Comprehensive guide to these fascinating fish (Interpet Bumper Guide to Tropical Cichlids)

Member Name: markos9

Product:	Interpet Bumper Guide to Tropical Cichlids
Date:	03/09/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Covers all cichlid families. Advice on setting up and maintenance is excellent.

Disadvantages: None.

Cichlids are amongst the most successful of all freshwater fish families containing an estimated two to three thousand species. These tropical species live in three main areas; Central America, South America, and Africa.

The cichlids are very advanced fishes and exhibit fascinating behaviour such as parental care of their young. They can also be extremely aggressive which rules most species out of community aquaria. The cichlid family contains the familiar angel fish as well as the highly regarded and expensive discus.

Due to their interesting behaviour, often beautiful colouration, and the delicate way they move around the tank (appearing to glide, forwards and backwards, almost without movement of their fins) fishes from the Cichlidae family are extremely popular aquarium fishes.

The "Interpet Bumper Guide to Tropical Cichlids" is a book which aims to guide the cichlid keeper and give him or her all of the knowledge needed to keep these fascinating fishes.

The first part of the book discusses the various cichlid groups, where they live and the water requirements that they have resulting from the type of environment they live in. This explains why, for example, South American cichlids (from the 'blackwater' rivers of the Amazon basin) often need soft, acid water conditions, whereas their Central American cousins (whose home lakes are often lined with alkaline rocks) require hard, high pH water.

A fairly lengthy discussion around selection of aquarium size and shape follows. These fish can be large and big fish need large tanks. A large aquarium will require careful siting so that the weight (possibly a tonne) does not damage the room.

How to prepare and maintain the correct water conditions is then described. Water can be made hard or soft, with some difficulty. The author explains that it's often better to choose fish that suit your mains water (e.g. if you have hard, alkaline tap water, keep African or Central American cichlids).

Cichlids are extremely messy eaters and produce huge amounts of waste which puts a massive demand on the aquarium's filtration systems. The author strongly recommends that a filtration system should be set up that can cope with a huge biological load. Thankfully, the various types of filters are described in detail and ways of setting them up correctly, detailed.

This section contains the best diagrams and explanation of the aquarium's nitrogen cycle (where fish waste is converted from ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrate by bacteria on the filtration media), that I've ever read.

The author stresses the importance of regular water changes on the health of the aquarium inhabitants. He suggests 30-50% change every week (for a large tank, this is a lot of water to change).

Heating and lighting are then discussed. Cichlids have differing requirements here, too. Some species prefer low water temperatures and strong lighting, others like the water to be around 29C with subdued lighting.

The section on 'aquascaping' which is arranging the aquarium to suit the fish, and the aquarist (copying the fishes' natural environment) is excellent. Many different options are shown for the various species, allowing a beautiful, natural looking aquarium to be developed.

Maintenance of a cichlid aquarium is vital to ensuring the continued health of the inhabitants and the author gives all the information necessary to carry out this important task. Checking of water parameters (pH hardness, nitrate, ammonia, etc.) is discussed, as is cleaning of the filters and the substrate. The author explains that skimping on maintenance can lead to a build up of lethal toxins in the water.

Foods available for fishes have developed considerably in recent years so it should be possible to provide your fish with a superb diet. The author describes the various cichlid groups' requirements (some are herbivorous, others omnivorous, and some are strictly carnivorous) and how to meet them.

It is from their fishes breeding that many cichlid owners get the most satisfaction from their hobby. Cichlids can make fantastic parents and it is a joy to watch a pair attentively caring for their brood (which can number several hundred). Less welcome is that when a pair forms, they can wreak havoc in their aquarium as they seek to prevent any other fishes entering their territory and harming their babies.

The author goes into great detail on this subject. Getting cichlids to breed can be easy, or extremely difficult. Tactics to prevent damage of the female by an over attentive male are shown with diagrams for keeping them separate. Techniques to look after the young after the parents have finished caring for them are also detailed here.

In a tank of rowdy, messy cichlids, injury and disease may never be far away. The author describes all of the major illnesses these fishes can succumb to as well as methods for treatment. Poor water conditions are often the root cause of illness in the tank: another reason to keep the water pristine.

The second part of the book describes the three cichlid groups in turn, Central American, South American, and African, and the various species that come from these regions.

Each cichlid is given at least half a page for its description, accompanied by an excellent colour photograph.

The description covers the size the fish will attain when fully grown, the habitat it lives in in the wild, differences between the sexes (if any), the required diet, and its compatibility with other fishes.

Any specific information about the species is then detailed as well as breeding technique and how to care for the young.

The information given in this book will enable the aquarist to choose a selection of cichlids for his or her aquarium. Choosing cichlids from similar environments is not enough as some species are intensely intolerant of similar looking species and will attack and kill other fishes if similar in colouration and shape. Careful selection will enable a (reasonably) harmonious setup to be achieved. Getting it wrong could result in a bloodbath!

This section of the book contains photographs of some of the most beautiful freshwater fishes in the world. The cichlids from Lake Malawi in particular, are gorgeous and suitable for grouping together in a large tank containing lots of rocks.

Some of the larger Central American species are popular as 'pet' fishes, kept in their own tank. Oscars, for example grow to over a foot long but have friendly, inquisitive personalities that endear them to people. Putting smaller fish in with the Oscar, shows the other side of its nature, however, as this species is an efficient piscivore.

Aquarists, after keeping community aquaria for a while, often branch out into the world of cichlid keeping. This book contains all the information required to set up and maintain such an aquarium. If you are thinking about keeping these fabulous fishes, then this is the book to buy.

The book is available from Amazon for £9.09 in hardback.

Summary: The best guide for getting started with cichlids.