Design and Setup of an Aquarium for African Cichlids.
To be continued…
The interior design of an aquarium should be considered from two perspectives: from the observer’s point of view and from the standpoint of necessity (usefulness) for its inhabitants. The first position is pointless to discuss: “there’s no accounting for taste.” Here, the only recommendation is: your imagination should not go so far as to harm the fish (sharp stones, accidental traps, objects with unhealthy secretions, etc.). But what is suitable for the fish?
Whatever type of cichlid aquarium you choose, it is advisable to have a substrate. It has a positive effect on the hydrochemical parameters of the water, cichlids feel more comfortable in such an aquarium, and it can also be argued that the color of the substrate affects the coloration of cichlids. The best substrate fraction for river and lake African cichlids, except for fish from Lake Tanganyika, is pebbles or crushed rocks sized 2-10 mm. Almost universally, cichlids are fish that build nests for breeding in the form of pits in secluded places of the aquarium. For Tanganyikan cichlids, coarse gray sand with a layer of 1 cm and a fraction of up to 2 mm is more suitable – the natural bottom material of Lake Tanganyika. If there are no plants in the aquarium, this layer can be thin, up to 3 cm; if there are plants, the substrate layer must be thicker and depends on the plants you are going to plant.
The size of the substrate fraction directly depends on the lifestyle and size of the cichlids. For example, small shell-dwelling cichlids need a fine fraction of 0.7-1.5 mm; they like to arrange the space around their home and often dig in the sand, and can move or bury their home almost completely, leaving a narrow entrance passage. And the bottom-dwelling cichlid Xenotilapia even sifts sand through its gills, extracting small invertebrates. Among Malawians, cichlids representing the mbuna group love to dig in the sand. You will lose all this splendor of observing these cichlids if you put a substrate with a larger fraction than necessary into the aquarium.
An important point for all digging cichlids is the roundness of the substrate particles, otherwise, the fish may get hurt on sharp edges. For spawning some rare Tanganyikan cichlid species, a thicker layer of sand is required, as in their natural habitat they build crater-like nests up to 40 cm in diameter and up to 10 cm deep. However, such cichlids are usually kept in pairs in large tanks without other neighbors.
Not very large colorful cichlids from the African Lake Malawi of the Mbuna group consume up to 60% plant food in their diet (depending on the species). A similar group exists in Lake Tanganyika as well. River African tilapias are vegetarian-type cichlids. Planting plants in such an aquarium is problematic, even if they are constantly replaced with fresh ones. The design will suffer from nibbled bushes and mutilated leaves. Here, plants are simply food. Many large cichlids, although they do not eat plant food, nevertheless destroy plants.
When the spawning period begins, the male and female begin to transform the aquarium landscape to their own taste, which completely does not coincide with the taste of the aquarium owner. In addition to massive substrate digging, aquatic plants are ruthlessly uprooted, branches are broken and crumbled, and leaves are torn off. The problem with live plants can be partially bypassed if they are replaced with artificial ones. However, plastic gardens are not to every hobbyist’s liking, and it is easier for fish to dig them out of the substrate.
The issue of keeping live plants in an aquarium with African cichlids, with a substrate layer of 1-1.5 cm, is solved by installing either terraces or special pots in the aquarium. The aquarium environment must meet the requirements of the higher vegetation planted in it. That is, water quality and lighting must correspond to the chosen plant species. Plants must be undemanding to water chemistry, with a well-developed root system and dense leaves. Most Echinodorus, Cryptocoryne, Hygrophila, Anubias, Vallisneria, and many other popular plants coexist satisfactorily with the fish. Small and medium-sized cichlids practically do not damage such plants, but they may dig them up.
The problem can be solved by planting large plants with a powerful root system, planting them in pots, or surrounding the plants with stones. You can provide cichlids with vitamins by feeding them vegetarian components – lettuce, pumpkin, carrots, sweet pepper, zucchini, nettles, dandelions, and a number of other plant supplements sold year-round, including specialized brand-name ones that can be purchased in pet stores.
The issue of lighting an aquarium with African cichlids cannot be ignored. This issue is resolved mainly based on the purpose of the aquarium at your disposal, rather than the needs of the cichlids themselves. Stress in cichlids can only be caused by sudden changes in lighting, for example, when turning off the lights in the aquarium in the evening. In this case, the fish can be so frightened that they often receive serious injuries from sudden rushes around the aquarium. In an aquarium with herbivorous inhabitants from Malawi and Tanganyika, a certain lighting regime must be strictly observed. For the normal development and well-being of the fish, it is absolutely necessary that the side walls and rock structures are partially overgrown with green algae. Therefore, it is necessary to provide sufficient illumination of the body of water using artificial light sources.
