Setting up an African Cichlid Aquarium

An African Cichlid aquarium must be set up to best accommodate the fish. If a tank is set up improperly, it can not only cause stress to the fish, the error could result in death for the fish. The best way to make an African cichlid happy is to design its aquarium with their natural habitat in mind.

The following paragraphs will briefly discuss the best environment for an African Cichlid.

Aquarium Size

An aquarium being set up for an African Cichlid should be at least 35 gallons, but ideally 55 gallons. The bigger the aquarium size, the more the fish will enjoy his new home. An African Cichlid likes to have a spacious aquarium, with plenty of aquarium decorations and swimming space. Having a smaller tank can ultimately cause a fish to become aggressive, since he will unlikely be able to stake claim on any territory.

Water pH Levels

Water in an African cichlid aquarium should be monitored and kept at pH levels of 7.0 to 9.0. The reason the range can be so wide is because the water chemistry in African Rift Lakes constantly fluctuate. They never stay the same. The only time problems may arise for the fish is if there is a rapid change in pH levels. The African cichlids are able to easily adapt to many water conditions. They can even survive in sub-optimal conditions, but they will be stressed and aggressive.

Water Hardness

African Cichlids prefer hard water over water treated with softeners. If no hard water is available, calcium and phosphate should be added. Water conditioner and salt are also necessary. The African Rift Lakes contain hard water and that is water want to replicate in this aquarium.

Replicating an African Cichlid's Natural Environment

This can be tricky to do. African cichlids are found in all of the three African Rift Lakes: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria and Lake Malawi. The environments in these three lakes are slightly different from each other. So the first step will be to find out which lake your cichlid is native to. The second step is to research that lake's water chemistry, substrate and plants. The final step is try replicating the major components in your own aquarium.

African cichlids are beautiful fish and make a wonderful addition to any home. However, great care must be given when setting up an African cichlids aquarium. It is important to know about the natural habitat of the fish, and replicate it as closely as possible.

If you are serious about keeping these cichlids then I suggest you follow the guidelines on my site to set up the perfect African cichlid aquarium. You can also learn a thing or two about proper cichlid feeding on that website.