Greetings to all again.
After a few weeks (almost 2 months!) No stop by here today I'll post a bit about the aquarium I am riding, biotope, equipment, features and fish go to market. Hope you like it and this post can help those who are interested in setting up an aquarium with similar characteristics. So ... here I come!
After a whole summer without aquarium at home (arg!!) In the wake of a "small incident" ... ( look this ), now that temperatures have gone down I decided to reassemble.
For about 6 years I have maintained Amazonian species (to highlight scalar and discs), as well planted aquariums where the green predominated over anything.
But this time, and I start from zero ... I have decided to change all species and biotope, radically changing the decor. So I opted for cichlids from Lake Malawi.
View larger map
But before launching into the "fishbowl" I began to search for information on biota and any species that I can maintain ( RESULTS THAT LIVE IN THE LAKE MALAWI some 850 species !!!!!!!! different cycle and today still descubrendo new varieties are wild).
Here I have compiled a few links that refer to Lake Malawi and to adapt to the biotope aquarium, as well as more common species, care, etc ...
- Wikipedia
- Dr.Pez
- Aquanovel
- Acuariofilia.net
- Ancystrus.com
- Mipez.com
Well, after reading and read (and read), here I summarize the main thing to consider (not all, warn):
- Malawi Biotope: Decoration
mainly with rocks, with several cavities. These cichlids are very territorial and have to offer hiding the fish less strong to hide from the attacks of the dominant. Beware of rocks with many sharp points or sharp edges as they can hurt our children at a frantic presecución.
These aquariums are generally free of plants, as their inhabitants are herbivores and could be destroyed soon. As much a plant leaf strengths such as Anubias and java fern, but must be firmly attached to rocks because if you do not dig up quickly.
Many people recommend putting pebbles (stones that can be seen in the works, decoration of Gardiner, or here in Menorca, forming the famous "dry paret. But there are other possibilities, including boulders and slate. I have opted for this second, and their straight lines and dark color can make a very attractive touch to the aquarium. Ojo, always review areas q does not have very sharp.
As a recommendation, before putting the sand and rocks, we recommend placing a mesh at the bottom of plastic (such as q is used to make fences or fences) q rocks to say do not settle directly on the glass of the aquarium, being able to scratch (or worse ...). Moreover, if we support the stones in the side windows or rear, is also recommended to put pieces of rubber that are not in direct contact. In my case I have suction cups that had not used, thus avoiding any scratches.
The substrate must be of sand or fine gravel, since these species like digging and cutting holes to prepare for spawning. In my case I used silica sand. This sand filters used in pools and is sooo cheap. A sack of 25 kilos costs about 7 euros! q as a bag of 3 kilos of fine gravel special Aquarium and those costs 7 euros, so the payout is much lower. In addition, the size of the grains of this sand is ideal, neither too large nor too small, which will allow our people to remove it and play by your instincts.
If you think you use pool filter sand is not safe is wrong. There are thousands and thousands of aquarists who use this sand for your tanks and have never had problems. The only recommendation: thoroughly wash the sand before putting it into the aquarium and remove dust particles that would foul the water and could damage the filter. To do this, grab a few handfuls of sand, you put in a bucket, you fill with water, and do you find removeis dirty water. Repeat this process several times until the water is clean you cast them. Now the arena is ready to introduce into the aquarium (I've often gotten roll;)
To which the aquarium is concerned, there is everything from blue backgrounds (which I have now I) to simulate a wall funds rocky. And the more hands will make a rock wall (if the size of the aquarium allows ...)
- Water conditions:
As a lake rocky environment the pH and hardness are slightly higher. The water generally tends to have the following conditions:
pH: 7.5 º to 8.5 º
GH: 8 º to 20 º
KH: 8 º to 15 º
Temperature: 24 º to 27 º (try not to go above 27 degrees ... now we see in summer)
Oxygen waters with high oxygen saturation, so it is recommended to put an aerator, and the water outlet filter must be able to break the surface to contain more oxygen.
