Pseudotropheus demasoni – Demason’s Cichlid

If you ask me what kind of freshwater aquarium fishes is most beautiful and attractive, my answer is Pseudotropheus demasoni.

This little cichlid from African lake Malawi is really looks more like sea fish, not a freshwater. Сontrast vertical stripes af a dark-navy and blue colors make this fish so spectacular.

This fish is highly aggressive towards others species of a similar size, and especially – to other demason’s cichlids in the tank. That’s why you need place a lot of stones in your tank, where submissive males and females can hide. Another solution to smooth away dominant male’s aggression is aquarium tank without hiding places, but with at least 20-30 fishes other fishes.

Water cabbage – pistia stratiotes

Photo of the huge water cabbage – pistia stratiotes. It’s also called “water lettuce”

You can see small white flowers on this exemplar as well.

This floating plant requires fresh water and good upper lighting. If both these conditions are observed – you’ll receive a carpet of big green plants with long “hairy” roots hanging down in the water. This plant can also be useful for open water pools, pounds and so on.

Because of high growing speed, this plant consume a lot of nitrates, so it help maintain clean water in your aquarium.

Rusty cichlid – Iodotropheus sprengerae

One of my first fish, this photo is more than 10 years old (actually I don’t remember when it was exactly). I’ve purchased a little group of these species (there was 5-6 fishes as far as I’ve remember), and placed them into 30 gallon tank with aquarium plants and mangrove driftwoods (he-he). Yes, I has almost no experience with Malawi lake african cichlids these days.

The first unpleasant surprise for me was these “animals” chewed up beautiful melon sword plant (Echinodorus osiris). Why it was so tasty I don’t know, but there was some other sword plants and they wasn’t gobbled… for the first time at least.

However, this “pride” find my tank very pleasant and in short time began to spawn. This was surprise for me too, but pleasant one, when I saw first young fish hiding under mangrove roots.

This is our main dominant male on the photo above. It doesn’t looks rusty, absolutely. It has perfect iodine play of colours. And at the left down corner is one of grown up “teenagers”.

By the way, it was first time when I observed hierarchy in the African cichlid community. it was really interesting. Guess it was a reason why I engaged with cichlids in further years.

Jewel Cichlid

Breeding pair of jewel cichlids (Hemichromis bimaculatus). Female is much smaller than male, and male is more aggressive.  Smallest tank size for these species must not be less than 30 gallons (100 litters). And in such a small tank this fish never becomes big enough.
In community tank Jewel cichlids are not a best companions to other fish, however they can be kept with similar size cichlasomas or smaller size african cichlids, but it’s not a best solution.

This pair spawns right on ceramic pot visible on background.