African cichlids: species diversity, description and maintenance in the aquarium

It is pleasant to have an aquarium in the house as a part of wildlife, and it is doubly joyful when it is inhabited by unusual and exotic fish, iridescent with bright colors. Very common and very diverse are African cichlids, which differ in size, shape and spectacular appearance.

Homeland of fish

All members of the Tsikhlovye family live in the Great African Lakes, including Kivu, Albert, Eduard, Rudolph, Nyasa, Tanganyika and Victoria (listed in increasing area). The inhabitants of the last two reservoirs are best studied, where they occupied all the ecological niches that may be accessible to fish. In another African lake - Malawi - they number about 500 species.

african cichlids pics




The total number of these unusual and bright fish is 1500 species. It is known that they all descended from one ancestor, rapid divergence (10 million years) contributed to modern diversity. According to recent data, in Lake Victoria, African cichlids are represented by 200 species, all of which differ in food preference and morphological features. This is an amazing fact. Especially considering the fact that the lake was formed 400 thousand years ago and for such active speciation, a longer period and isolation of populations from each other are needed. Aquariums are attracted to fish not only by their external beauty, but also by their amusing behavior, quick wits, it is believed that they are able to recognize their owner.





African Cichlids: Description

These are quite massive fish with a high body, squeezed from the sides, and a large head, on which males form a fatty “pillow” with age. The anal and dorsal fins are elongated along the body; in many species, sexual dimorphism is observed . Sizes range from 5 to 70 cm, in particular African tilapia reaches up to half a meter in length. For home maintenance, they are interesting for their vibrant tropical beauty. It is believed that these are typical predators, which is fundamentally wrong. With the right choice of species, you can easily and seamlessly hook them to other fish. They are long-livers and can even be kept in captivity for up to 25 years.

African cichlids description




Feed base

There is every reason to think that African cichlids had a common omnivorous or insectivorous ancestor. Ultimately, they evolved and a very narrow specification evolved, each species occupying a specific food niche: mollusks, algae, plankton, insects, other fish or their scales, etc. This separation allowed a large number of individuals to coexist together, preserving a rich variety. This fact cannot be ignored when keeping cichlids in a home aquarium. However, he will not give you any particular difficulties.





African cichlids: content

Lake cichlids are very decorative, one of their advantages is a quick adaptation to new living conditions. They are not demanding on the food base, resistant to diseases, are not demanding on water temperature and are capable of reproduction in the environment in which they live. One of the main features is the poor tolerance of acidic medium and soft water, they should be provided with pH = 7.0-5.8, it is enough to maintain the temperature at + 25 ° . In nature, in natural habitats, the water remains unchanged, so the fish do not tolerate temperature fluctuations, moreover, for some representatives of Lake Tanganyika, a temperature increase above 30 ° C is fatal.

A mandatory attribute of the aquarium in which African cichlids live is its decoration with decorative elements. So, it is recommended to build an imitation of natural rocks made of stones, with corridors and caves. It is best if such a design is located at the rear wall of the aquarium in its entire height. Limestone and marble are allowed. Plants are not planted, but you can add oak, lemongrass to the interior. But to get green algae follows, moreover, you need to let them braid the stones and side walls of the vessel. Cichlids are sensitive to organic pollution, therefore, it is necessary to put a carbon filter, regularly change the water, but not more than 10% per week of the total.

Common species

african cichlids




It is impossible to list all types of fish that are contained in aquariums within the framework of one article, we will only focus your attention on a few.

  1. Princess Burundi is a resident of Fr. Tanganyika is considered an insectivore. Differs in jumping ability, therefore it is recommended to cover the aquarium with glass. African cichlids (photo above) of this species are characterized by a noble sand color with a blue tint and gold "earrings" on the gill covers. For full content, you need a flock of 6-10 individuals.
  2. Blue dolphin. Adult fish of a characteristic color, males with a large fat growth on the forehead. This is one of the largest representatives of cichlids, and even when kept in an aquarium, it can grow up to 25 cm in length. By nature, calm and balanced fish, peacefully adjacent to other species.
  3. Melanochromis Johansa - small fish up to 10 cm in size with a clear sexual dimorphism. Males are black and blue with light blue stripes or spots (second photo), females are yellow-orange. Very agile, omnivorous.
  4. Hummingbird - lives in Lake Malawi, a rare species, but thanks to breeders distributed in aquariums. It has a characteristic canary yellow color, anal and dorsal fin with a blue stripe. For breeding you need steam and an aquarium of at least 80 liters in volume.
    african cichlids content




  5. Queen Tanganyiki is a spectacular and bright blue fish with dark stripes (in the first photo). They grow up to 35 cm in length, males with an impressive forehead, differ in power-law and measured behavior, interesting character traits and quick wits. Favorite food - snails, the main food - squid, fish fillet, shrimp.




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