Malawi

1. I am going to Malawi, Africa to do independent volunteer work. How can I access cheap or free airfare?

~~~~~~~~www.orbit.com~~~~~~~~~

2. What would you do with a 75 gal to create an amazing lake malawi tank.?

I actually have a 75 gallon Malawi tank! If I had the money I would spend it on Texas Holey Rock... it looks absolutely beautiful especially with the fish colors. I have an all male tank, keeps the aggression down since there aren't any females to fight over. And one male per species I wouldn't put two greshakei males together... I wouldn't add any plants because they cichlids will munch on those, even though there are a couple they won't eat, it's not gauranteed and they will eventually uproot them and redecorate the tank for you. I love the yellow labs, they give you that punch of color you want in a tank. I also have some OB Peacock and a red peacock! I am planning on buying a Pseudotropheus Polit, and a Haplochromis Burtoni. I also have a Greshakei and an Azureus. OH my goodness I almost forgot about my Acei, great color too! The more color the better in my opinion and you will get that with an all male tank. I would suggest trying to buy some cichlids either online or at a lfs, I would stay away from Petco they don't have a good selection. Petsmart isn't bad... Do not buy from any tank that is listed mixed or assorted africans... they are hybrids.... I would put about 20 in a 75 gallon, overstocking helps keep the aggression down too. Message me if you want any help!

3. Which of my malawi fish should I get rid of?

Aggression is normal for these fish. i would get rid of the other two, because if you get rid of the bully, one of the other males will assume the dominant role and will still pick on the other sub dominate male. i know its tough, but thats my honest opinion. hope this helps tom k

4. Can Malawi Cichlids live with angelfishes?

Nope. They both have different water requirements (pH, water hardness, etc.) except for the ID Shark, that's pretty hardy. Malawi Cichlids need hard, alkaline water, (preferably 8.0-8.2 pH), and Angelfish need soft, acidic water. ID Sharks, like I said, they're really hardy. Btw, the ID Shark grows up to 3 1/2 feet. Do you have a REALLY big tank you plan to re-house it to? E-mail me for any questions!

5. Do you think building a sport centre in Malawi is a worthwhile project to help communities? ?

I applaud your desire to help the people of Malawi, and I think it's wonderful. However, I would question whether a sports centre is the best thing you could do - perhaps a clinic or something might be more appreciated. I don't know the answer, I merely raise the question. Anyway, an acquaintance of ours started out in a similar position to you, and has now raised £115,000 for a hospital for Malawi Underprivileged Mothers (‘MUMS’). She started out small, and it has just snowballed; she (Linda McDonald) and her fund raising for Malawi has been mentioned in all the Scottish newspapers, and in the Scottish parliament, and TV too I think. Check out her website here - http://www.mumsrecipes.org/index.html – and perhaps drop her a line. I’m sure she’d answer all your questions and give advice on fund raising, etc. This link might help too - http://www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/links.html Best of luck in all you do! Oh, and by the way, the recipes in Linda's recipe books (two of them at the last count) are excellent!

6. Once in a lifetime trip to help a community in Malawi but how do i raise £2500 ?

Have you tried discussing with your parents on if they may be able to help fund you? Relatives? Raising money can come in various ways including bake sales, part time jobs, school fundraisers. You can also try discussing with your teacher on if he/she may have fundraising ideas.

7. what's the cheapest way to send parcels of books to Malawi from UK?

If it's one book, go the post office and send it airmail small packet. Alternatively, use parcelforce worldwide parcel service. They will pick up - you need in advance to tell them the size of the parcel and weight so they can quote you a price over the phone.

8. sand as a substrate for my malawi cichlids?

Yes it is absolutely fine. Sand is their natural substrate. If you want to put some rocks in, choose some pebbles. From a lake, or even from your backyard.

9. Is it OK to keep a Puffer fish with my Malawi fish?

If i were you i wouldn't. It probably would be fine but just to be safe i wouldn't. Puffers tend to be very curious and would probably get itself into trouble with territorial issues.

10. What shots do you have to take when you go to Malawi?

You should be up to date with your normal vaccinations. However, there are none required for travel there. Be aware that dengue fever is rampant in certain sections, and there is no vaccination for it. More info on Malawi and on dengue fever: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationMalawi.aspx http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentDengueTropicalSubTropical.aspx

11. I have a fish tank with Malawi fish. One of the fish keeps picking up the sand and making a pile in the middle?

This is normal behaviour. for alot of cichlid species.

12. What shots do I need to go to Malawi, Africa?

The following are strongly advised for your own health and safety: Yellow fever; Cholera; Typhoid; hepatitis A; tetanus; Meningistis; Diptheria; plus a prophylactic against Malaria. Keep in mind that some innoculations require a time frame and perhaps a booster before you go, so check in advance. It's best to get the advice of a doctor who is experienced in travel medicine. Then you can't go wrong. Hope this helps and you have a great trip!

