Dwarf Cichlid

Cichlids are an amazingly diverse group of fishes that almost form a complete hobby on their own. Most of them come from South and Central America and Africa, with a couple of species from Asia. The smallest species only grow to Scam(2in),whereas the largest reach over 60cm(24in). Some are highly colorful,whereas others are quite drab. Some cichlids are flat and laterally`squashed' in shape, while others are cylindrical. Certain species are totally peaceful, whereas others are the most ill-tempered and aggressive fish that we know. All cichlids are territorial, some more so than others.Most are relatively easy to breed and this is where their true attraction lies, for they look after their young with the greatest care and devotion.In the past, most cichlids were regarded as difficult to keep, due to their aggression and size and, indeed, some are specialist fish. Today,however, with larger tanks.and a greater knowledge of their needs, envenom autarkists can keep cichlids with great success.

The delightful fairy cichlids(Lampoons Richard) only grow to 10cm(4in). They will breed in little groups in a tank measuring at least1m(39in) long, with rocks to form spawning sites and hard, alkaline water at 25.5°C(78°1). When a pair spawn, the rest of the fairies in the community help maintain and guard the young. As the young grow, the larger fish breed again and the young help to look after the next clutch of eggs and fry; thus a whole community of caring fishes develops.

The cockatoo dwarf cichlid(Pictogram factories) may fly out from its territory to chase off intruders, but is generally peaceful.The first few rays of the dorsal fin stick tap like a head-dress, but the body colors are not as startling as winsome Pistols'. Females are banana yellow with a black band through the eye and a smaller head-dress.

The beautiful ram, or butterfly cichlid(Micrograph ramirez)from South America is only about .1cm(2in) long. Rams are quite timid, but soon venture out if kept with other small, non-aggressive fish in a well-planted tank.They prefer soft water but will live in hard water, as long as it is clean and very warm, kept at 26°C(79°F).Buy fish that are full in the body and swimming actively. Rams eat most foods, but should have live food at least once a week.

The term 'dwarf' cichlid is a loose one, generally applied to cichlids that are 7.5cm(3in) or less. Some people would regard a 10cm(4in) cichlid as a dwarf, others would say 5cm(2in) is the maximum for a dwarf.warf cichlids are found in the Americas and Africa. Most can be kept in an aquarium with a capacity of 27 liters (6 gallons), although a tank twice this size is far better. All dwarf cichlids can be aggressive, but only in the pursuit of establishing a piece of territory in which to breed and raise their young unmolested.

In the early 1970s, cichlids began to be exported for the aquarium hobby from the two great Rift Lakes in Africa, namely Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. From Lake Tanganyika came a group of fishes that generally remained quite small - the Lampoons species and one or two others. These fish can he kept in a community tank together with other Lake Tanganyika fishes or in species tanks containing group of the same species. They do not mix well with other types of fish due to their highly aggressive behavior and territorial nature.

The Rift Lakes of Africa have very hard, clean water and you must provide first-class water quality in the aquarium if the fish are to remaining good condition and breed. For best results, provide well-filtered water with a total hardness of 15-20°d and temperature of 25.5°C (78°F).