AFRICAN CICHLIDS
I guess the first question is why Africans. I choose them for a couple of reasons. Most are relatively hardy. It takes some research to determine who likes who and deaths do occur....the fish rarely the keeper... do occur. They do very well in hard water. It might be said that they thrive. Many municipalities have alkaline water including mine. I did not want to play fresh water biologist as with discus, angels and the like. There is a very large selection of families. Most are very colorful and most are also active. They love rocky landscape and caves. They are mouthbrooders and egg layers and the breeding activity is different depending on what type you are dealing with. There are bullies, pretty boys, baby factories, the shy types, excavators and shell dwellers. In short, no matter what your interest I can safely say there is an African Cichlid for you.
GETTING STARTED
When you decide on Africans I can guarantee you will start with one
tank but will expand. Taking care of fry, a hospital tank, a breeding tank
and the list goes on. If you just have room for one tank, get one that is a
least 30 gallons. You will need a decent filtration system, a heater, a light
and some foods. All this is available local breeders or online. Some local fish stores are nice but for livestock I would definitely suggest local breeders.
If you get at all involved in this hobby you will find buying in bulk, especially food, is a lot cheaper and usually much higher quality. The Internet is a vast
bank of information. There are clubs and associations nationwide. Look for one near you.
. I live in the Chicagoland area and use www.gcca.net as a main resource. Buying the fish themselves is the major challenge until you get use to it. These fish are not available in the regular chain pet stores. If you go to a specialty shop that has these critters, they will be obscenely expensive. Overhead ain't cheap folks! Again the Internet comes along. With a little research you will find individuals selling fish all around your area. Some have mini shops in their basements, and some just sell a few types. Their prices are a lot cheaper and the good ones can show you the parentage of what they are selling you. This is very important but we will cover this later. The more knowledge you can accumulate the better you are. Most of these "fish guys" are only too happy to help since they like return business. You will also find fish sellers that have large operations and ship fish to you. Some even import from Africa. I always found this a little exotic and pricey but you can get great fish if you are willing to part with some serious money. I will concentrate on the simple beginnings of it all.
First off you need to decide how big of a tank will fit your needs and space. Keep in mind that the area will get wet no matter how careful you are. Carpeting is not a good idea. Being close to a water source is a mini plus. 20 gal tanks are the minimum I would suggest. Smaller than that and the water purity becomes a nightmare due to just not having much dilution. Try to choose "long" tanks rather than high. You will have a larger surface to water footprint and most African's don't really need a lot of depth. Once you determine the size you must next decide on the filtration. There are undergravel filters, inside, outside , sponge etc. A good outside power filter usually is low maintenence and effective. If you get one with biological as well as mechanical aspects, so much the better. Biologic filtration includes sponges and filter media. It will assist in growing bacteria for the tank. Yes bacteria of the right kinds are essential to the eco system. You will need small gravel and lots of rocks. There are lots of sources for rocks without paying by the pound. Keep in mind that rocks contain minerals and metals that can harm the fish so use care in selecting them. Most of mine I got at garage sales or in rocky areas around lakes where the water leeched out some of the harmful chemicals. I even have a blast fragment from the Crazy Horse Monument in the Black Hills and the fish love it. As for plants, most Africans will destroy/eat live plants so go the plastic route. I try to go with a natural look so I avoid frogmen and clam shells that bubble but that is just a me thing. I also don't go for the "backrounds" they sell in the stores. I usually spray paint the back( on the outside :-) ) with a light beige or pale blue.
So you have all the hardware. Water weighs 8# per gallon so simple math says a 20 gallon will tip the scales around 160-180 pounds. Whether you build a stand or buy one, make sure it will take the weight. You can spend a little or a lot, just make sure it is strudy. This whole set up must be reasonably close to an electrical outlet with a GFI socket (Remember all that water!). Any cleaning of the tank is done with a mild vinegar solution ONLY...nothing else. Lime build up will occur. If it gets beyond vinegar, use a razor scraper. Do NOT buy an acrylic tank. Abrasives and razors scratch them badly. The Mr Clean Eraser works well as does the #96 3M pad. The outside is just glass cleaner or vinegar. So now what?
LETS GET WET
So now it is time to get the tank up and running. Your still a week away from fish...at least. If you have soft water, run it on bypass to fill the tank. Put your substrate in and then place the rocks. Africans like rocks to hide in but if you put too many in you will never see the fish. Fill the tank and start up the filter if it is exterior. If it is under gravel.start the power heads. I use mainly sponge filters but for a display tank under gravel or exterior are best for looks.Add your heater and let the whole unit run for a few days. Be sure to treat the water with conditioner to remove the chlorine and ammonia. The tank may cloud up at first. This is just the system balancing itself. You will hear about nitrogen cycles and "new tank syndrome" which take only patience. After about a week it is time for the Kamikaze Fish. Buy an inexpensive African like an Electric yellow and set it loose. If it dies something is wrong. Could need more time and a partial water change in case some impurities got in. If all goes well you are ready to introduce more fish. Africans don't require as much room as other types so for about a 20 gal you can probably maintain 5-7 fish of adult size. The bigger the aquarium the faster and larger the critters will grow. Many of the more common species will breed in a community environment. Make sure to research the particular species as many have different habits.
