its 20th birthday with three days of special events.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium seeks volunteer docents
Monterey Bay Aquarium is recruiting volunteer docents age 18 and over and will hold informational meetings from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 14 and 21 at the aquarium. For more information or to request application materials e-mail volunteers@mbayaq.org or visit the "About Us" pages on www.
- Otaru Aquarium oil spill spreads
SAPPORO (Kyodo) Fuel oil from a tank at Otaru Aquarium in Otaru, Hokkaido, spilled into the nearby port early Wednesday, the aquarium said. The spilled oil, used to warm water for tropical fish aquariums, could reach up to 2,000 liters, and has spread to a 500-meter radius covering the surface, according to the aquarium and the local coast guard.
|