sooo filtered water. In the lake waters are crystal clear, so we recommend putting a filter that can move from 5 to 6 times per hour capacity of the aquarium, and contain large amount of biological filtration material (beads or other porous materials). In my case, I use the same filter Eheim lifetime: a Eheim 2215 moving 650 liters / hour (mi aquarium is 120 liters, so 120x5 = 600, I'm in the margin "recommended") Although there are q take into account that once stuck the gravel and rocks, do not fit 120. In my case, once I put all mounted cas 100 liters of water, so 100x6 = 600, still in the marge;))
- Lighting:
Well I'm at it ... by the size of my tank I am limited to 30 cm tubes, which generally are 25 watts. As I fit 2 tubes pontencia I have a 50-w, which gives 0.4 w - 0.5 w per liter. We recommend between 0.3 and 0.4 w w. ... As the tubes carry me over 2 and 3 (or 4 ...) I q it is time to change them. To see if I can get those 0.3 w / l recommended.
On the other hand, the color spectrum to use it is recommended that predominance of the blue, to avoid distorting the colors of the fish and giving clarity to the aquarium.
This tube types of algae will proliferate, but as our people are herbivores, usually kept in check (although we will always have to clean the glass thoroughly and highly visible surfaces).
- Species:
And last but not least, the species to maintain. As I said before, there are 850 listed species living in this wonderful lake. Although commercially this number is drastically reduced. The species we see in stores are breeding. Wild species virtually sold, and in this case, their prices are astronomical.
This link you have a "small" gallery classified by species of the inhabitants of Lake Malawi. For taste ... Colors! ;)
- Dr.Pez - Atlas
Malawi species
In my case, after much study, reading characteristics of various species, behavior (q remember that there are territorial and somewhat aggressive fish among them), and especially reading experiences of several users, I have opted for:
- Labidochromis caeruleus
- Pseudotropheus demasoni
You can read their characteristics and behavior by clicking on their names. Why did I choose? Mainly because they are of different colors and (...), which reduce aggression between both species, and because the contrast of blue and yellow is quite attractive. Most cichlids are colored blue. In addition, caeruleus are less aggressive species, while the demasoni q ... have some character, but ... as I read this combination is going well.
The idea is to put 4 or 5 copies of both species and they'll grow and learn how I have males and females (from Young is impossible to know) I'll leave only one male per species, thus reducing further the possible arguments that can be formed. But hey, everything will look once you have them in the aquarium and live together.
The appeal of these species as opposed to Amazon I have had until recently, they are "players mouth." This does not mean to repeat what they hear (... jojojo), if not that, at the time of spawning, the female lays eggs in the substrate, the male fertilizes them passing several times over, and then the female collects in the mouth, keeping the eggs inside. After about two to three days hatch, but the fry will not until after 10/15 days, q and can feed themselves. I've never had fish to these features, so that is a challenge to reproduce the ideal conditions to get to grow up healthy and get them to reproduce.
--- Well, I think this is the basics to start riding my aquarium malawi. Took several weeks now with the tank mounted, water cycling for my arrival pezqueñines habitat are in perfect condition. This is the aspect of the aquarium (these days I've changed the placement of some rocks, as well as put the aerator to stop, but hey, does not vary much):
Today, after about three weeks cycling, the parameters are: pH
: 8 º
KH: 10 º
GH: I have problems with JBL test, what happens anyone else? ...
NH3: 0.20 mg -> must be zero ranker q
NO2: 0.20 mg -> must be zero ranker q
NO2: 20 mg
Anecdotally, I filled the tank with tap water and I had to have a high pH and hardness (distilled water used in the Amazon does not serve me for being too soft). Once completed, I began to measure parameters. Hardness and ph ok, but ... WAS 30 mg of nitrate (NO2)! Result that the tap water where I live and out of the pipe with this measurement ... The maximum allowed is 50 mg for human consumption, and aquarium is always recommended to have no more of that value (q mitigation are partial water changes). Q So I had to empty half of the aquarium and put a bottle mineral water (5 liter bottle goes for about 40 cents on the day). ... q things happen ...
Nothing, I hope I have gotten much tostón with this post, but I wanted to record what I did to mount this malawi if aquarists could help others interested in the subject.
When you have cycled and the inhabitants living there and hang more pictures. Until then, greetings! Pos
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