Among the variety of inhabitants of domestic reservoirs, the cichlid aquarium fish (the photos of which are presented in the article) are almost the most striking and interesting for observation. We warn you right away: they are not so easy to maintain and maintain, so it will be difficult for a novice fish farmer who does not have experience and relevant skills. Failure to comply with certain rules causes diseases, and often the death of pets - and they are by no means cheap.
The nature of your pets
Among all aquatic pets, aquarium fish cichlids are considered the most intelligent. It has long been noted that they are able to remember and recognize the owner. If he managed to gain confidence, the fish swim to the glass to say hello, and in general their behavior becomes more lively. Cichlids communicate among themselves, using some sounds and a variety of body movements. That is why they do not get along well not only with other species, but also with relatives of other subspecies - the characters that are served by one fish may be misunderstood by another: in its “language" they carry a different meaning.
Aquarium fish cichlids belong to the schooling, so you can not do without a big "house". At the same time, for family life, they form stable couples that remain together throughout life.
When offspring appear, cichlids manifest themselves as extremely caring parents, and in many species both offspring and dad and mom protect them. There are species that use their own mouth as an incubator. Even already hatched fry often hide in it in danger. Certain varieties of cichlids take care of the offspring as a whole flock, and very severely. Some young fish, who, by inexperience, have eaten their eggs, are expelled by the rest of the individuals for this misconduct. There are cases when a delinquent mother was imprisoned for several months, but even after that the flock did not accept her back.
Behavioral Features
It is widely believed that predatory aquarium fish cichlids are not able to get along in the same space with other species, and even fight with each other almost to death. In some ways this is true, in some it is a delusion. Aquarium fish cichlids are distinguished by clearly defined territoriality and schooling. While they are young, they are indifferent to those around them. But, having matured, they form their own narrow circle of contacts, assign territory to it and no longer let anyone into it - even relatives. That is, cichlids that grew from eggs in the same aquarium as other fish, even small ones, will ignore them. But if an outsider is formed, an outsider is planted - he will be persecuted until the stranger is abandoned by the master - or they will kill him. Even herbivorous cichlids (and there are some) with respect to their territory are characterized by increased aggressiveness, often even greater than predators. Therefore, very often, when fry are growing up, they are transferred to another aquarium before puberty in order to avoid tragedies and dramas.
General rules for equipping a glass house
Since one of the largest flocking inhabitants of your reservoir is precisely aquarium fish of cichlids, their maintenance implies the presence of a large "pool". It should be at least 100 liters, and not at the expense of height - these fish stay at the bottom or in the middle layer. The main thing in the aquarium is the length and width. The second prerequisite is continuous aeration and filtration; in a poorly saturated with oxygen and not too clear water cichlids first lose their color, and then begin to hurt. As soil it is better to choose sand. Thanks to him, turbidity of the water is again reduced . The soil layer should not be thicker than one and a half centimeters. All aquarium fish cichlids need shelter, and some species during spawning - especially. Clay shards from pots with sharpened edges, driftwood and decorative stones with caves are quite suitable. It is better to choose the latter so that they almost reach the edge of the water - then the cichlids will also master the upper layers of their reservoir. If you have Malawian cichlids aquarium fish, the vegetation should be almost completely absent, as in the natural habitat. Better let the bottom be more seeded with stones. For those types of cichlids that dig the soil, algae must be chosen with powerful roots, or even planted in low pots so that the fish do not tear them out of the soil.
The value of origin in the content of cichlids
The birthplace of these fish is Africa and America. But even within one country, habitats can vary greatly in conditions. Therefore, to determine the parameters of water, you must know where the aquarium fish you bought came from. And first of all, water hardness must be taken into account . Most inhabitants of domestic ponds are suitable for ordinary tap water, but for this species it is too soft. And the aquarium fish of Malawi cichlids generally prefer an indicator of 12 units. So at the bottom you have to put marble - in crumbs or pebbles.
The next problem is the acidity of water. Aquarium fish cichlids need a neutral environment. You will need to buy tests at a pet store and regularly monitor it.
The temperature is maintained in the range of 23-28 degrees. A short decrease is experienced, but not when the fry are kept in the aquarium - even 23 degrees can kill them.
And finally, the purity of the water. Filtration is not enough - at least once a week, a quarter of the volume of the aquarium must be changed.
Breeding Details
As already mentioned, aquarium fish cichlids form stable pairs. To be able to choose from the very beginning, five individuals of each sex will be housed in a pond - over time, they will figure out who to “get along with”. This may be accompanied by fierce battles between males, but this moment will have to endure - without mutual sympathy the fish will not reproduce. Those who did not find a mate and did not get along in the pack, resettled. For the remaining pairs, the aquarium is zoned - it is divided into separate territories by at least snags, and in some cases - dropped between the glass possessions. A sign that the two found each other will be a joint digging of a hole or cleansing stones.
What to feed?
The bulk of the aquarium fish cichlids willingly eat almost any live food. Sea fish (take fillet), beef, squid are good. Even obvious predators are sometimes worth giving fresh greens - dandelion leaves and lettuce. The basis of the diet that the Malawian cichlids aquarium fish feed on is frozen cyclops and cereal feed.
When compiling the “menu”, it is worth remembering how diverse cichlids are, and selecting its components in accordance with their preferences. Otherwise, there is a risk of poisoning your pets.