The Cichlid family.

The cichlids pronounced (sick-lids) are a breed unto themselves, found in parts of Africa, Madagascar and tropical South America, apart from a few species found in southern India.

Over the many years that I have kept cichlids I have seen so many beautiful fish of all shapes and sizes, but have found that the only true way to tell a cichlid from any other fish is that they only have one nostril on each side of the snout as apposed to other species such as tetras-barbs-guppies etc, who have two on either side.

In general the cichlid is the big fish (which should be considered very carefully before purchase) of the aquarium with some growing very large indeed, they are well represented by species such as cichlasoma and persudotropheus and a few others.

While a few of the cichlids are peaceful citizens most of them will fight with members of their own kind, it becomes more frequent among male and female, these battles although brutal to see normally only take place when breeding comes in to play, cichlids are what you might call “terrific lovers”. The outcome of these battles is either “murder or marriage”, but once paired off these magnificent fish live solely by the saying “to death, do us part”.

There are a few types of cichlid tanks, lake Malawi, Tanganyika, central American, and a few others but the three types that I have mentioned seem to be the most popular, the thing that most cichlid keepers do not seem to realize is that two of the three species mentioned above will live together in perfect harmony {Lake Malawi & central American} but only if given ample space, due to the fact that some central American cichlids will grow to the size of 8 inches and up.  

Caring for Cichlids

The cichlid in general is an easy fish to keep, by saying this I mean that they are a very hardy fish. As long you, the keeper, provide the right temperature, good water conditions, steady feeding and take into consideration that around 30-50% of their diet should be greens, your fish should get on fine.

 

As for water, hard water is what this species require, with a ph between 7.6 and 8.0. They prefer slow moving water furbished with rockwork that should be firmly fixed in position  and nothing else, plants will almost certainly be demolished, if not straight away then most definately when they begin spawning.
Temperature is usually kept at around 79-80 but through my own experience I have found that these particular species do so much better at the temperature of 82, this constant temperature also seems to keep diseases and parasites to a minimum, and colour at a maximum. As a matter of fact in the last 6 years of keeping cichlids I have had no disease what so ever in any of my fish. Some fish keepers advocate the use of cichlid salts to buffer the water to the correct parameters; I personally do not use them but would advise you to seek further information if you do intend to use them.

Top ten Cichlids

 Here are the top 10 cichlids that are all suitable for the beginner and are all available from the fish lodge …

1) Persudotropheus {lots of colour morphs}
2} Cichlasolma severum {green/gold}
3} Convict
4} Firemouth
5} Oscar {varied colours}
6} Livingstoni
7} Alunacara {normal/metallic}
8) Tilapia
9} Red devil
10} Yellow carellius

For further information on keeping cichlids, the foods they eat ,cichlid salts and treatments and filtration that they require, please contact The Fish Lodge, all specimens mentioned above are sold in the shop and any that are not can be sourced and ordered  for you (deposits will be required).