No worries ill try and explain as much as i can about lake malawi without going into to much detail and boring you lol
. Do you have any idea on what cichlids you like??
There is 3 Rift lakes in south African Lake Malawi/Lake Tanganyika and lake Victoria all have a vast range of African cichlids. In lake Malawi the PH ranges from 7.8 to 8.6, with a total hardness of 4.0-7.0 DH. The reason for the variation is caused by the level of Carbon Dioxide dissolved in the water. In areas with turbulent water, where the water is better aerated, the PH is higher, while in calm bays, the level of dissolved Carbon Dioxide is higher; consequently, the pH is lower there. Surface temperature ranges from 76 to 85 degrees, while the temperature at lower levels of the lake remain at a constant 70 degrees. So all this needs to be mimicked in your aquarium. There is many species of african rift cichlids in lake malawi, these are split into 3 groups. There is Malawi Mbuna which are the rock dwelling vegetarian cichlids of lake malawi and there is the more open water species (Haplochromis and Peacocks). Some Haps and peacocks can be kept together but Some Haps are piscivores and they prey on smaller cichlids in the wild, so their aggression levels could be a little OTT for the calmer peacock species. Where as the mbuna are algae grazing cichlids, grazing non stop on the algae covered rocks although they can be still Very aggressive fish. To set-up a thriving mbuna aquarium you need a well stocked aquarium, choosing the right species carefully so your tank is settled and mimics their natural environment as much as possible with a good amount of rocks/boulders for cover, ideally with a nice sand bed substrate . Rocks suitable to be used are varied, large chunks or rock are the nearest to what naturally occurs in the lake, but many hobbiests use ocean rock, limestone,lava rock or cobbles. Sand is the best substrate to use for malawis, as they like to sift it through their gills & some experts claim it aids digestion. It is also very easy to keep clean, with any debris just sitting on the surface ready to be vacuumed up! children's play sand is excellent to use & is very cheap compared to aquatic sand. Just make sure you give it a good rinse. Many people use coral sand to as this aid's the PH and general hardness of their aquarim. If they have a slightly lower PH this will help raise it, to match their cichlids needs. Haplochromis and peacocks species need a different kind of set-up but i personally don't think your tank is big enough for these species but if you want me to explain their needs and tank requirements then just say
Plants are not found where mbuna live in the lake & are generally not used in a malawi setup's, as the fish like to dig them up & tear pieces off which then clog the filter! however, some hobbiest's like the look of plants in their tanks & choose either fake/plastic or the more robust real plants such as amazon swords/Vallis etc...
A 4' (55G) tank is considered to be the minimum size for a malawi tank as most grow to a size of 6". Many people say The best way to minimize aggression is to crowd them and yes this can help a lot but if you choose your species wisely and figure out your stocking numbers correctly you will have a more peaceful, less overcrowded aquarium that IMO looks loads better
When it comes to stocking your tank ideally you want to add 6 to 12 fish at one time (depending on tank and filtration) or you could upset the biological balance in your filters. don't add only 1 or 2, as any existing fish will see the newcomers as a threat & could bully them to death. Adding a group will help spread the aggression throughout the tank, letting each individual fish choose their territory.
If you aim to overstock your tank filtration needs to be high, you can never over filtrate a african cichlid tank. External filters or sumps are the best, as you can fit more media inside & they require less maintenance than internals. Again depending on your stock water changes should be 25% to 50% every week as this is vital to their health & well being! Mbuna are vegetarians, so bloodworm & brine shrimp and any other 'meaty foods' should be avoided at all costs! or they can cause a condition called malawi bloat, which is often fatal. They will enjoy a varied diet of cichlid flakes, cichlid pellets, spirulina flake/pellets,courgettes, peas, cucumber, NLS(new life spectrum), New era cichlid pellets etc... Feed 2 to 3 times a day giving them a break 1 day a week.
Hopefully i haven't made any mistakes (Its late so i blaim that if i have
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Anything else just ask
