The setup
A 4ft, 200-litre community tank. Sand substrate, a small forest of driftwood, and far more rock caves than any fish strictly needs — which is exactly the point. Cichlids like a fort. Filtration is two canister filters running in parallel, because when it comes to water quality, redundancy is a personality trait.
Current stock list
| Species | Common name | Count | Temperament |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelvicachromis pulcher | Kribensis | 2 | Territorial, devoted parents |
| Apistogramma cacatuoides | Cockatoo dwarf cichlid | 3 | Shy, surprisingly bossy |
| Neolamprologus brichardi | Lyretail cichlid | 6 | Social, holds grudges |
| Corydoras sterbai | Sterba's cory | 8 | Peaceful clean-up crew |
Water parameters (as of the last test)
- Temperature: 26°C
- pH: 7.2
- Ammonia / Nitrite: 0 ppm, always
- Nitrate: kept under 20 ppm with weekly water changes