What cichlids can I mix together?

What fish can live with Rift Valley cichlids?

The adaptability of this West African species makes it an excellent match for Rift Valley cichlids, especially the peacock and Haplochromis. They enjoy the same warm water conditions; however, the pH will need to be on the upper end of the jewel’s tolerance.

Where do fish live in the Great Rift Valley?

They are tropical freshwater fish that can be found in Central and South America, Asia and Africa, especially in the lakes and rivers of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Malawi, the largest lake in Africa, is teeming with them. They mostly live close to the surface of the lakes, rivers or lagoons where there are rocks and sand.

What substrate is best for African Rift Valley cichlids?

For African Rift Valley cichlids, you can use many of the same substrates and rocks you would find in a saltwater tank. Coral sand and other calcium-rich rocks will harden the water, making it more like the water they come from.

Where can you find Rift Valley cichlid?

With our links to wild caught exporters in the rift lakes region of East Africa and tank bred African cichlid breeders on the continent we can source many varieties of Rift Valley Cichlid for our customers.

Why are there so many underwater rift valleys in the ocean?

Like many underwater rift valleys, the East Pacific Rise is dotted with hydrothermal vents. Geologic activity beneath the underwater rift valley creates these vents, which spew super-heated water and vent fluid s into the ocean. Very few active rift valleys are found on continental lithosphere.

What are the major rift valleys in Africa?

The East African Rift, the Baikal Rift Valley, the West Antarctic Rift, and the Rio Grande Rift are Earth’s major active continental rift valleys. The East African Rift is part of the “Great Rift Valley” system discussed below.

How are rift lakes formed?

Rift lake s, formed as freshwater floods rift valleys, often mark rift valley systems. More than a billion years ago, for instance, the North American plate began a rifting process. A triple junction formed in the middle of the young continent, and deep rift valley developed.

What are the most famous rift lakes in the world?

Lake Superior. The most famous rift lakes in the world may be the series of narrow, deep rift valleys in the East African Rift known simply as the Rift Valley lakes. The Rift Valley lakes, stretching from Ethiopia to Malawi, are sites of amazing biodiversity. They include freshwater lakes, similar to Lake Baikal,…

What do African rift lake cichlids eat?

Generally, a combined flow rate of at least 10 times the aquarium volume is recommended. Mbuna cichlids are mostly herbivores, while Peacocks, Haplochromines and many Tanganyikan cichlids are carnivorous. Aqueon flake, granule and pellet foods make an excellent diet for virtually all African Rift Lake cichlids.

What are the most popular African cichlids?

Neolamprologus leleupi longior – Commonly called the lemon cichlid, it attains a size of 4+ inches in males, females are smaller. There can be no doubt that this is one of the most popular African Cichlids. It is found throughout Lake Tanganyika. It is fairly aggressive and highly territorial especially when it is breeding.

How are lakes formed in rift zones?

Within a rift zone, such as the Great Rift alley, there is constant movement of the earth’s tectonic plates. These plates may push or pull towards each other depending on the type of force in play. Consequently, all this action causes depressions within the zone that eventually leads to the formation basins that fill up with water to become lakes.

What is the largest rift valley on Earth?

The largest and deepest rift valley yet discovered is not on Earth—it’s on Mars. Valles Marineris was formed millions of years ago, when the rocky Martian lithosphere was still rifting and shifting. Valles Marineris reaches depths of up to 7 kilometers (4 miles) and spans about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) long.

Why are there rift lakes in Tanzania?

Tanzania has, among others, Lake Natron and Lake Eyasi. The formation of rift lakes is tied to geological action. Within a rift zone, such as the Great Rift alley, there is constant movement of the earth’s tectonic plates.

Why are the lakes in the Rift Valley alkaline?

Habitat of the Rift Valley Lakes Most of the lakes within the valley, especially those in the Eastern Rift, do not possess outlets for drainage into the sea. Consequently, they have a high content of minerals that contribute to their alkaline nature. In Kenya, only three are freshwater lakes with the rest having salt water.

What is an example of a rift lake?

Rift lakes, formed as freshwater floods rift valleys, often mark rift valley systems. More than a billion years ago, for instance, the North American plate began a rifting process. A triple junction formed in the middle of the young continent, and deep rift valley developed.

How is a rift valley formed?

Due to faulting, a rift valley is formed by the sinking of land between two parallel faults, deep, narrow and elongated in charac­ter. Water collects in these troughs and their floors are often below sea level.

Why is the sea less diverse than the land?

The finding may seem topsy-turvy given that life originated in the oceans, but the results could help explain why the sea is relatively low in diversity compared with the land. The ocean takes up 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, but contains only 15 percent to 25 percent of the Earth’s total estimated species.

Do extinctions in marine habitats explain the low diversity of fish?

The authors hypothesized that extinctions in marine habitats, hundreds of millions of years ago, may help explain the low present-day diversity of marine fish.

How did fish evolve to live in saltwater?

It’s not until about 110 million years ago that a group of fish called percomorpha, which now includes 40 percent of all species of bony fish, started diversifying in saltwater. In freshwater, another group called ostariophysi evolved into many species, which now comprise almost 70 percent of freshwater fish.

How did the East African Rift Valley form the lakes?

The East African Rift valley has produced fractures that has filled up with water over time that turned into major lakes namely: Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. Several smaller lakes have also been created by this geological rift.

How many lakes are in the Kenyan Rift Valley?

Eight of these make up the main lakes in the Kenyan Rift Valley. From north to south, the names of these lakes are Lake Turkana, Lake Logipi, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Elmenteita, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Magadi Of those eight, only Lakes Baringo and Naivasha are fresh water.

What are the lakes of the Ethiopian Rift Valley?

The Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes are the northernmost of the African Rift Valley Lakes. Chamo and Abaya Lakes in the Ethiopian Rift Valley. The lakes of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, which is part of the larger East African Rift, are the northernmost lakes of the African Rift Valley and include some of the world’s oldest, deepest, and largest lakes.