Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: How to Calm Aggressive Cichlids

Cichlid fish are just about the most desired and
preferred aquarium type fish for fans to
maintain. Their particular easy maintenance and
magnificent colours tend to be big draw cards.
Cichlids create a great center piece and a
stunning supplement to anybody's residence.

Their color schemes enhance the aesthetics of any
ones aquarium and bring life and wonder to ones
humble abode. This being said, it is no wonder
that Cichlids are by far the most popular
freshwater fish for people to start aquariums
with.

So you may have made the decision to get your
own, it is then up to you to understand cichlid
behavior. This will certainly make it easier for
both you and the fish for the first few weeks you
have them.

Raising cichlids is by no means an easy feat, but
if you follow the guidelines I set out for you,
you will get great satisfaction and enjoyment out
of raising and breeding them.

Once you have adjusted to your cichlids, you will
discover more unique behavior in them. Find
pleasure in getting to know your cichlids, and
you will find that they will reciprocate your
positive behavior.

All Cichlids have an aggressive streak.

Once you have added your new fish to your tank,
you will find as they settle they will each claim
a different area of the environment as their own.
Then generally before long you will find one will
dominate the whole tank and these are usually the
biggest fish.

So it is important to start with a small group of
the same sort of fish of roughly the same size
which will make the settling process not only
quicker but literally less painful.

There are several reasons as to why cichlids can
get aggressive. It can be jealousy over an enemy
trying to steal a potential mate, defending ones
food and even defending their little bit of your
aquarium.

Cichlids will show aggression by flaring their
gills and spreading their fins to make itself
look as large as possible whilst either standing
at the ready or darting about like a crazy fish.

This can progress to tail beating where a cichlid
attempts to show off its power by pushing water
at its enemy. This can lead to an all out brawl
with the locking of lips and agitated tank
behavior and also biting. If this behavior
persists they may have to be separated for it
will surely go on till one dies.

Put a couple of cichlids into a tank and one of
them is bound to dominate, while the rest of the
bullied population will retreat to their caves.
Any way just below are two proven methods to
prevent tank aggression amongst your cichlids.

Adjust the amount of Shelter present

Shelter and hiding spots are vital for cichlids
to live in any sort of peace. The more areas of
cover present, the more chance each fish will
have to claim a spot for itself. If there just is
not enough rock or wood, your fish will be open
game for the aggressive dominant male in the tank.

And on the other hand having too much of these
materials just makes cleaning your tank a real
headache and can lead to possible health
problems. You will have to find the equilibrium
that is just right depending on your tank size.

Male to Female Ratio

Your male to female ratio is also a very
important factor. Males tend to chase females
when they want to breed, and if there is too many
males chasing the one female she stands no chance
to rest. This will certainly lead to the death of
your female fish. This usually leads to the males
fighting amongst themselves which also puts a big
strain on the rest of the tank. The best female
to male ratio I have used is about three girls to
every one boy.

Coloration

Cichlids are well known for changing their colors
to suit the current mood of fish. Most male
cichlids will turn much darker in their natural
color when breeding time comes around. Some
Cichlids if faced with hostility darken in color,
and when some are stressed they can lighten or
pale in color.

Some cichlids simply change color when they are
stressed, which can quite often be seen when they
have been moved to a new environment such as a
new aquarium. Not to worry though this will pass
as they adjust and get used to their new
surroundings. It will not be long before you have
adjusted to your cichlids and them to you, will
discover more unique behavior in them.

One particular cichlid, the rift lake species,
shows shyness and dominance through color. When
rift lake cichlids are stressed or timid, they
look pale, but they turn dark or show off vibrant
colors when they display their aggressive streak.
Some cichlid fish depending on their mood will
change color to suit , and can be caused by
things like stress, anger and even environmental
change.

Cichlid Breeding Behavior

Breeding behavior among cichlids vary. Some lay
their eggs on open surfaces such as rocks,
leaves, logs, and substrate, this type of cichlid
is an open brooder.

Others, on the other hand, need to retreat into
caves or crevices to lay their eggs. For this
type of cave brooders, it is important that the
aquarium has many caves and other hiding places.

Still another form of cichlid breeding is mouth
brooding, in which the mother fish carries her
eggs in her mouth until they hatch.

Breeding cichlids are a joy to watch. In some
open brooding cichlids, both the male and female
parents are involved in caring for their brood,
with the male guarding the territory against
predators and the female fanning the eggs to
increase oxygen supply.

Female Cichlids are also known to occasionally
eat their younglings. This is often seen in mouth
brooders. Because mouth brooding cichlids carry
their fry in their mouth, they often go hungry
during the entire breeding process and end up
eating their fry once hatched. This is why when
you suspect that you parent cichlid could be
eating its young, it is important to put it in a
separate tank to preserve your baby cichlids.

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For more comprehensive info on Cichlid Behavior
visit my website at http://www.cichlidssite.com
where you will also find articles on cichlid
breeding, care, diseases, tank setup and much
much more.

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