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African Rift Lake Cichlids  Tank Set Up and Maintenance  MARCichlids@aol.com      I propagate Cichlids, concentrating on species from Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi. There are many beautiful species of Cichlids that have evolved from common ancestors in each lake, and I regret that I cannot possibly raise all of them in my lifetime. I attempt to do the best I am able with species I have selected, and I offer them to other hobbyists, that they might find as much enjoyment from them as I have.      Most Cichlids from these lakes like alkaline water and a rocky environment. Males of most species are instinctually "territorial"; many select spawning territories among the rocky substrate in the lakes, and lure available females for spawning. I would advise you to attempt to use every effort in order to duplicate this environment in your aquarium.      You may have heard the words "mean" or "aggressive" from people in aquarium stores that do not know how to properly handle them. If you speak with a person that uses these two latter terms, I would seriously doubt their ability to adequately advise you on their maintenance and habits. Cichlids can exhibit these qualities if the aquarist keeps them incorrectly, and sometimes may do so anyway. It is an instinctual behavior; there is nothing you can or should do to attempt to alter it, other than methods I will describe that have worked for me. The Bully Theory      If you make the error of purchasing just two fish of the same species, and both fish happen to be males, the larger fish will attack and probably kill the smaller fish. Remember, they are territorial; the larger fish just wants the whole tank to himself. This can also occur in the case of one of them being a female, but it is due now to the males instinct to spawn, and not to the territorial instinct.      Decide which species you want before setting up the tank. I always attempt to acquire at least a dozen or so of the same species, and I introduce them to the largest tank available, in order to allow the males to exercise the territoriality. However, when you have a dozen or more fishes in the tank, the territoriality is spread around, and no one fish suffers any damage.      I always purchase fishes as juveniles, and raise them up together in the same tank. In a seller's tank of two dozen fishes, I would prefer to take the smallest dozen, to insure that I get more females, their being usually smaller than males. If you buy the largest dozen, you would logically get more males, which is not desirable for breeding. The dominant males will color up, assuming breeding coloration, while sub-dominants will not color up as well, if at all. It is very possible for these sub-dominant males to retain the juvenile/female coloration. This set up allows for the dominant males to select the best females for spawning (hopefully you have several females, since you purchased the dozen). Aquarium Set Up      I have used undergravel filters (I like Perfecto the best) for many years, using Marineland Penguin 550 Powerheads instead of air pumps, in order to increase the filter's efficiency, as well as increase aeration. This is supplemented with Vortex Innerspace Products' diatom filter, which is easily movable from tank to tank, as needed. The diatom filter does not need to run at all times on any one tank. It has the ability to remove any particle larger than one micron ( 1/1,000,000 meter), and in effect "polishes" your water.      In an undergravel filter, the gravel is actually the filter medium, housing nitrifying bacteria that break down the fishes waste products. I have always found a medium sized gravel to work best. I use a mixture of three types of gravel, pre-washed before adding it to the tank: 1/3 crushed coral, 1/3 Dark Brown Natural River Gravel, and 1/3 Light Brown Natural River Gravel. The crushed coral helps to keep the alkalinity up in the tank. Other possible additives to this mixture are gravels such as dolomite or crushed oyster shell. I do not used crushed coral alone, as it tends to cause the fishes colors to fade out, as they attempt to color to match their surroundings; darker is better. I fill the Malawi tank with washed natural stones, using granite or river slicks, and use Coral (Reef) Rock in a Tanganyikan tank. These are arranged to provide niches and caves between each stone, to allow for the aforementioned territories. I allow algae to grow on the stones, as many species will eat it, and it also helps to eliminate the nitrates, which are the final product of nitrification. Water      I use SeaChem Cichlid Lake Salt and Tanganyika Buffer or Malawi/Victoria Buffer, depending on the natural habitat of the fishes, to increase to alkalinity of my water. I maintain the Malawi species at a pH around 8.2; and Tanganyikans are kept at close to 9.0. Check the pH of your tapwater, and make adjustments as needed. I never mix Tanganyikan species with Malawian, for this reason. The salts should be pre-dissolved in water prior to introduction into your tank. The Cichlid lake Salt is difficult to dissolve; I use a large bucket and hot water first, then cold, balancing the temperature, to accomplish this.      