Water Conditions -

First, these Cichlids enjoy waters with an alkaline pH, that is, above 7.0. The ranges for the lakes Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria are listed below.

These values are approximations; ranges in nature may be more or less, but these are the values we have found the resident Cichlids can tolerate well. For the sake of ease, I recommend keeping tanks which house African Cichlids at a stable pH of 8.2-8.4, which fish from all three lakes will appreciate. The water African Cichlids live in is also very hard, containing many dissolved minerals and salts.

Since these fish appreciate this higher pH, African Cichlids are one of the few fish whose aquariums may be decorated with coral and shells, which normally push the pH of a freshwater aquarium above most fishes natural ranges. In some instances, it may be necessary to buffer water to reach these higher pH levels. There are many suitable commercial "Cichlid Buffers" on the market which can be used. Many of these manufacturers also offer "Cichlid Salts" and "Trace Elements". We recommend using both the salts and trace elements, as fish which are kept in water containing them often exhibit superior coloration (because they are in water which more exactly recreates their natural conditions).