Malawi info

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Konrade

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2005
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I'm a salty and I want to try my hand at lake malawi cichlids, like peacocks and such. Do you need to buy the salt specifically for african cichlids or can you just use saltwater salt? And if you do, what should the salinity be at? I know the water should be hard and alkaline. I have some buffer and I am planning on buying slate. Good enough? Also should i go sand or gravel? Remember I am set on buying peacocks. I think they are awesome. Post anything and everything you know and your experiences please. I'm getting a 75 for graduation. Also, are there any species of catfish that can be kept with them? At an lfs I saw them keeping a very beautiful tank with peacocks and some catfish I had never seen before. THank Y
 
The salt for Rift Lake cichlids (Tanganyika, Malawi, Victoria) is calcium chloride. Sea salt is sodium chloride. Petsolutions.com (and many others) carry rift lake salts for properly maintaining african cichlids. Directions for use in different lake species is on the bottle.
I keep tanganyikan species and can't really help you with peacocks. Hopefully, someone else can chime in.
Check out the different species of synodontis cats on planetcatfish.com for possible tankmates to go with your peacocks.
 
Gravel is easyier to clean but if you want to see peacocks act more naturally go with sand. They are specialized at finding food in the sand and will act more natural and have a better behavior with sand.

Since you are set on peacocks the best option is to do a species only tank with a male and several females or a all male display tank. If you mix males and females you will most likely end up with them hybridizing.

Here is a link with more info about peacocks.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php

You should also search the site. They have a lot of different species that you can see and more info.

Best of luck
 
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/index.html
another great site to peep out ideas and get info. Salt as mentioned is from seachem
imageload


Use dark sand (brings colors out and looks more natural) and stones for hiding spot and territories. for a 75 I would go with either all males simply for color, 1 group(1M / 3-4F) for simple enjoyment of interaction or maybe try 2 groups (1M ea / 3F ea.), will need great rock structures.

DONT let someone tell you, you can mix Red Empress (PROTOMELAS TAENIOLATUS) with Alunacara sp. (usual peacock name) {just my experience}.

Synodontis Eupterus is what I keep. they get along with no probs and look nice compared to all the color.
 
I dunno what you're so concerned about the salt for. You don't really need it. I'd get an African Buffer though, to keep the pH up, and maybe something to harden the water if yours isn't from the tap. You can use either sand or gravel, but they would definitely prefer the sand. Just make sure you have lots of free swimming space for them.
 
I agree that you don't really need the salt. If you like the colors of the peacocks then go with an all male display. The females are pretty drab and only one male will show there colors unless the color differences are very distinct.
 
I would also agree that you really dont need the salt.. I wouldnt worry about that. Peacocks are lovely fish I am starting up a Peacock tank of my own. I am using sand in mine and rock slabs so they have enough open swimming space and what not.
 
I have heard of cc in the hob filter as a buffer, I know that is true, but does it really work well enough to maintain constant ph levels?
 
That entirely depends on what your water levels are like out of your tap. If you already have a close pH level, then it should be fine. If you're like me, and have incredibly soft water with an extremely low pH, from your tap, then it won't do much of anything. I've got crushed coral in all my african filters, but it really doesn't do much. I have to add an African buffer and a water hardener to keep them up to par.
 
I use block limestone (texas holey rock and cretaceous fossils) to buffer my water and decorate the tank. Keeps my pH in the high 7s and low 8s. I also use aragonite sand as a substrate to keep the pH balanced.
 
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