Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Basics of Malawi Cichlid Aquarium Setup

The Malawi Cichlid aquarium needs water that is
medium hard and alkaline. Crushed coral
sand/gravel, crushed oyster shells, and limestone
can all be used to bring down the pH in the tank.
There are also products you can buy to amend the
pH level such as Proper pH. It is important not
to let the alkalinity of the water fluctuate too
much, lest it have a bad effect on your cichlids.
Cichlids are able to live in environments that
are outside of their optimal range, but only if
they are slowly introduced to those conditions.
Even though they are hardy, any sudden changes in
water chemistry can adversely affect them.

Water temperatures should be kept between 76F and
79F. Malawi Cichlids do not tolerate hot water
well at all, so be careful not to place their
tank in close proximity to windows or heaters
that can raise the temperature of the water. A
digital water heater can help to regulate the
water temperature automatically.

The Malawi Cichlid aquarium must also have proper
filtration and lighting. Filters that hang on
the back of the tank are recommended over the
under gravel filters since Cichlids do like to
dig. This fish produces a lot of waste and will
fall ill if the water is not regularly cleaned.
As for lighting, a fluorescent light is ideal
since it does not produce heat, promotes fish
growth, and helps to bring out the natural colors
of the fish.

Malawi Cichlids do not need plants in their
aquarium. In fact, they would be much happier
with plenty of sand and rocks. The species out
of Lake Malawi will prefer more sand while the
Mbuna variety prefers more rocks. For this
reason, among others, these two cichlid species
should not be kept in the same tank. If you
really want to add plants, it is recommend that
you add hardy plants that are found in Lake
Malawi. Unless of course you enjoy replacing
plants every month after your cichlids terrorize
them.

This article is only meant to introduce you to
Malawi cichlid aquarium setup and there is a lot
to learn outside of what I wrote here. The best
thing to do to is research the conditions in Lake
Malawi and try to find ways to mimic those
conditions in your aquarium. When you have
mastered that aspect of your aquarium, the fish
pretty much take care of themselves.

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If you want more details about setting up a
Malawi cichlid aquarium you can find them on my
cichlid website. On my site you will be able to
find information about everything to do with
cichlids, including everyone's favorite: Cichlid
breeding.
http://www.cichlidfishcentral.com/cichlid-fish-art
icles/malawi-cichlid-aquarium/

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