Keeping an African Cichlid Tank - Why I chose Malawi Cichlids and my experience so far!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- Hi all :)
This video is a bit more of a personal one where I show the evolution of my African Cichlid tank the past 10 months (July 2021 till May 2022), and discuss why I chose African Cichlids and a bit about my past experiences with fish.
The things I discuss are:
1) 1:26 - Why I chose African Cichlids (a bit about my past fish/setups);
2) 7:06 - Why I chose the rimless tank;
3) 10:34 - Stocking the tank;
4) 13:32 - Choosing the tank size.
This video is a bit longer and more of a casual one - please let me know if you enjoy this style of video or not, and if it's interesting.
If you're enjoying my content and would like to see more, I would love for you to subscribe to my channel!! :D
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Music:
- Nuver - Sunrise
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Nuver - Sunrise
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/Kal...
Great video! 😁
OMG :O I love your channel, it's such a privilege to have you see my content and comment on it :) Thank you so much!!
Watching your videos is a wholesome experience
Thank you!! 😁
Your Aquarium and "well thought out" fish selection is awesome and looks beautiful, I really think you did a great job😉👌 . I've been fish keeping on and off for over 30 years and tried different set ups and fish types similar to you. African Cichlids are my favorite also, they have great personalities and are always entertaining to watch . I also prefer raising my cichlids as "Pelhams Aquatics" mentioned, it does seem to work out better. Just set up a new 150gal after a 6 year break but I went with baby Lake Tanganyika Cichlids this time.
I totally agree, they are really great fish all round! I have never kept Tanganyikan cichlids before, but there are some beautiful varieties that I would to keep if I ever have the chance
I prefer growing my cichlids from small, I enjoy watching them grow up together. I’ve always had much better luck doing it this way as well🙂 I’m also becoming interested greatly with the dwarf species, including lake tanganyikan shelldwellers. It’s good to have a bit of a challenge as long as it’s not too challenging .you’ve had a wonderful journey with your aquatics, thanks so much for sharing this with us🙂👍🏻💯⭐️
Thank you so much!! :) Yes, I agree - a challenge is good, as long as it's not too much! I haven't really been into shell dwellers yet, but maybe they will grow on me
I totally agree !!! 😉👌
Kaity the Shellie’s are quite fun as well🙂👍🏻
hi , dear Kaity! , Using oval and polished stones and placing them together in African cichlid aquariums is very suitable and gives a wonderful beauty to the View Aquarium. Of course, this is my opinion and I respect your choice. Good luck. Amir from Iran.
What ever you do. Don’t let these weird fish tubers knick you down. Do you and produce quality vids … cheers ❤
Thank you so much!!
You’ve certainly had a diversified journey. Your tank looks great. That Venustus will be the boss. I hope he’s mellow. Thanks!
Thank you so much!! I hope so too 😁 He is getting big!
Love your video. Your journey in fish-keeping sounds much like my own! I started with a small tank when I was very young. I dabbled with smaller tanks, biotopes, and helped maintain saltwater tanks. I also did high-tech, fully planted tanks with Co2 and south American fish. After really enjoying that, but getting some burn out, I finally decided to try Lake Malawi cichlids-- particularly peacocks and haps. I've grown out juveniles and eventually just kept the males in my 125 gallon show tank. It's been extremely rewarding to see these young fish grow into beautiful, mature specimen. Thank you for sharing your story. I definitely can relate and it was like watching my own bio. Your tank is lovely and the fish look wonderful! Keep on going and I'm definitely subbing.
Wow!! That's actually incredible how similar your journey has been to mine, literally exactly the same! How awesome to both share that. I feel like I was in the exact same boat as you being too burnt out from high maintenance tanks/fish. It's such a breath of fresh air to have an easy to care for tank. Thank you so much for your kind words and for subbing 😊
@@Kaityscichlids Thank you for replying to my comment. Last summer I got a 40 gallon aquarium that I plan to aquascape and plant. MD fish tanks (on youtube also) has inspired me but this time to try one low maintenance planted tank. I still love planted tanks but for now, appreciate the simplicity and beauty of a simple Malawi tank and its fish.
