Cichlids are an diverse group of fish. Due to the fact that there is different types of cichlids that come from many differently environments around the world, there are different requirement for each group of cichlids. In order to ensure that the cichlids remain healthy and well cared for in the community tank, it is important for aquarium owners to understand the needs of they cichlids.
If the aquarium owners dont understand the needs of the cichlids, the cichlids may become aggressive toward each other, leading to potential injury or even the deaths of those fish. Cichlids come from various location around the world. For instance, African cichlids originate from the rift lakes in Africa, such as Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika.
Caring for Cichlids in a Community Tank
In these locations, the water parameters for the lakes are hard and alkaline. South American cichlid originate from the rivers and lakes in South America. The water in these areas is soft and acidic.
Due to the different requirement of the water for each of these regions, it is not recommended to keep African and South American cichlids in the same tank. If the water parameter are set to accommodate one type of cichlid, the other type will not be able to thrive. The resulting stress to those cichlids caused by their incorrect environment will lead to aggression towards each other.
Cichlids exhibit different temperament. Some species of cichlids are peaceful, while other species are aggressive. For instance, dwarf cichlids are peaceful cichlids, while species like Oscars is aggressive.
Additionally, the size of the species impacts their temperament. The more larger the species, the more aggressive they can be. An example of this is that Oscars are both large and aggressive fish, while dwarf cichlids are small and peaceful.
Because of the size of these species, large species of cichlids require larger tanks to provide them with the necessary space for their territories. If the owner place a large, aggressive species of cichlid in a small tank with smaller species of cichlids, the larger species will attack those smaller cichlids. Aggression scales exist to rank the aggressiveness of different species of cichlids, which can help the aquarium owners to ensure that they add only compatible species to the same tank.
The physical layout of the tank can impact the behavior of the cichlids. For instance, providing the cichlids with many place to hide in their tank, such as rocks or plants, allows them to establish their own individual territories. By providing visual breaks in the tank through these elements, the cichlids will not be able to see each other constant.
As a result, they will exhibit less aggressive behavior towards each other. Additionally, not all cichlid species occupy the same zone within the aquarium. For instance, some species prefer to live on the bottom of the tank, while other species live in the middle.
Ensuring that the individual cichlids are added to a tank with different zones will also lead to less aggression among the fish. A range of water parameters must be maintained within the tank. For instance, African cichlid require water with a ph level between 7.5 and 8.5.
In contrast, South American cichlids require water with a ph level as low as 6.0. In order to maintain these water parameters, you can use test kits to monitor the ph of the water in the tank, as well as heaters can maintain the water temperature in the tank. Maintaining these parameters is essential to the health of the cichlids.
If the water parameters fluctuate, the cichlids will become stressed. Stress is both a primary cause of aggression among the cichlids, as well as a weakening of their immune system. To add tank mates to the community tank, it is important to ensure that the other fish have similar requirements to the cichlids already in the tank.
For instance, in addition to pairing individuals of the species Peacock cichlid together, it is better to avoid pairing a flowerhorn cichlid with other types of fish in the tank. Flowerhorn cichlids are known to be aggressive towards other fish. Additionally, the tank should not be overstocked with too many fish.
Overstocking the tank can lead to aggression among the fish due to competition for food and space. By slow adding fish to the tank, the aquarium owner can monitor the behavior of the species to ensure that they are compatible with each other.
