Frequently Asked
Questions

This is a very exciting time for most Ciclid lovers. They buy a brand new tank spend 100’s if not thousands of dollars and they want to stock it right away. This is where we throw caution. Tanks need to have a cycling period before cichlids are added for the most successful cichlid tanks. The best Cichlid tank cycling time is about three weeks. However, it is possible that you can start adding Cichlids sooner if you do it in a step mannered approach. First of all, treating your water for chlorine the same day you set it up is a must. Allow the tank to cycle for at least 3 to 7 days. Add two maybe three fish at that point and feed them very lightly. By the second week you can add two or three more. But it is best to continue to check your water quality for nitrates, nitrates, and ammonia. If they are climbing, it’s best to do a water change right then and there. Between 30 and 50% of the water. By week three your tank should be ready to go. Depending on the size you can add anywhere from 5 to 10 new Cichlids at that point. The biggest mistake is people adding all 10 to 15 or even 20 fish at one time after the tank has only been set up for a day or even a week.

We have seen some amazing tank set ups that have housed a large variety of cichlids. However, our specialty is with Haplochromis and Aulonocara peacocks. For the most part these two species are compatible with each other. However, generally speaking, most Hapalochromis and peacocks that are the same size are compatible. Predator haps can pose a problem, especially if they get much bigger than the rest of the fish. Also, creating an all male tank is usually better than having a female in the mix. When a female is present the males want to mate and that causes more aggression. Similar looking fish sometimes causes aggression. Mbuma’s are also more aggressive than the average Hap or peacock.

Wow! If I had a dollar for each time I was asked this question. Bottom line is a well balanced pellet. Protein and fat content need to be high. Flakes are very tasty to cichlids but does not give the necessary bulk/reserves that active cichlids need. Flakes are best reserved as a treat. We would argue that sinking pellets are better than floating pellets. Unfortunately cichlids are very aggressive eaters and many times gulp pellets and if they are floating then they gulp air which causes bloating.

See our fish food for purchase. 

Most references note a temp between 75 -85 degrees F. You will normally notice more aggression above 85 degrees and more docile (and sometimes less color) below 70 degrees. Back to Nature Guide to Malawi Cichlids by Ad Konings notes Lake Malawi surface temperatures during the rainy season at 73.4 - 82.4 degrees F.

Salt is not necessary, however, the literature shows that adding salt decreases the ability of parasites to proliferate. Typically 1 tablespoon to every 5-10 gallons of water. At Truxillo’s, we typically use 1 tablespoon for every 20 gallons and we rarely have any problems.

This is always a difficult question. The waters in this country vary from region to region and sometimes city to city. It is best to take a sample to your local pet store, get them to test it and buy the recommended treatment for your area. For the most part a product that treats chlorine at minimum must be used for all startups (unless you have well water).

The bottom line is all tanks need bacteria!!! I cannot stress that enough. So this is how it works…. The fish eat food, the fish produce waste, the waste builds up and becomes toxic to fish, then the fish die! If you have good bacteria, (referred by me as Normal Flora), that bacteria eats the waste produced by the fish, then converts it to a less toxic form which the fish can tolerate. So, whether it’s a underground filter, a hangover the side filter, a canister filter, a sponge filter, or even more advanced sump tank, as long as you have bacteria built up in any of those choices your tank should do well.

At minimum, a 55 gallon tank can safely keep most African cichlids. However, African cichlids grow fast and at some point will outgrow most tanks. Especially if it’s a healthy tank. The best tanks are typically between 75 and 200 gallons.

This is a question that is often asked. The best answer is it really depends on how healthy your tank is. African cichlids are territorial, so if there are less fish and more space, this gives a cichlid the opportunity to create a territory. If there are plenty fish then there is less opportunity for them to create a territory. In our farms, we have sometimes 50-80 fish in a 55 gallon tank. This is arguably way too many but since our tanks are cleaned and waters are changed weekly then those fish do just fine. However, the potential for nitrogen spikes are possible if that maintenance is not completed. Typically 1 cichlid per 5 gallons will be fine if maintained correctly. This does not include a plecostomus and a catfish or two if desired.

