Fish Tank Update

Well, my tank finally finished cycling and I figured out what species to put in my tank. I decided on a cute Red Top Zebra cichlid. :) He is a beautiful blue cichlid with black vertical bars and a red dorsal fin.

After transporting him home and getting him acclimated to the tank, he is busy patrolling the perimeter making sure all is well and no other fishes are intruding on his territory. He is also quite industriously working on his own little civil engineering project in the aquarium to excavate the caves in the rocks and make a home for himself. Cichlids love to dig, and every so often, I see him swoop into a cave. After a short pause, he darts out a short distance from the cave and a shower of white sand appears as he spits out the sand scooped into his mouth.

Since my tank is really too small to keep a herd of cichlids, he will soon be joined by some dwarf australian rainbow fish. These guys will keep him company and help reduce any nervousness on his part, as mbuna (the native African name for my Malawi cichlid) are fairly social fish despite their aggressive nature.

It's been fascinating watching my fish patrol and work in his little home. Definitely a great stress reliever.