How to Care for and Maintain an African Cichlid Aquarium

The term African cichlid is understood to refer to cichlids from the Rift Valley in Africa: Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika and small nearby lakes. These lakes hold more cichlids than anywhere else in the world. And they are fascinating fish; they display fascinating breeding behaviors, an array of colors rivaling saltwater fish, and they have distinctive personalities. At the same time, they are slightly more demanding in terms of water quality than most freshwater fish, and require more work and space. However, with a little research, you can put together the perfect African cichlid aquarium.

Things You'll Need

  • Large fish tank (30 gallons for dwarf species, 50 for most)
  • Aquarium rocks
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Aquarium glue or coral putty, available online and at pet shops
  • pH/hardness test kit
  • pH buffers (depending on your local tap water)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Design your setup in advance. Remember, African cichlids need space, they like caves and they like eating aquarium plants. If you like plants, stick to artificial ones. For regular African cichlids, you should use a tank of at least 50 gallons. If you only plan on keeping smaller "dwarf" species, you can get away with a 30-gallon tank.

    • 2

      Add filtration equipment. Because cichlids love to dig, an undergravel filter is not recommended. Instead, use high-end powerbox, canister or possibly even wet-dry filters.

    • 3

      Assemble your rock work. Remember that your rock work should not rest directly on the tank bottom. Make sure there is substrate (gravel or sand) between the rocks and the bottom of the tank. Consider gluing the rocks together with coral putty or aquarium glue before putting them into the tank.

    • 4

      Test your water for pH and hardness. Most tap water is hard, which is a boon for African cichlid keepers; African cichlids come from lakes with a high pH. If your pH and hardness is low, pet shops sell products to correct this.

    • 5

      Select your fish. Remember that similar cichlids are more likely to attack each other, males are more likely to attack each other and many fish have different color patterns when growing.

    • 6

      Feed your cichlids a varied and appropriate diet. This may require research on your end, but remember that most African cichlids are omnivores who lean towards vegetables. At the same time, keeping them well fed will reduce aggression.

    • 7

      Keep up on bi-weekly water-changes. Perform at least a 25 percent water-change. Be sure to remove any uneaten food, as it will rot and foul your water.