The best way to acclimate fish is to allow the bag to float in a tank for 10 to 15 minutes after arriving. It is best never to add the water that’s in the bag to your tank. That water has been accumulating toxins produced by the fish since he was put in there. You do not want your tank to have to overcome those toxins by introducing that water into your tank.

This is a very interesting question. In most cases, the answer is no especially if it’s a local retail fish dealer that is trusted. However, when receiving a fish from an untrusted source it may be wise to place that fish in a holding tank for a few days to make sure he doesn’t introduce unwanted illness into your well established tank. It also gives that fish the opportunity to recover from its journey to its new home.

If it is possible that you could add your new fish to an already existing tank at night time, this would give your new fish, the opportunity to acclimate himself without any pressure from the other fish present. The way to do this is add your new fish after he has floated in his bag for a period of time, and then turn off all the lights on the tank and in that room. This will give him time in the dark to adjust to the waters and not get picked on by the already existing fish.

For the most part, the answer to this is “you are asking for trouble." My father always said that animals and humans all live for two things. One is to eat. The second is to breed. Even if the females aren’t the same species many times, it’s still triggers, one of the males to breed with them. This will cause more unwanted aggression and possibly loss fish.

What an exciting question! Arguably by me, this is one of the most intriguing, and addicting part of owning African cichlids! If you review the literature, African cichlids can be categorized in two classes of breeding. 1. Monogamous breeding. 2. Polygamous breeding. For all general purposes, we will focus here on polygamous breeding since that is the category of fish we supply. In this category, it is best to have one male and about 5 to 7 females quarantined to a single tank of 40 gallons or more. The male will breed with each fertile female and she will hold those eggs and eventually fry in her mouth for about 17 days. She will not eat during this period. After this time, she will be ready to spit them out. If she is in a tank with other fish, they will eat them up. So it is important that you either segregate her to her own tank so she can safely expel them, or you strip them out of her mouth manually after 17 days into a separate tank.

There are several reasons why fish will not breed. We will cover a few here. Breeding groups must be healthy in order for them to breed. Maintaining a clean and well nourished environment will be the most important first step. Next, doing regular water changes tricks the fish into thinking it’s the rainy season in Africa. This is in their DNA. The rainy season is most productive, breeding season. If your fish still are not breeding then I would consider changing either males or females in the group.

Believe it or not, African cichlids do not need to be fed as often as they want to be. The good news is if you’re African Cichlids are swimming up and down the glass when you pass by they are not only hungry they are also healthy. Feeding them one or two times a day should be sufficient, as long as you are doing regular maintenance and water changes. Remember that females will hold the eggs in their mouth for as long as 17 days without eating. And they survive just fine. If you miss a day or so without feeding, don’t sweat it. And yes, you can feed them 3, 4 , 5 times a day if you like, but just make sure you are keeping up with your water changes. Lastly, if your cichlids are not eating then this should alarm you that something is wrong. Immediately do a water change and clean your filters, aggressively. If your fish do not recover and start eating within the next 24 hours, consult your local pet store with a water sample to see if they can figure out what your issue is.

The short answer is every 2 to 3 weeks. Do a 30 to 50% water change and clean the filter. However, one must also consider the amount of fish they have in the tank and how often they feed there fish. If you have an overstocked tank, and you feed aggressively, 2 to 4 times a day, then you may increase your water changes to everyone to two weeks.

If you have a sponge filter or a sponge in your filter system then it is best to remove water from your already existing tank, place it in a bucket, and aggressively clean your sponges in that water. If you use tap water, this may kill your already existing bacteria that is necessary for toxin breakdown. If you have two different filters, then it is best to clean only one filter at a time, then on your next water change, clean the other filter.