This hobby has a habit growing at an alarming rate. If you manage to stay at one tank you are in the minority. I presently sport about 45 tanks in three rooms and I am a smaller operation. Some of my cohorts are 50 - 100 tanks. So assuming your first foray with a single tank is successful you may find yourself with multiple tanks. This will bring you into a world of multiple air supplies, lighting, and water changes that begins a new and more time consuming part of the journey. This brings us to the term "Fish Room" which is exactly what it sounds like. You surrender a room of your dwelling to your new found aquatic friends. These set ups are as varied as the fish keepers that design them. Mine is a modest set up compared to many but will give you an idea of where this concept can lead you.
THE FISH ROOM
Several considerations need to be considered before you begin. Foremost are drainage, floor covering, electrical circuitry, lighting and heat. The average home is not intially built to maintain large amounts of fish tanks. Here are a few starting tips.
Room selection: Basements are by far the area of choice. I don't have one so my set up is slightly different. Let us start by assuming there is one available. Flooring is probably concrete which is good. A floor paint will spiff the place up but it will get scratched up. A good working drain and sink with water source is necessary. Room for R/O units and sumps will be discussed later. I will cover the community air supply but drilling and plumbing tanks is not my forte. The internet provides many sources for that.
First off draw a rough schematic of the layout. Click link above for view of mine. Sunlight in a fish room is normally not wanted or at least indirect. It can cause heavy algae growth that even a hearty pleco can't keep up with. I have one window but it is draped all the time providing some light but filtered. Leave space to walk and manuver. I use shop lights over the tanks so one light will illuminate 2-3 tanks. Electric sockets and enough power is necessary. Most folks with larger set ups will opt to heat the room to 78-80 rather than using individual heaters. Building stands can become an art form. If you are handy then go for it. If not find a friend who is good with lumber and have them do the shelving. IMPORTANT!! Water weighs 8# per gallon. Your stands will be holding up a lot of weight. Don't spare the lumber and supports. Use screws not nails. When setting up the lay out consider all the factors before you start to build. Power outlets, airlines, water lines, access to the inside of the tank, lighting etc. Take the time beforehand and you won,t be tearing up what you built 2 months ago. It will happen but try to make it seldom.
AIR AND FILTRATION
Time to decide how you will keep your tanks clean and aerated. Lots of opinions here most depending on your individual set up. I am a big supporter of sponge filtration. Low maintenance, mechanical and biological filtration and inexpensive. If you are even slightly handy you can build your own. There is also inside filters, hang on back (HOB) filters. canisters, sumps and undergravel filters. All have pros and cons. I have HOB's, canisters and the sponges so I will explain each one along with what I feel are the pluses and minuses.
SPONGES: Pretty self explanatory here. This consists of a sponge weighted at the bottom with a tube stuck down the center with air pumped through. The upward flow of air sucks water and particles into the sponge and the bubbles somewhat provide water movement. The bubbles DO NOT provide oxygen to the tank the water movement does.
HOB FILTERS: These are hang on the back of the tank power filters that need an electrical source. Most have filter media such as bio balls, charcoal, filter cartridge or sponge. Most media needs replacement on a regular basis. Aqua Clear filters depend on a reusable sponge so I tend toward them.
CANISTERS: Primarily for larger tanks they are essential like the HOB but a sealed separate system that sits under or next to the tank. Pros: Highly efficient, provides good mechanical and biologic filtration and needs to be cleaned less. Cons: Time consuming when you do, more expensive and sometimes hard to reassemble due to gaskets and seals. If this is your option do NOT buy a cheap one. Fluval is the gold standard here but I have run a Sun Sun 304 for 5 years without a hitch. Again numerous opposing opinions here
UNDERGRAVEL FILTERS: These run on air only. They are nearly extinct. The use the actual substrate of the tank as a filtration system. Cleaning means disassembling the entire tank, screwing up the cycle and are not something I would mess with. They were all the rage 25yrs ago but technology has pretty much rendered them useless. Again your choice.
SUMPS: Useful in large operations but I have no knowledge since I have never built or run one. Google them and you will get a raft of info. HINT: Have extensive DYI abilities. You will need them.
AIR OPERATIONS: This area is extensive. Small air pumps can run anywhere from 1-3 tanks depending on size. These are known as diaphragm pumps which are quiet, cheap to operate and inexpensive. If you start finding your hobby growing to a larger size you will soon run out of outlets. Enter the larger linear piston pump. Most come with a 12 outlet gang valve to "split" the air supply to a multi tank system. Again sizes vary as well as prices. Normally this is an item to be found online. One really good outlet is Jehmco.com. It carries all kinds of fish supplies and probably the best line of larger pumps I have seen. However our old friends EBay and Amazon also have a selection. Jehmco can offer a human to help you with your set up. The e sellers cannot. The other option if you venture into a fish room set up of 20 plus tanks is the regenerative blower. These just keep getting bigger being able to run virtually 100's of tanks with sponges. Yes I do own a small one. These are measured in horse power just to give you a clue how much air they produce. Again the Internet has videos DIY's and the like that explain this.
THE FISHROOM: This is just what it sounds like a room for the fish. Some are pretty simple not very elegant but functional like mine. Others are a maze of PVC piping, LED lights, dehumidifiers, drain valves, fill valves and somewhere in the corner a big air pump. These can be $1000's of dollars, lots of DIY and lots of work. Only "fish heads " like me get to this level. If you have you certainly do not need to read this!