List of weekly routine care to make sure your African Cichlids are healthy and thriving:
- Change 10 to 20% of the water each week. Replace with fresh water that has been treated.
- Change 25% of the water monthly.
- Water testing is critical to the health of the fish. Regular water testing is essential to make sure that ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are not to high and that the pH levels are at 8.2.
Signs of a healthy fish include:
- Clear eyes
- Healthy appetite
- Bright, even coloring
- Fins completely intact and undamaged
Warning signs of an unhealthy fish:
- Loss of color or appetite
- Spots or fungus on body or mouth
- Cloudy eyes or pop-eye
- Elevated scales
- Labored respirations
- Erratic swimming
- Weight loss
- Bloating
- Hole in the head
- Lateral line erosion