11 Cichlids
Description
This article is from the Aquaria: Good (and Bad) First Fish; Breeding FAQ, by Dean Hougen and Elaine Thompson
11 Cichlids
Cichlids, members of the family Cichlidae, come from Central and South
America and Africa, with a few species found in Madagascar, the Middle
East and into Asia. Cichlids are quite unlike any of the fish
discussed so far. They are related to and resemble the Perch and
Sunfish of US waters. For aquarists, cichlids pose four major
problems: (1) Some need special water conditions, (2) some have
specialized diets, (3) some get quite large (the largest up to 3'
long), and (4) all are territorial.
Again, why bother? Because for those willing to take the challenge,
the rewards can be great. If any fish can be said to be intelligent,
Cichlids can. They display this in their everyday activities as well
as in their specialized mating, breeding, and fry-raising activities.
The fish mentioned in the previous sections all lay eggs and then
ignore or even eat them! Cichlids, on the other hand, care for their
eggs and young. It is said that one of the most rewarding sights an
aquarist can see is parental Cichlids herding their fry around the
tank and protecting them from all dangers. And, even if your Cichlids
never breed, they will be more responsive to you than perhaps any
other fish. Cichlids can be much more "pet-like" than you might
think a fish could be.
If you do decide to take the Cichlid challenge, choosing your Cichlids
can be difficult. Some can be added to your community tank and will do
fine with the schooling fish talked about above. These include
Curviceps - Aequidens (really Laetacara) curviceps, Dorsigers -
Aequidens (again, really Laetacara) dorsiger, and the less frequently
seen Nannacara anomala, all from South America, and Thomas' Dwarf
Cichlid - Anomalochromis thomasi from western Africa. Unlike the
monster Cichlids, these fish stay small (3 1/2" is a good sized
adult) and are relatively peaceful. Two or three may be placed in a 10
gallon tank and they should still all find places to live if there are
rocks and other decorations in the tank.
Other Dwarf Cichlids you may see are the Ram - Papiliochromis (some
books use Microgeophagus or Apistogramma) ramirezi, Apistos -
Apistogramma species, and the Checkerboard Cichlid - Dicrossus
filamentosus (referred to as Crenicara filamentosa in the books).
These fish vary in their difficulty for keeping as aquarium fish, but
all of them should be avoided by beginners.
Keyhole Cichlids - Aequidens (really Cleithracara) maronii, Festivums
- Cichlasoma (really Mesonauta) festivus, and Angelfish - Pterophyllum
scalare can be good fish for the relative novice, but only if healthy
specimens can be found and this is often not easy. For this reason,
small Keyholes and Festivums should not be purchased. Adults of these
two species are generally better choices; still, one should look the
fish over carefully and not buy them until they have been in the store
tanks for at least a week. Similarly, for the very popular Angelfish,
one needs to be very careful when buying them. Before you buy, ask the
salesperson to tell you where the store gets its Angels. If the
salesperson doesn't know, won't tell you, or says that they come from
"the wholesaler" (and who knows where before that?) don't buy them.
If you are told that they come from a local breeder then you have at
least a chance of getting healthy fish. Also, Angels should be kept in
tanks both taller and longer than a 10 gallon aquarium. Keyholes,
Festivums, and Angels are all shy fish and should be provided with
cover -- preferably a planted tank.
Discus, like Angels, need tanks higher and longer than 10 gallon
tanks. Their specialized needs do not stop there, however, and
beginners should shy away from these difficult and demanding fish.
At the other end of the difficultly scale, a very good choice,
especially for those with a 20 gallon or larger aquarium, is the
"Jurupari" - Satanoperca leucosticta (formerly referred to in the
hobby as Geophagus jurupari). It does get large (up to a foot), but it
grows very slowly and may still be less than six inches long when
several years old. It is a very peaceful Cichlid which will help to
clean your tank by sifting through the gravel for uneaten food. A
similar fish, Geophagus surinamensis, is also a good choice.
Kribs or "Kribensis" - Pelvicachromis pulcher are a widely seen West
African Cichlid that will do well with the larger schooling fish and
should be kept in a twenty gallon or larger tank. Male Kribs grow to
be 4" long and females stay a bit smaller.
Most of the remaining cichlids which are commonly available are too
aggressive and/or grow too large for the beginning aquarist to
effectively deal with. This includes the very popular Oscar -
Astronotus ocellatus which grows rapidly to over a foot, is
opportunistically piscivorous, and is a very messy species. If the
aquarist is truly interested in keeping more cichlids than those
recommended above, she or he should be prepared to set up special,
separate (and probably larger) tanks for these fish and to read more
extensively on cichlids before buying them.
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