Who are cichlids?
Cichlids is a family of fish from sunny countriesCentral and South America and Africa. A characteristic feature of most cichlids is a fairly tall body, oblate from the sides, one dorsal fin and a head too large with respect to body size.
Unusual behavior of cichlids, their specific form and bright color make them very popular among aquarists. But the content of cichlids also has a number of difficulties, in the first place - it's aggression against the rest of the inhabitants of the aquarium. They also fight among themselves, often stronger females kill males.
Cichlids have different sizes and, in accordance with this, require different storage tanks. For the smallest fish of this species, you canTo use small aquariums in volume from 30-40 liters. Large-sized cichlids should have a lot of space for life, so aquariums from 200 and above liters with a large bottom area will do.
Different types of cichlids have their own characteristics, which must be taken into account when maintaining and diluting. So, tThe water temperature should correspond to the optimal value for a particular type. That the fish did not have stress due totemperature mismatch, you need to carefully select the species of fish for "joint residence." You must ensure a good aeration of the water in the aquarium with the help of continuously operating air diffusers to maximize the filling of water with oxygen. Maintain normal water quality with activated charcoal filters and periodic water changes in accordance with the requirements of your pets (at least 10-20% each week).
As a primer in an aquarium with cichlids it is better to use pebbles or crushed rocks size of 2-10 mm, and its thickness should not beexceed 1,5 cm. Cichlids require shelter, therefore, when equipping the aquarium it is necessary to place stones, grottos, flower pots, shells on the bottom. All this must be properly arranged and installed in such a way that the fish do not collapse the structures.
When choosing plants for an aquarium, it is better to pay attention to those who have a strong root system and hard leaves. After all, some cichlids are vegetarians, and do not mindto eat delicate leaves. For such fish it is better to decorate the aquarium with driftwood, stones and artificial plants, and sometimes add live only as a vitamin supplement. Some types of cichlids are very demanding for lighting, so you need to strictly follow a certain light regime.
It should be borne in mind that the rays of daylight,which fall in front and side, create areas with a moving shadow. Fish do not like this and become so shy that they spend all day in shelters, leaving the aquarium empty. For the normal development and well-being of fish, it is necessary that the side walls and structures of stones partially overgrow with green algae. Therefore, it is necessary to provide sufficient illumination of the "fish house" with artificial light sources.
Feeding cichlids in most cases is not difficult: fish can offer a variety of livefeed, dry food, pieces of horse meat and veal; herbivorous species - salad, seaweed, crushed oatmeal in flour. The frequency of feeding depends on the type of cichlids: adults of one breed can be fed not more often 1-2 times a day, another - in small portions, but 3-4 times a day. Young people and adolescents, in general, are recommended to feed at least 2-3 times a day, not to allow overfeeding.
