Overview
Habitat
Making A Home
Care
Habitat
These semi- aggressive fish are an intermediate level fish. Popular species include: Oscar, Firemouth, Jack Dempsey, Blue Ram, Convict, Blood Parrot, Discus, Midas and Angelfish. Cichlids can grow to be 3-10” long and can live 10-20 years depending on the species. It’s best to have cichlids only with other cichlids as they may eat smaller fish. They are very territorial, and can become increasingly aggressive when trying to breed. Due to this territorial nature, provide enough décor so that each fish can establish its own turf. Cichlids also like to hide, so put several cave structures in the tank.
As with any fish, research which cichlid you would like to keep before selecting a tank, as cichlids can vary in growth. Cichlids 6” or less could live in a 20G tank, whereas those that can grow up to 10” require a minimum of 29G. You should have 2G of water for every inch of full grown fish. For example, if you wanted four 6” cichlids, you should have a 50G tank.
A lot of the different factors that go into building a home for your cichlid is going to depend on the species. Central African cichlids prefer hard, alkaline water with a pH 7.6 or above; whereas South African cichlids live in soft, more acidic water. Most cichlids do best with a water temperature of 75-80 degrees F.
Making A Home
Cichlids need a lot of space! Some species can become quite large- so again, always do your research to ensure you can provide the necessary requirements. Cichlids can also be very messy eaters, so you may need to clean their tank more often.
Add structure to yor tank with artificial plants, driftwood and rock formations. Cichlids tend to be territorial, and require a place to hide and guard. You may need to weigh down everything down under the gravel as cichlids can be diggers.
Cichlids are carnivores/ omnivores, so their diet needs to be a mix of pellets and fresh foods. Feed juveniles flakes until they reach adulthood, and then feed pellets and or freeze-dried foods. The rule of thumb is to only feed what they can consume in 2 minutes once or twice a day.