Your accent. I just can’t get enough. So unique for a country boy here in United States ❤😂
Hahaha, thank you!! That is nice to hear my accent is appreciated over in the US 🤣
Beautiful tank and fish. Nice setup. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work
Thank you so much :)
Hey Kaity! Thanks for sharing your experiences and what led you to African Cichlids! I really enjoyed the video. I too have been keeping aquariums for o er a decade, and just recently started a 6 foot African Peacock and Hap tank. All my fish are small like yours were, so it is awesome to see how they can really grow and colour up! Thanks for the video!
That's so great to hear!! Thank you so much 😊 I'm sure you're going to love them
The most beautiful blended cichlid family and cichlid home I have have ever seen.
Thank you 😊
I’ve been into African cichlids for a couple years now and I love them. I have a lot of the fish I see you have. Also have a six foot tank and a grow out tank for the small ones. They just need a few months, then they’re ready to go into big tank. Awesome fish. Although I’ve lost a lot of them due to trial and error, I’m still very motivated to keep them. Learning all of the time how to maintain.
I'm the same, I've lost a few from trial and error! But all in all they're really beautiful, easy to care for fish I find. The best of both worlds 😊
@@Kaityscichlids one question. Is it a good practice to skip a day every now and then when feeding?
@@samperson8787 I don't think so with these fish! All my other fish have been fine to skip a day, but if I don't feed my African Cichlids for a day they get aggressive towards each other
@@Kaityscichlids I was concerned about aragonite when I first put it in. You were correct though. My water is clearing. Of course the water changes contributed. Haven’t vacuumed the gravel yet but I’m sure that will make water cloudy but only for a short time. I added black gravel on top of aragonite and my fish got their color back.
Wow Kaity! You are so humble and down to earth. Love that about you! I am indeed gaining a lot of knowledge from your channel. I wish I could maintain my tank half as beautiful as yours! Struggling to colour up my African Cichlids. Even though they're all male, I'm not getting those bright colours that I see here in TH-cam.
Thank you so much!! That means so much to me, I really appreciate it :) Mine also weren't very colourful until I fed them the colour food, I honestly think it has made a huge difference, plus them getting a bit older
Your tank is dope I have a 75 fully aquascaped planted tank they say it impossible but I did it. Yours are beautiful and mine are growing up and colored up beautiful.
That's amazing, well done!! Thank you so much 😊 It's so rewarding watching them grow
Beautiful tank!!!! The Fun is buy the small fish so you can see grow !
Thank you so much! Yes, it is great fun :)
Video so true on getting African Cichild
Your tank is absolutely beautiful and the fish are so healthy. I love it!
Thank you so much!
I’ve always kept cichlids growing up but never was that interested in them. Now looking at your tank, jeez it’s so beautiful to see different sub species of cichlids together. I might have to try this some day! ♥️
Thank you so much!! Yes, I definitely think that keeping the different sub species together makes for a much more interesting tank :)
hi kaity , I also agree with you about coral aquariums. Of course, it is true that a coral reef aquarium is beautiful. But a coral reef tank is expensive, and with the money you spend on it, you can buy 2 Bentley Continental cars. A large coral reef tank is very difficult, both in terms of maintenance costs and time, it will take a human's entire day, unless you are a billionaire and need to work for a living and two professionals. To take care of the devices, control the hardness and temperature of the water, feed the fish and all kinds of corals, and clean the tank, skimmer, and sump.
your african cichlids tank is one of the best i've seen, very beautiful and nice choice of fishes
Thank you so much 😊
This is a fantastic video/story. Thanks for taking us through from the beginning.
Thank you so much :)
Beautiful fishes and nice aqua!
Thank you so much :)
Glad I found your channel, great to see another Aussie. Beautiful tank and fish.
Thank you so much!!
Kaity your tank is better than watching TV 🙃 Love the Bolivan Rams & Discus with Tetra's ... You have learnt greatly on your fish keeping journey and I like growing out species like the Discus.
Thank you so much!! The Bolivian rams are truly beautiful fish, I love them
Cool journey! Mine started with a gold fish bowl as a kid. That didn’t end well! Then my father briefly had a small tank with neon tetras and guppies. My little brother poured cleaning solution in the tank and killed then all😢. Always loved fish and years later I started with tropical community tanks. Kept them for years and i started African cichlids about 4 years ago after watching you tube videos. Got a 6’ tank and went for it. What appealed to me besides how beautiful they were is my water parameters in Florida are perfect for them. Similar to you I bought them on the smaller size. They grow quick and it is fun to watch when they fully color up. Sometimes it happens almost overnight like someone flicked a light switch. Awesome fish!
