Cichlid family description
There are about 3 thousand species in the order Cichlididae.varieties. The variety of colors is amazing: there are light green, soft blue, striped, pinkish. In the photo, cichlid fish look the same as in the real world. They live in clean lakes in Africa, South America, Asia. The water there is hard, so the same will have to be recreated in the aquarium.
Cichlid aquarium fish are distant relatives of perches. Photo: Getty The lake inhabitants have recognizable features of common perches:
- the rounded case which is a little squeezed from sides;
- prominent forehead;
- elongated fins.
Perciformes are predators, so their distantFemale relatives do not get along well with their neighbors, and they simply eat smaller and weaker relatives. However, aggressive behavior towards strangers does not prevent them from touchingly caring for their own offspring.
Content of aquarium fish cichlids
Cichlids require special conditions.Tap water is too soft for them, and to make it harder, marble chips are placed on the bottom. Test strips are used to check the indicators. The norm is from 7 to 12 points. In order for a "residential building" to be suitable for new residents, it must meet the following requirements:
- liquid volume from 100 to 200 liters;
- properly operating aerators and filters;
- neutral acidity;
- temperature in the range from 23 to 28 ° C;
- sand layer is not more than 1.5 cm.
Inhabitants of transparent lakes in muddy waterwither, die in the cold. Every week you need to drain ¼ of the liquid, replacing it with a new portion. You need to feed the pets abundantly so that they do not fight. Some species are suitable for plant food, others - protein food, including crustaceans and zooplankton. It is better to keep exotic beauties in family pairs that develop naturally and maintain closeness for life. They adore shelters, so they will be pleased with clay shards, processed driftwood, decorative caves on the bottom. When planting plants, choose specimens with powerful roots and hard leaves: some subspecies dig sand and bite stems. Beauties-cichlids will fit well into the interior and bring a lot of joy. But numerous nuances regulating the life of these charming ones make their maintenance difficult. Continue reading
