General information: Lake Tanganyika is the world´s second deepest lake (1435m) and is located betwen Zaire, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi. It is 650 km long and 30-50 km wide. This gives it an area of 32 900 km2. This means that it covers a large part of "The Great Rift Valley". The waterlevel in the lake changes heavily, The lake deflows through Lukunga river that emerges with the Kongo river (Zaire). The lake was discovered by Burton and Speke but was explored by a.o Livingstone and Stanley. Map of the lake The Cichlids and the water of Lake tanganyika: The first cichlids from Lake Tanganyika were imported in the late fifties. Since then their popularity has increased steadily. In the beginning they were considered difficult. The aquarists held these cichlids in waters with too low pH. They didnt know the chemical composition of the Lake Tanganyikan water. The pH-value of the water is actually the most important factor in keeping Lake Tanganyika cichlids in a proper way; the pH must always be higher than 7.5, but preferably between 7.8 and 9.5. The water temperature should be between 23°C and 27°C. Water that is warmer than 29°C can be lethal to Lake Tanganika Cichlids! The water in the lake is very clear and the first 40 meters are very rich in oxygene. The oxygene level in the aquarium is therefore very important and must be as full as possible. This leads to a regular need to change the water in the aquarium (I change 30% every week). This makes wasteproducts which otherwise can produce harmful gases (carbondioxid and amonium) mix. These gases can otherwise drive out the oxygene. A good filter is a must and in larger aquariums a trickle filter is preferable. The need for oxygene increases drastic when the water temperature rises above 29°C. If the temperature is above 30°C the water must be full of oxygene, otherwise the cichlids die from lack of oxygene. If the outer temperature a warm summerday makes the watertemperature rise above 30°C, precautions must be taken. The water must be kept cold trough dayligh waterchanges, plus the water must be filled with oxygene. Lake Tanganyika cichlids are more sensitive to warm water than to cold. Decoration of a Lake Tanganyikaaquarium: Coarse sand is the best bottom material in the aquarium provided that you do not use a bottom filter (Which I personally find completely impossible with m any of these cichlids which love to dedecorate the sand after their own wishes). If you then use bottomfilter it will be exposed, and sease working. If you insist on having a bottomfilter, gravel is to prefer. Sandliving cichlids need sand and they therefore like an aquarium with sand better. Some species dig craternests and they also like it better when there is sand on the bottom of the aquarium. It is possible to have plants with most Lake Tanganyika cichlids. Especially suited are Vallesneria, Anubias, Crinum and Ceratophyllum. These plants are tough and are therefore often left untouched. In the lake there are only waterplants in shallow bays. Aquarists that intend to breed Lake Tanganyika cichlids or want to release wild caught fish in an already working aquarium need at least two smaller aquariums as quaranteen or fry tanks. Theese tanks do not need any decoration or bottom material. All that is needed is a heater, an internal filter and a hiding place. These tanks must at least hold 50 liters to work well.