by Matthew Olsen

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 28, 2008

African cichlids are among one of the more temperamental freshwater fish. They are not as easy to care for as other fish just because od the environment where they originate from and their aggressive tendencies. They are amazing fish that exhibit all the color that you would expect out of a saltwater tank without the high level off difficulty to maintain. They truly are a fish for the expert and beginner.

African Cichlids are different than any other fish in the world. They may have close relatives from South America but they are unique to the world. Cichlids come from five high elevation lakes in the mountains of Africa. Filled with rocks and having a mineral content that would make it hard for any other fish to breathe. These fish require a high temperature tank of around 76 degrees fahrenheit and are very fickle about the pH of the water that they are in. Meaning that cichlids tanks should be monitored closely for three very specific things. Mineral content or water hardness, pH, and lastly temperature.

Once you are aware of these requirements you are ready to decide what cichlids you want. Don't rush off to the pet store because unless it is a specialty shop they won't know what you need. You need to look at the cichlids you want and decide which of the five lakes you are going to choose from. Why do this? Because each lake has a different pH and water hardness. You may find that your choices become a bit limited but don't worry about it. There are many colorful cichlids in each of the lakes that you are sure to find some that you are content with. Also you can risk mixing species from a lake that is close to another in specifications. Just be aware that you are taking a risk.

African cichlids have a tendency to be a little rough with each other. This is the territorial nature of the fish that it exhibits in the wild. It is a good idea to have a large tank for your cichlids to have a lot of turf. Along with rocks and a few plants are a good idea to allow the fish to use these markers to draw boundaries. Plants are a struggle however in a cichlid tank. Live plants with most certainly die in the high pH water and the African Cichlid adds to the equation by digging up any plant that they see. In order to move boundary lines in their favor. Fake plants are a must in these tanks and the best have ceramic bases so that they will not float when they are dug up. Rocks are the main attraction in a cichlid tank and you have to be aware that you need alot. Do not allow

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