Thank you so much for sharing your story Brian 😊 I think there's a lot of us who started out as kids with small bowls. That would be devastating having them all killed off from that 😭 And I agree, it's so rewarding getting to watch the African Cichlids grow and colour up over time!
Best part of this hobby we love is there are so many species you can keep. I recently retired a 4’ community tank. I Bought another 6’ tank and started a South American cichlid tank. I keep the more chill fish. Angelfish, Severums and electric blue acaras. I also have 3 pearl gouramis left from the old tank. They work well in this set up. I have some red head geophagus in my quarantine tank. Little silver fish now but they are stunning when they are fully grown. The journey continues!
Great video! It’s nice to be able to look back at the tank when all the fish were small. It certainly looks amazing now they’re big and colourful! Cam
Thank you so much! Yes, it's great being able to look back at how far the setup has come
Your videos are so much more helpful than 98% of the videos on here that are about the same topic!
Thank you! I'm really glad you're finding them helpful 🙏
Very nice set up , fish look healthy and colourful. Would love a six footer but don't have the room currently have a five footer 👍🏾. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much :)
This was a great video. Thank you. My wife and i are in an apt for now so i have a 75g central/south American cyclid tank and a newer 36g bowed tank with baby mbuna. Maybe when we getva house one day it would be cool to have a 6ft peacock and haps tank as well as a 6 ft oscar tank.
That would be awesome!! Oscars are the best, they're like the dogs of the aquarium world :)
Kaity 👌very nice and informativ video and your person and your voice is very delightful. I am glad that I found you on net
Thank you so much 😊
Great video and beutiful fish!
Thank you so much!! 😄
You can always get another smaller aquarium maybe a 55 gallon, and grow out small cichlids in there, then later add them to the main aquarium when they’re big enough to defend themselves
Hi Albert, this actually dawned on me recently and is exactly what I've done! I picked up some trewavasae and am growing them out :)
Awesome fish tank & great looking cichlids also loving the videos 👍👍
Thank you so much :)
Gold fishes can made u smile 😊 always n helpful , they help u release stress n more....
Yes, gold fish are beautiful!
your tank is just awesome kaity it looks so much like a natural habitat for the fish 👌 ive gone for slate in my tank i made an underwater ruins effect will be uploading soon 👍
Thank you so much :) I can't wait to see it!!
Just found the Channel and Subscribed,love your enthusiasm you have for the hobby I'm more into Planted tanks these days but you have a new Supporter 😉 👍
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it :) I love planted tanks too, maybe one day I'll give it a go again... Probably a low tech set up though I'd say
Absolutely beautiful tank! Great video with detailed insight.
Love your story about you growing up in the Aquarium hobby.. This Set up is very
Beautiful… I Subscribed..😄
Thank you so much Bernando! I really appreciate it :)
@@Kaityscichlids 👻🌹👻
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.. Im currently keeping south and central cichlids but considering turning one of my 75g grow outs into an African tank.
Thank you :) I think that sounds like a great idea hehe
I'm impressed with your fish keeping resume. I have yet to do discus or marine.
Thank you 😊 I've still got lots more to add! 😂
I really wish I could get a six foot tank. Saw someone giving away a big piece of plate glass. Thinking about trying a DIY tank.
You can't beat African cichlids in terms of colour if you can't be bothered dealing with salt water. Electric yellow labs are one of my all time favourites! Problem is, the aggression is annoying to deal with because I don't like to overstock my tanks. That's why I currently have clown loaches and gouramis. Of course, gouramis can be aggressive, but they don't torture/kill/murder their tank mates in the same way African cichlids do when kept in smaller numbers
I totally agree! People who aren't familiar with fish often ask me if my tank is a saltwater tank. I absolutely love gouramis and clown loaches. Gouramis come in such beautiful colours, and so do loaches so I can see why you would like them if you like colourful fish. I also love yoyo loaches. I'm a sucker for loaches in general I think!
@@Kaityscichlids As far as i know with my very little knowledge about Malawi cichlids.. Mbuna's are aggressive but in contract Aulonocara peacocks and some Haplochromis are peaceful.