The criterion for correct lighting is the rapid overgrowing of the upper half of the rock structures. The appearance of blue-green algae in the aquarium indicates an unfavorable lighting regime or water salt composition. Just like when keeping other active fish, the cichlid aquarium must be tightly covered on top with a cover glass, otherwise, there is a risk to the lives of your pets, who during games can easily jump out of an uncovered aquarium. In order for cichlids to sparkle with the full spectrum of their colors, it is necessary to acquire one of the specialized aquarium lamp types.
For the joint maintenance of several cichlids in a general aquarium, shelters are necessary where fish can hide, weaker individuals can escape from stronger ones, and sometimes spawning takes place. A fish behaves more boldly if it knows that at the first sign of danger, it has somewhere to shelter and hide. African cichlids are territorial fish; each occupies a certain shelter and guards it and the surrounding area from uninvited guests.
Multi-story structures with corridors of various sizes should serve as a simulation of rocks in the aquarium so that a small fish hiding in them is out of reach of larger neighbors. It is very important that the shelters are located along the entire height of the aquarium from the bottom to the very surface of the water, which allows to some extent to divide territories by “floors”. If the aquarium size is minimal, shelters should be located along the entire back wall at some distance from it (5-8 cm), allowing fish to freely maneuver, moving from “floor” to “floor”.
Stones can be used to demarcate territory and divide the aquarium into zones to keep a larger number of species in one aquarium. If the interior cleaning of your aquarium is done by a sailfin pleco or another loricariid catfish, a beautiful piece of natural wood – driftwood – should be included among the decorative elements of the aquarium. In the tangle of driftwood, many species of fish find shelters, including cichlids and catfishes. In addition, loricariid catfishes need the presence of natural decaying wood in the aquarium for the stable functioning of their digestive tract.
As building material, you can use stone slabs, clay shards, pieces of sandstone, and stones of various sizes. It is convenient to use marble and limestone. And so that the fish cannot undermine and destroy such “rocks”, they must be installed directly on the bottom of the aquarium. For shell-dwelling Lamprologus, shells must be installed. For small species, grape snail shells or proportionally sized marine shells are sufficient. For larger cichlids, larger shells are needed.
I want to warn you against using internal background panels and decorative plastic panels designed to be immersed inside the aquarium against the back wall. Behind such objects, stagnant water zones are formed, which over time become a source of poisons and lead to a deterioration in the condition of the fish, and sometimes to their mass mortality. All objects inside the aquarium must be well washed by water circulation and prevent the formation of dead zones.
If a decorative plastic panel or colored background is placed in the aquarium, it must be removed and rinsed under running water at least once a month. Shelters should be combined with open spaces covered with gravel or sand. These areas are planted with plants that have a well-developed, strong root system and tough leaves. Unfortunately, most plants do not grow well in the conditions required for African cichlids.
Lake Victoria Cichlid Aquarium.
Keeping Victorians in aquariums is not difficult. Not all of them grow as giants as Malawian haplochromines, and not all are as demanding of captive living conditions as Tanganyikans. An aquarium for Victorians should be chosen in accordance with the goals pursued by the nature lover. If a species-specific model of the body of water is supposed to be formed, its volume should be from 100 liters. In such a body of water, Victorians of one species (2-3 males and 4-5 females) can be successfully kept. If the goal is to create a biotope aquarium with the widest possible participation of Victorian ichthyofauna representatives or the formation of a mixed aquarium, a larger body of water will be required.
A vessel with a capacity of at least 250-300 liters is ideal for this. The setup inside the aquarium (its interior design) should be considered from two perspectives: from the observer’s point of view and from the standpoint of necessity (usefulness) for the inhabitants. Fine gravel or coarse sand is poured onto the bottom. The relief is formed using rounded boulders, flat stones, and a small amount of driftwood. Artificial plants are used, or they do without aquatic flora altogether. Up to a dozen Victorian species can be settled in such a body of water.
The following maintenance conditions are suitable for Lake Victoria cichlids: pH 7.5-8.5 (fluctuations in active water reaction for adapted species are possible within 6.5 to 9.5), water hardness from 6-12° to 25°dH, temperature 23-27°C (spawning 27-30°C), aeration, water filtration, and 1/3 volume water change weekly. These cichlids, like most of their mouthbrooding relatives, are harem fish. It is better to choose the future family yourself by purchasing 6-8 medium (2-4 cm) and agile youngsters.
With proper care, the fish grow quickly and are ready for reproduction at 6-8 months. Spawning follows the standard circular scheme for mouthbrooding cichlids. After spawning, dully colored females hide in shelters, do not eat anything for 2-2.5 weeks, and release fully independent fry into freedom, which immediately begin to hunt for fine plankton (Artemia nauplii, Cyclops). The temperature should be maintained at 27-28°C. To avoid hybridization, only one species of Victorian cichlids should be kept in the aquarium, and under no circumstances should fry be mixed, as females cannot be distinguished later.
Aquarium with African cichlids from the Utaka group.
Design and Setup of an Aquarium for African Cichlids. 