I do a 50% water change on each aquarium, weekly. I always drain out ½ of the tank water first and then replace it; and I do not use any of these easy water changers that will not fulfill this requirement. I have found a simple garden hose, with faucet adapter, to work the best. The only time that this is not done is if there are very small fry in the tank, or if there is a female mouthbrooder incubating eggs. I use NovAqua for a water conditioner. The Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen Cycle     Fishes naturally excrete carbon dioxide and ammonia. The carbon dioxide will be utilized as a plant food, when light is applied to the aquarium, or given off through the surface of the water. It is not possible to eliminate all carbon dioxide, as it is in everything around us in the natural world. Remember photosynthesis? Plants absorb carbon dioxide in the presence of light, giving off oxygen. What they didn't tell you is that this process is reversed without light; plants absorb oxygen, giving off carbon dioxide. So it is wise to have a good natural daylight bulb (fluorescent).      Ammonia is another story. It is the immediate toxic waste produced by fishes, and will poison them if the levels get too high in an uncycled aquarium. Fishes have hemoglobin in their blood to catty oxygen, just as people and all higher animals do. However ammonia will bind with hemoglobin faster than oxygen will, forming a toxic substance, and depriving the fish's cells of the oxygen they require for respiration. The aquarium must go through a break-in period, or cycle. There exist in nature, and in your aquarium, nitrifying bacteria that must become established to break down the ammonia. These bacteria essentially "eat" ammonia, changing it into nitrite. Nitrite is also toxic to fishes. There exists a second bacteria that "eats" nitrite, changing it into nitrate. Nitrate is not toxic to fishes, and can be utilized by plants for food (check a bag of fertilizer).      It is wise to purchase test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, as well as pH, and test your water often. Daily is wise in a new aquarium. If the levels of the toxic chemicals get too high, it is wise to do a partial water change. I do 50%. As with all water changes, use a good water conditioner/dechlorinator, and put the new water in the tank at the same temperature as the tank already is. Substrate Spawners      Some species (it varies by species, so check before you get them) are substrate spawners. These fishes form semi-permanent breeding pairs. From the dozen juveniles you purchased, the dominant male will select the best female for breeding, and will attempt to evict the rest of the fishes from the aquarium. Do not attempt to make this selection for him; he can judge a pretty fish better than you can. Do not remove a fish if it is acting like a "bully"; you will have just eliminated your dominant breeder male. Remove all the other fishes, instead. This gives the tank to the breeders, who will lay eggs that attach to a rock or in a cave (it varies by species, so check before you set up the tank). If not disturbed too much these species are usually capable of raising fry in the tanks with the parents. This is without a doubt the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in an aquarium. When the fry reach a size of ¼ inch, remove them to their own tank, by moving water from the parents tank to the fry tank, then moving the fry. Mouthbrooders      I handle mouthbrooders differently. I keep these in a breeder colony, as they do not form pairs. The dominant male is capable with spawning with as many females as are receptive. I try to have as many as two dozen adults in the breeder tank, preferably more females than males. When a female is found to be brooding eggs (you will see a swollen chin pouch). I isolate the females in a 10 Gal tank, pre-setup for this purpose. Again I move water from the spawning aquarium to the isolation tank. The eggs will hatch in the female's mouth, and begin to develop. I leave the females in this tank until they release the fry at the free-swimming stage. Then the female is replaced in the breeder colony tank. Mouthbrooders do not usually have as many fry as substrate spawners do, but it is a very advanced method of breeding, as it allows the fry to be protected from perdition in the wild environment, and they are larger when they are released.