@@Kaityscichlids not my experience at all lots of rocks and coral even breed them in the community tank
Love your fish tanks is beautiful I going to buy same your fish tank and same fish you have
Thank you Katie for sharing how many gallon that fish tank and how much you pay for it where do I buy that fish tank you have now thank you
Hi Andy! It is about 180 gallons including the two canister filters. It's called a Waterbox Clearpro 7225, and I bought it from my local fish store. I think at the time it cost me around $5000AUD for the tank and the cabinet
Thank you so much 🥰
Nice to know im not the only one who wants some fish but dont want the care that other fishes require 😀
I got a few african cichlids and i thought they stayed small it was more like an impulse by. Even though i have had other fishes in the past i have never tried this guys. I love them hahahaha only problem is i guess i will have to upgrade to a bigger tank soon hahahaha. Thanks for sharing your story and your experience. You are awesome and i love you tank 😀
Thank you so much 😄 Haha yes, I think we've all been there before, but it can lead to great things!
You have a bright future if you keep posting consistently
Thank you so much :)
New to the Channel. Stoked for the knowledge.
Thank you!!
Love the story about your tank!!
i wil start also with small malawi !!
Great video. Liked hearing your story- beautiful tank.
Thank you so much 😊
Wonderful share for newbies ! thank you!
Thank you! 😊
Great vlog mate. I love Malawi’s, and your set up is perfect. I’ve subscribed and can’t believe you only have as many as you do.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Kaity, great video once more. Wow what a journey you've been on but now you seem to have found what you're looking for. I am a advocate for buying fish small and watching them grow and colour up plus you get to see their personalities change too. I'm always looking at changing my set up and you've certainly got me thinking now about Malawi species, especially after seeing how beautiful yours have turned out. Stay safe and take care. John
They really are great fish all round!! Thank you so much John :)
You may be right about the eyesight issue in albinos. I have an albino milksnake that I'm pretty sure is blind in one eye and doesn't see that well with the other, and there's not even any interior lighting in its vivarium, so that's not the problem.
❤❤❤ love this video Fantasic journey and a big help to me and my boys ❤️😃
Thank you so much!! That is awesome to hear 😊🙏
You don't have to explain yourself why you chose African cichlids... Cause they're amazing!! Now you're just one step away from the top... Tanganyikans 😁😁😁 I love my 6ft but now seems small with the Petrochromis in 😂
Haha too true!! They need no explanation. Hopefully I have some more room soon to get some more tanks
@@Kaityscichlids you can never get enough tanks 😂😂😂
@@Kaityscichlids get some shellies they are great fun and different
Simply delightful 👌🏆🙏
Thank you! 😊
I really dont like full male african cichlid tanks but yours is really nice.
Thank you :)
Just found your channel, love it!
Thank you so much 😊🙌
Wonderful and inspiring and articulate story!
Thank you 😊🙌
This is a great video. I can relate. I do like plants though but I also like simplicity.
Super helpful. Thanks so much for putting the time into all this!
Thank you!!
Beautiful tank and great quality species
Thank you so much Marcus 😊
Great video.
Love from SA 🇦🇺
Thank you!! :D
Great video. Glaf I stumbled on your channel. I'm thinking about turning my old 75 into a chiclid tank. Just need a place to set it because I currently have a 125 rainbow tank running...
Finding space was initially my problem too! That's why I only had the one setup where I am now. But you'd be amazed at how much space you can find when you really put your mind to it 😂 Now I'm setting up another 6ft tank 😬
And thank you 😊
Love you videos, subscribed to your channel
Great video. Please let me know what lights you have used for the tank. They look gorgeous to your dish tank
Thank you!! They are Freshwater AI Primes 😊
I've always wanted seahorses & corals.
Love your tank very much like my 5 foot Malawi it’s been up and running for 20 years enjoy
Thank you so much! :)
Your tank really looking great 👍 beautiful n attractive , awesome 👍.
Your tank looks amazing, it is so clear. =)
Thank you so much!! 😊
Excellent content! New subscriber here 🙂
Thank you 😊 and thank you for the sub!
So beautiful and sweet to listen ur story of ur aquarium journey, ur presentation is so smooth and beautiful.. I watched nonstop
Thank you so much 😊❤️
Again love your videos. WIsh I can send you a video of my tank
Thank you so much! If you have an Instagram you can send me a video on there, I would love to see it. My Instagram is kaitys_cichlids
Çok güzel bereket versin
Beautiful tank!