13. How many malawi cichlids in a 30g tank?

Yeah 15 WAY to much...depends on filtration. If you have a over filtered tank then you can obviously have more fish then an underfiltered one. As to how many fish i cant give you an exact number because i don't know exactly what fish you've chosen (malawi is a big lake) but id say only one species and maybe about three? I have a 40 gal and I'm overstocked at 6 fish! So research what you gonna get and go from there. Good luck!!! And remember to cycle first and don't add to many fish to quick!! Best of luck Angel ps. Also i have a few bristlnose catfish with mine, without them id be lost. So maybe get one for your tank, once its set up and has algae of coarse!! EDIT: It really does depend on the fish you choose. 6 large cichlids in your tank would be overstocked, and the only time you need to overstock is if you have agressive fish. Overstocking will minimise fighting but not banish it....wheras if you choose generaly peaceful fish like yellow labs then you dont really want more then 3-4 fish. Just thought id add that in...

14. What is your opinion of Madonna wanting another child from Malawi, for her 50th birthday?

I'm not too sure she is being kind. The child's grandmother does not want her to go out of the country. If Madonna is being kind why does she not use some of her millions to help these people stay with their own families, that way she could help more than one child/family. You don't get a child for your birthday and I'm not so sure you should get to choose either. Does that mean that only cute, clever children get help. What about the rest?

15. What is the very best food to feed my malawi cichlids?

alot of pet stores feed their fish hormones to make them more colorful. generally cichlids don't get alot of color until they're a couple inches long, generally 3/4's of their max size. the best way to get your fish to color back up is to feed a mix of food so that all your types of fish get what they need and have a large enough tank for the amount of fish you have. by introducing a similar looking fish, or a female to your tank you could also get your fish to color up.

16. How long does a malawi cichlid keep its fry in her mouth?

3- 3.5 weeks from what I read up on this. Another article I read indicated the males will not look after the fry, and to move the female to an incubator/nursery, so natrually I'd assume the female does fend for the fry. http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/redtopzebra.htm

17. How many Britons are living in Malawi and how many Malawians are there in the UK?

7 and 4, respectively

18. What is the cost of living in Malawi?

How long are you going for, do you mean a holiday or to stay for some time? If you have not been to Africa before you will find it quite a shock. Cost of living is a lot lower than for western countries but then so is the standard of living.There a lots of things western people take for granted that are not available in many parts of southern Africa.Be sure to go to a doctor who has knowledge of African diseases and get all the inoculations and medical advice before you leave.Type malawi into Google and see what comes up.

19. when did malawi start using computers and by which organisation?

20. Lake malawi mouth brooding need help asap?

hey... congratulations.... Cichlids breed in different ways. Open Brooders (e.g. angelfish, discus) spawn on open surfaces like rocks, or on the substrate. Shelter Brooders are of two types – Cavity Brooders (e.g. Apistogramma) who lay their eggs in caves and in depressions, and Mouth Brooders (e.g. Aulonocara) who carry the eggs and the fry in their mouths. Open Brooders tend to lay more eggs (sometimes as much as 10,000) than the Shelter Brooders (about 300). Cichlid breeding becomes easier if these territorial creatures are provided with sheltered areas where they can spawn. Rocks and plants can be used to provide them with hiding places. Mouth brooders will benefit the most from these hideouts because they will need more than usual protection when they are egg-laden. The female releases the fry depending on a number of factors such as her species, her age, and the state of her health. Water quality may also determine when the fry get released. Remember that young inexperienced females are not too likely to carry the eggs for the full term the first time round. After that first time however, they learn to breed successfully. Sometimes fish do not mate because they are overfed – the hungrier they are, the more their aggressive tendencies are likely to show up, and the more likely they will be to mate. However some species like Auloncara naturally take time to become sexually mature. Be patient with them. Water temperatures of about 76oC and 78oC and alkaline, hard water will aid in cichlid breeding. The maintenance of a steady temperature will aid in the hatching of the eggs. Raising and harvesting of cichlids can be done in several ways. The best method is allowing the mother to spit out the fry naturally in a separate tank. Here she does not have to worry about other adults who may eat the fry. The survival of the fry is almost certain in this case unless the mother herself consumes the fry. in such a case it would be good to transfer the mother to another tank once she has released the fry. Most fry start eating flakes and brine shrimp once they have absorbed their egg sacs. The fry will grow rapidly with good water conditions, frequent feeding, and good diets. Cichlid breeding is almost an art form, and you and your cichlids will keep getting better at it with time. Keep trying. Good luck :)