Dwarf Cichlid, the Real Key to Caring For and Feeding It

The term 'Dwarf Cichlid' is actually misleading, since there really is not a strict definition of what a dwarf cichlid actually is. Rather there are a number of different fish that are commonly considered dwarfs, such as the species Apistogramma. These fish are found widely in South America and West Africa and due to being found in a rainbow of colors and having great personalities are favorites for aquarium fish.

The most important thing to keeping Dwarf Cichlids is to make sure you have the correct water!

Remember in the wild these fish live in a constant flow of clean fresh water and so it is important to change 20% of the water every 2 to 3 weeks, although many will say it is even better to change up to 50% at least once a week. The water pH should be checked to make sure it is soft acidic at best to at least neutral or slightly acidic. The best temperatures range from 74°F to 78°F, and usually they do not receive direct sunlight, since in the wild they commonly live in shady water and sunlight is filtered by the water anyway.

Dwarf Cichlids prefer live food and are often much more healthier than if fed a pure dry, such as pellets or flakes. Some of the best Cichlid food includes Black Worms, White Worms, Brine Shrimp and Micro Worms. Frozen foods are also pretty good for the fish and can be put in the tank even when frozen since the fish will nibble on it when it starts to thaw.

Black worms are probably the best frozen food whereas shrimp are not as good since once they thaw they tend to crush easily allowing nutrients to get lost in the water leaving not much else than shell. Always check frozen foods before buying them as sometimes they have have thawed during shipping and then refrozen again before being sold in stores.

Dwarf Cichlids are highly adaptable fish but it is a good practice to try and duplicate to some degree their natural habitats in the Cichlid aquarium. The more complex the environment the better, meaning there should be lots of nooks and crannies to hide.

Although a bare aquarium floor can be used it is better to use gravel or a layer of sand. Just make sure if using sand that it is not too thick since areas of anaerobic bacteria can form.

Piles of rocks, broken flower pots or coconut shells can be used to liven up the tank and the cichlids love all the places to explore and hide in.

Other good things are leaves such as Oak leaves on the tank floor since the fish use these leaves to hide in and for breeding. Just make sure that when using leaves that they have dried naturally and that the trees themselves have not been sprayed with chemicals.

There are many aquarium plants that you can use and these are vital for happy healthy fish.

Rooted, floating and loose plants can all be used. The main thing is to make sure that the plants do well themselves in the water climate that the fish use. Some good plants to look at would be Water Sprites, Java Moss, Java Fern and Pygmy Chain Sword. Trial and error is often the best approach to caring for the plants you are placing in the tanks.

Baby Dwarf Cichlids are able to eat micro worms or newly hatched brine shrimp after about 10 days but a notable exception is the Blue Ram as they are very small and should be fed smaller foods such as Vinegar eels. If the aquarium has a good amount of plants then this should give the babies food as well from micro-organisms on the plants.

Gold Cichlid, Basics of Taking Care of Your Little Friend

The Gold Cichlid comes from one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, situated between 4 African countries known as Lake Tanganyika. It is also known widely as the Lemon Cichlid although it does vary in colors from bright yellow or orange to somewhat red. The change in color is put down to the environment and diet, a darker area with less light means darker or muddy colored fish.

Since Lake Tanganyika is very large and deep, the water tends to stay stable so the Gold Cichlid does not react well to large water changes and it is best to only change from 10%-20% a week. The water temperature should be around 74°F to 79°F and pH from between 7.8 to 9.0, wild caught Cichlid preferring the higher pH. Make sure the aquarium is very oxygen rich also even if you have plenty of plants in the tank and bubblers need to be used nearly 24/7.

Gold Cichlid are carnivores and therefore need food with proteins, preferably live or frozen foods although good quality pellet and flakes can be used also. If using the dry foods more often. it is still good to supplement these with brine shrimp, which can be fed to the fish either live or frozen or daphnia. A good other live food is Mysis since this helps the fish keep their vivid colors due to the proteins within the food and even crickets are well liked by the fish.

Lots of hiding places are a good idea for the Cichlid and as mentioned having good light will help the fish keep their color. This includes using a light sandy floor for the aquarium which can also help keep the pH up if the water is salty. Plants can also be used since the Gold Cichlid does not disturb them and some can provide micro-organisms for food and more hiding places.

The Gold Cichlid is a pretty good communal fish and is not very aggressive for the most part. They can get on well with other fish although it is always best to research all fish involved if they are placed in an aquarium with other species. If planning on breeding the Gold Cichlid make sure to have lots of caves around since they prefer to spawn their eggs in such shelter. Baby brine shrimp, frozen or live, are good food for baby Gold Cichlid.

Cichlid Breeding

Cichlid breeding has become one of the most popular hobbies today. There are at least 1300 scientifically described species. These fish range from species as small as 1 in. in length to 3 feet. As a group, they exhibit a similarly wide diversity of body shapes, from long to short and flat to round. Many, particularly the Tilapias, are important food fishes. In fact the Tilapia is the most consumed fish in the USA.

These have become increasingly popular as aquarium fish, and are ideally suited as aquarium fish because many are small to medium-sized, easy to feed with a range of prepared fish foods, breed readily, and practice brood care, in captivity. Part of their popularity arises from the fact that they are so diverse in their shapes and colors.With a bit of shopping around one can have a beautiful variety of shapes and colors which make for a beautiful aquarium. Of the many species, the Angelfish, Oscars, and Discus, are likely the most valued aquarium fish. There are special sites including forums that cater specifically to care and breeding of each species.

These fish are also quite diverse in terms of their diet. Many feed primarily on algae and plants while others are primarily predatory and carnivorous and prey on other smaller fish. With the latter species it is important to choose their aquarium mates carefully.

Cichlid breeding is fascinating because of the parental behavior of adult fish. All species show some parental care for both eggs and larvae, often extended to free-swimming young until they are several weeks or months old. Species of this family have highly organized breeding activities. Some specie do mouth brooding which provides an interesting aquarium show with the adult fish protecting the young inside her mouth.

Most are easy keepers, however some do require special conditions. There are several sources for information about the care and breeding of this diverse aquarium fish.