Lake Tanganyika Cichlids for Beginners

In this article, I will be talking about Lake Tanganyika Cichlids I have had these colorful fish in my tanks for years and unlike goldfish, have had wonderful luck with them and the water NEVER gets cloudy. the most important part of Cichlid care is the tank. There are many aspects of taking care of Cichlids. The first being, knowing how many fish to put in the tank you have. As a rule of thumb, you should have around 1 inch of fish per gallon of water.

When I first started my newest tank, I bought a bottle of Tetra Aquasafe plus, as well as, Microbe-Lift Cichlid proper water chemistry. The Microbe lift costed approximately $10.99 plus tax at my local pet store. You put one capful of the Microbe Lift per 30 gallons and within 10 minutes, the water is safe for your fish. It replaces all the trace minerals that may be removed during filtration. It also includes the lake salt so buying both is not necessary. I put the Aquasafe in just to make sure the chlorine from our city water is removed.

The next most important factor is the water temperature. You want to keep your tank as close to their natural habitat as you possibly can. Normal temperatures in Lake Tanganyika is normally between 74 and 82 degrees. The optimum temperature in your aquarium should stay around 78 degrees. If your house is normally that temperature, then a heater may not be required, however, I would have one just in case. In a tank of fry, you can raise the temperature which raises the babies metabolism, which in turn, causes the fry to eat more and they grow faster. If you have aggressive Cichlids in your tank, you may want to turn the temperature down a little lower, as this slows metabolism, and therefore, makes them a little less aggressive.

The next issue at hand is the pH level of your tank. Again, you want this as close as normal to their native habitat. pH is Lake Tanganyika is high. Any sudden changes to your water can be detrimental to the health of your fish. A 7.5 to 8.5 pH level in your aquarium is ideal for the health and well-being of your aquatic friends.

The next to be tackled, are the filters. I do not advise using under gravel filters in any tank, but especially in a Cichlid or Saltwater tank. Sponges work best in a smaller tank, and can last for years if cleaned regularly, but I recommend a filter with a bio wheel attached. The bio wheel helps to maintain the balance of the tank.

Now, for feeding. Cichlids, eat anything from pellets, to frozen food, to feeder goldfish. Try feeding them several small meals, instead of one big meal a day, this will reduce over feeding, which causes frequent water changes. While I'm on this subject, let me tell you a quick, funny little story. I place around 15 feeder goldfish in my tank for my cichlids to eat. They devoured all of them, BUT ONE! It lived in the tank with my cichlids and they all buddied around together for years, until he finally got old and passed away. With that said, I've tried to figure out how a goldfish lived in salt water?? I may never know but thought that was very odd!

Ok, now here is where the pet stores and myself, would probably disagree! Water changes. When I used to have goldfish, I HAD to change the water every week, because they were so nasty and the water was continuously cloudy. Since I've had cichlids, I keep a check on the condition of the water and if needed I will change the water but honestly, I rarely ever change out my water. When the tank starts to become low, I will fill it back up and add the water conditioners that I mentioned above. Every time I have ever done a water change in my tanks, I've had fish die. I'm not saying that it should never be done, but I do believe once a week is a bit much. I only do a 10 or 20% water change, if I believe it's needed. My tanks are crystal clear and stay that way all the time. If your tank becomes cloudy, then you need to check your ammonia level, as that is the primary cause of cloudy tanks.

Now you have the basics of your tank. If you have any other questions, or comments, feel free to post them in the comment section and I will be more than happy to help you in any way I can. I do not claim to know everything about the fish, but if you ask me something that I don't know, then I will be more than happy to find out and get back to you on it.