What should I put in my cichlids tank?
Substrate. Standard aquarium sand or gravel can be used, but crushed coral, coral sand or crushed oyster shell will help maintain the proper pH and alkalinity to support good health and color in your African cichlids. A 1″ to 2″ bed is best, as many species love to dig!
How big should a tank be for cichlids?
Since African cichlids are an active and aggressive species, they should have plenty of space. What is this? Fish that are at least six inches long should be considered larger, and require a minimum of 30 gallons of aquarium space. Smaller fish need at least a 20-gallon tank.
Do cichlids need a circulation pump?
Air Stones and Circulation Pumps Some fragile fish will not thrive in environments with too much water circulation. If your fish need to have the “wind in their hair” or need more exercise, like African cichlids, use a circulation pump.
How often should I feed my cichlids?
Adult cichlids should be fed 2–3 times a day, while the fry (newly born fish) should be fed 5–7 times a day. The fry also need to be fed smaller portions than the older fish. If the fish are fed regularly, then their aggressive tendencies will likely be reduced.
Do cichlids like current?
There are very few areas of really shallow water. I know from my experience with African Cichlids, that they really don’t like a lot of current in their tank. I’ve found that if there’s too much current in the tank, they will very rarely venture out from amoungst the rocks to swim in the open areas.
Is sand better than gravel for cichlids?
Gravel is the better choice for most freshwater aquariums. Gravel also comes in a variety of colors so you can customize your tank and make it complement your fish. The Case for Sand Substrate. Sand doesn’t allow water to flow through it as well as gravel does.
What cichlids can I put in a community tank?
Can Cichlids live in a community tank? While most Cichlids are too aggressive for most community tanks there are a few more docile Cichlids that can be used in a community tank such as; Angelfish, Rams & Apistogramma . Did you know you can keep some Cichlids in tanks as small as 10 gallons? Read our article about Cichlids for a 10-gallon tank.
Can I Put Some cichlids in my community tank?
Cichlids are a diverse family of fish kept in freshwater aquariums and mainly native to tropical water bodies in Africa, and South and Central America. Because cichlids are mostly aggressive, they are generally not community fish and only do best in species tanks. Keeping cichlids from the same region together is also recommended.
What are good tankmates with African cichlids?
The spotted Raphael catfish, hifin catfish, upside down catfish, ocellifer catfish and spotted catfish are all suitable as tankmates for African cichlids.