Cichlids
The most behaviourally complex fish in the hobby and the ones most often bought at a tenth of their adult size. Ranges from a 5 cm Apistogramma to a 35 cm Oscar, with territory and breeding aggression as the axis that decides almost every stocking question.
79 species, separated by adult size. Part of the freshwater fish catalogue.
Small — 4 to 8 cm (10)
The core of most community tanks.
- Baensch's apistogrammaApistogramma baenschi7 cmModerategroup of 3+
- Congo dwarf cichlidNanochromis transvestitus7 cmSpecialist
- German blue ramMikrogeophagus ramirezi7 cmDemanding
- Hongslo's dwarf cichlidApistogramma hongsloi7 cmDemanding
- MultiesNeolamprologus multifasciatus4.5 cmModerategroup of 6+
- Ocellatus shell dwellerLamprologus ocellatus6 cmUndemandinggroup of 3+
- Panda dwarf cichlidApistogramma nijsseni7 cmDemanding
- Panduro's dwarf cichlidApistogramma panduro6 cmModerate
- Similis shell dwellerNeolamprologus similis5 cmModerategroup of 6+
- Three-striped apistogrammaApistogramma trifasciata6 cmModerategroup of 3+
Medium — 8 to 15 cm (38)
Needs real swimming length. Frequently sold as juveniles into tanks that will not suit the adult.
- Afra cichlidCynotilapia afra11 cmModerategroup of 5+
- African butterfly cichlidAnomalochromis thomasi8 cmUndemanding
- Agassiz's dwarf cichlidApistogramma agassizii8 cmDemanding
- Auratus cichlidMelanochromis auratus13 cmDemanding
- Blood-red jewel cichlidHemichromis lifalili11 cmModerate
- Blue mooriiTropheus moorii14 cmSpecialistgroup of 12+
- Bolivian ramMikrogeophagus altispinosus9 cmUndemanding
- Buffalo head cichlidSteatocranus casuarius12 cmModerate
- Checkerboard cichlidDicrossus filamentosus9 cmSpecialist
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlidApistogramma cacatuoides8 cmModerategroup of 3+
- Cylindricus cichlidNeolamprologus cylindricus12 cmModerate
- Demasoni cichlidPseudotropheus demasoni9 cmDemandinggroup of 12+
- Electric yellow cichlidLabidochromis caeruleus13 cmModerategroup of 4+
- Fairy cichlidNeolamprologus brichardi10 cmModerategroup of 6+
- Flag acaraLaetacara curviceps9 cmModerate
- Golden dwarf cichlidNannacara anomala8 cmUndemanding
- Keyhole cichlidCleithracara maronii12 cmUndemanding
- KribensisPelvicachromis pulcher10 cmUndemanding
- Lemon cichlidNeolamprologus leleupi12 cmModerate
- Leopold's angelfishPterophyllum leopoldi11 cmDemanding
- Macmaster's dwarf cichlidApistogramma macmasteri8 cmModerate
- Marlier's julieJulidochromis marlieri14 cmModerate
- Masked julieJulidochromis transcriptus8 cmUndemanding
- Nyerere Victoria cichlidPundamilia nyererei13 cmModerategroup of 4+
- Orange chromideEtroplus maculatus9 cmModerategroup of 4+
- Ornate julieJulidochromis ornatus9 cmModerate
- Red zebra cichlidMaylandia estherae13 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Redbreast acaraLaetacara dorsigera8 cmUndemanding
- Rusty cichlidIodotropheus sprengerae11 cmModerate
- Sardine cichlidCyprichromis leptosoma12 cmModerategroup of 8+
- Saulosi cichlidPseudotropheus saulosi9 cmModerategroup of 6+
- Spotted checkerboard cichlidDicrossus maculatus9 cmSpecialist
- Striped kribensisPelvicachromis taeniatus9 cmModerate
- T-bar cichlidAmatitlania sajica12 cmUndemanding
- Two-striped apistogrammaApistogramma bitaeniata8 cmDemandinggroup of 3+
- Umbrella cichlidApistogramma borellii8 cmModerate
- White spotted tropheusTropheus duboisi14 cmSpecialistgroup of 10+
- Zebra acaraNannacara adoketa9 cmDemanding
Large — 15 cm and above (31)
Specialist tanks. Check the adult size and the lifespan before buying.
- Altum angelfishPterophyllum altum18 cmSpecialistgroup of 5+
- Amazon eartheaterGeophagus altifrons25 cmDemandinggroup of 5+
- AngelfishPterophyllum scalare15 cmModerategroup of 1+
- Blue acaraAndinoacara pulcher18 cmUndemanding
- Calvus cichlidAltolamprologus calvus15 cmModerate
- Compressiceps cichlidAltolamprologus compressiceps15 cmModerate
- Convict cichlidAmatitlania nigrofasciata15 cmUndemanding
- Deep water hapPlacidochromis electra18 cmModerategroup of 4+
- DiscusSymphysodon aequifasciatus20 cmSpecialistgroup of 5+
- Electric blue hapSciaenochromis fryeri20 cmModerategroup of 3+
- Ellioti cichlidThorichthys maculipinnis15 cmModerate
- FestivumMesonauta festivus15 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Firemouth cichlidThorichthys meeki17 cmUndemanding
- Flavescent peacockAulonocara stuartgranti15 cmModerategroup of 4+
- FrontosaCyphotilapia frontosa35 cmSpecialistgroup of 5+
- Green terrorAndinoacara rivulatus25 cmModerate
- Green Texas cichlidHerichthys carpintis25 cmModerate
- Jack DempseyRocio octofasciata22 cmModerate
- Jaguar cichlidParachromis managuensis40 cmSpecialist
- Jewel cichlidHemichromis bimaculatus15 cmModerate
- Jurupari eartheaterSatanoperca jurupari22 cmModerategroup of 4+
- Kenyi cichlidMaylandia lombardoi15 cmDemandinggroup of 5+
- Malawi butterfly peacockAulonocara jacobfreibergi16 cmModerategroup of 4+
- Midas cichlidAmphilophus citrinellus33 cmSpecialist
- Nicaragua cichlidHypsophrys nicaraguensis25 cmModerate
- OscarAstronotus ocellatus40 cmDemanding
- Redhump eartheaterGeophagus steindachneri18 cmModerategroup of 4+
- SeverumHeros severus25 cmModerate
- Trewavas's mbunaLabeotropheus trewavasae15 cmDemanding
- UaruUaru amphiacanthoides25 cmDemandinggroup of 5+
- Venustus cichlidNimbochromis venustus25 cmDemandinggroup of 3+