How to Keep Red Devil Cichlids in the Aquarium

Select the appropriate aquarium size for the number of Red Devil Cichlids you are keeping. A minimum tank size of 55 gallons is recommended when keeping one Red Devil Cichlid. The larger the tank, the less aggressive the fish will be. When keeping a pair of these fish, it is recommended to have a tank of 125 gallons. A sand-bottomed tank with many rocks and pieces of wood to hide behind is a preferable environment for these fish. A pH balance of 6.5 to 7 should be maintained, along with a water temperature of 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Plan a proper diet for your fish. In the wild, cichlids have a varied diet and are mainly carnivorous, though plant matter is important to their diet as well. If your aquarium has no plants, it is important to include lettuce in the diet. Using predator's pellet food, along with fish, worms, snails and insects, will provide a suitable diet for the cichlid.

Include flat surfaces such as rocks or glass in the aquarium if there are two chichlids who are going to mate. A female may lay up to a thousand eggs and it is important to keep the pair in the tank after they have bred. Five days after hatching, the fry will be able to begin eating small, live foods.