Thank you!!
Awesome video well spoken and explained 🤞🏾
Thank you so much :)
I can compare to you.
As bigger the tank it is more easy. Only the problem of the size..
I like your piece of water, really.
I mixed my Tropheus duboisi which are my lovely dogs. I like their movement. Tanganjika cichlids have another movement.
But inside there are my Lapidochromis yellow albino and the Lapidochromis Red Honghi. It works, next problem of the more peaceful africans is....you get more and more babies. So I need the next tank?
Joking.....
You do a good job
Thank you so much :) Yes the size is a hassle when it comes to moving the tank, but other than that I love big tanks
Great content I like the way you created your video
Thank you so much 😊
@@Kaityscichlids I have a 200 with the infinity top Or that's what I was told it was called. It has a fire eel a green terror a blood parrot and a Pleco. And we have a 90 that is set up as a crayfish tank.
@@kaydencontracting that is so cool!! I absolutely love fire eels
they are so beautiful
Thank you!
Great video thanks for sharing 👍
Thank you!!
Beautiful set up what substrate do you have looks like caribsea african cichlid mix
Hi Kirk! Thank you 😊 My substrate is unicorn pool filter sand. It's really clean and also super cheap to buy
No space for 6 foot max I can go 4 foot in my home 😢, beautiful tanks btw
Thank you so much 😊 4ft is still pretty decent!!
nice video, put 3D background it will look still more nice, love from INDIA
Thank you!!
Good decision ... Even I should try .. Not taking much risk
Gosto de ciclidio africano, seu aquário será minha inspiração para a montagem do meu aquário de 600 litros. Abraços
I like that aqua scape. New sub. Beautiful tank.
Thank you so much :)
@@Kaityscichlids no problem. Di you ever consider the American cichlids.
I suggest u should have Gold fish, specially RANCHU gold fish n Calico n Oranda Gold fish, they are all really cute n charming n attractive n now a days Gold fishes r popular in all the country 🤷♂️, that's great 👍.
Beautiful Setup!
Thank you so much :)
U SHOULD BUY GOLD FISH OF RANZHU N ORANDA this two type n that's will be great n compare other gold fish , this 2 type will be really looks great 👍.🤷♂️
Beautiful fish I love your videos, from juveniles to the size they are now how long has it been?
Thank you so much :) It's been 10 months
If u want to have Gold fishes u should have a better big long rectangle size tank n they swim they Looks lovely n cute n beautiful 🤷♂️, that's awesome 👍
Initially pressed liked because she was cute but finished the whole video because of the realness of her experience 😂.
I loved my discus but hate how they get startled easily and how picky they are with their food ( prefers frozen BW).
🤙🏽
Thank you!! Yes, discus can be very skittish and picky! Beautiful fish though
Sub’d ♥️
would it be cool to build 1 big island of stones in the middle of the tank? that maybe or almost reaches the water level?
Your set up is so pretty
Thank you so much 😊
Awesome footage great job thanks for sharing 👍🏿 😀 👏🏾 🙏🏾 new subscriber
Thank you!! I just subbed to your channel too :)
Hey Kaity, hkw do the lights work? Are they battery operated? Your set up looks fab 👌
They plug into a PowerPoint (the cords go along the top of the tank)
African cichlids are the best 👌
Love your videos. I’ve just brought a smaller version of your fish tank for African cichlids. I love your lights. What are they called please? Also where did you buy your fish jumping screen from? Thank you
That's awesome!! I bet you will love it 😊 The lights are called Freshwater AI Primes, and my netted lids are from NVS Aquariums
@@Kaityscichlids thank you! I’m now subscribed I’m looking forward to your next videos
@@imperialfish1922 thank you so much!
Hai kaity...ur vedieo was very informative about fishes and tank selection . U have dedication and love towards ur fishes keeping..pls make vedieo on tank maintenance.....
Thank you so much :) I have one video that shows how I do a water change which shows how I do my tank maintenance. I'll link it if you're interested! th-cam.com/video/Cq3DRNybjJs/w-d-xo.html
Nice fish. Nice story. I'm a little surprised that you are less concerned about the gender mix. That's contrary to most advice when putting up a mixed tank of Africans. But it has worked out for you. Good to know.
Thank you!! I definitely think feeding them a colour food has helped, because they seem to think the females are males