Cichlidfishcare asked:


Cichlids, especially the males, can be difficult to care for as they can be fiercely aggressive when breeding or protecting their off-springs. The trick in caring for cichlids is to reduce their aggression as much as possible by making simple adjustments in tank size and aquascaping.

Firstly, you need a decent sized tank in order to keep cichlids. For starters, it is highly recommended that you get at least a 20 gallon tank. Cichlids are highly territorial creatures and will most likely carve out an area for themselves. If you have a very small tank, there is a chance that they will simply take over the entire tank…which will eventually lead to certain deaths! Hence, ensure that you have a sufficiently large tank for them to live in – 20 gallon minimum!

The next important point here is aquascaping. Having a large tank is only the beginning; it is not enough to control their aggression. A bare tank, no matter how large, can only hold a few cichlids because they will still try to take over the entire tank! The reason here is aquascaping.

Cichlids, like most animals, uses natural objects in their surroundings to define their territory. Hence, you need to create “zones” for them to live in so that they will not fight over the same territory.

Another important aspect in aquascaping is to create sufficient “hiding places”. This “hiding places” could be something like plants, caves, empty shells or even rockworks. These “hiding places” is for your cichlids to hide when they become exhausted from chasing each other around in the open.

If you are into breeding cichlids, “hiding places” are essential as they double-up as breeding sites for them to lay their eggs.



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