Do you know African cichlids? They are colorful fish that ooze vitality. They are mainly sought after by those who want to have an ornamental aquarium full of life.

However, if you are new to aquarium fish farming, it is essential to be careful when raising Mbuna Cichlids. They can be aggressive, and they need to live in an alkaline environment, making it a little more challenging to keep the tank stable.

To help you with the care of cichlid fish, we have separated everything you need to know about this species and the necessary care with them. 

What should cichlid aquariums look like?
Know that aquariums need to have an excellent volume to African house cichlids. This is necessary, as they are fish that need much space to ensure good coexistence. 

When you raise more than one animal of this species, it's expected that there will be one or two fights between them.

Long aquariums can alleviate this, as the chase doesn't happen incredibly.

One of the most used aquariums for this fish is 2 meters long, with the following measures: 200 x 50 x 60 cm. 

In addition to the aggressive behavior, keeping those who want to keep the cichlids has another challenge: maintaining the necessary conditions in the aquarium. Especially when it comes to the alkalinity of water. The ideal conditions are:

1. Temperature: needs to be between 25 °C and 27 °C;
2. pH: due to their natural rocky habitat, cichlids need alkaline water, with a pH between 7.4 and 8.6;

3. KH: aquariums for African cichlids should be set between 8.1 and 8.5;

4. Ammonia: it is even more toxic in an alkaline medium. Therefore, the aquarium must have a sound filtration system.

Characteristics of the African cichlid Mbunas
These animals are found in the rocky areas of Lake Malawi. They are mainly sought after by breeders due to the wide range of fish colors.

This contributes to the aesthetics of the aquarium, making the fish also part of the decoration. 

Also, it is essential to know everything about cichlid feeding. These animals are herbivores and feed mainly on algae, plants, and even small crustaceans.

However, when raising them at home, the idea is to feed them between 2 and 3 times a day using a specific feed for cichlids. Food such as brine shrimp can be offered as a supplement.

Learn all about the cichlid home
Cichlids do not have just one origin. For this reason, characteristics may change by region. African cichlids are spread across three large African lakes, Victoria, Tanganyika, and Malawi.

Malawi is where the most diverse species of cichlids are found. This is due to the immensity of the lake. Because of this, cichlids are subdivided into Mbunas and Non-Mbunas.