Astronotus How Big Do They Get?Ĭichlids come in a wide range of sizes, from the very small to the very large. Male African cichlid species usually have yellow spots (called “fin spots”) on their anal fins. In many species of cichlid, the male is slimmer but larger in length than the female.įemale cichlids tend to be duller in color than males, too.Īdditionally, the dorsal and anal fins on male specimens are larger and have a more pointed shape. How Do You Tell If They Are Male or Female? This allows them to replace any teeth that have been damaged or lost. Some fish have smaller rows of teeth for scraping algae off rocks, while others have teeth not dissimilar to fangs for hunting small fish.Īn interesting aspect of African cichlids is that they regenerate their teeth every 100 days or so. TeethĪll cichlids have teeth, but the function of them will be different depending on the species. Most monogamous cichlids are virtually indistinguishable, although males are larger than females on average. Females are often duller in color with paler patterns. Males are generally larger-bodied and more colorful than females. Their colors will become more vibrant during mating and times of aggression. These fish are known for their bright and vivid coloration… However, some varieties are strongly compressed or cylindrical and elongated. They have a black body with orange or reddish markings.Ĭichlids come in a vast range of body shapes, but the most popular form is ovate and laterally compressed. They are large fishes that grow between 12 and 15 inches in size. Most specimens reach between 4 to 5 inches in size, but males can grow up to 6 inches. The convict cichlid or zebra cichlid is native to Central America. This aquarium fish has a blue-grey body with 8 or 9 black vertical bars, just like the markings on a zebra! This species is bred with a few deformities such as a narrow mouth (which restricts their ability to close it) and enlarged irises, which can make them prone to a few issues. They are usually red, grey, or yellow in color. Blood Parrot Cichlid Blood-Red Parrot Cichlidīlood-red parrots are considered a hybrid between the midas and redhead cichlid. The species are one of the smaller varieties of these fish, reaching a maximum of 5 inches in length. This fish gets its name due to its bright yellow coloring.įemales are rather dull in color, but male cichlids have a vivid yellow body with a blue face. Sunshine peacocks are an aquarium strain of peacock cichlids that originate from Lake Malawi. While not as striking as other African cichlid types, they are a pretty little fish that only reaches around 3 inches in length. Their base coloration is brown to yellow-brown with rows of iridescent spots of various colors (usually purple, blue, green, or yellow).įive pale black bars extend from the back to the mid-section of the species. The African butterfly cichlid comes from the rivers of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Many varieties are available in an array of patterns and markings, too. They can come in pretty much any color you can think of, including red, blue, orange, yellow, and pink (albino). These fish are incredibly vibrant and colorful… You don’t usually see them at high elevations. Tilapias are common members of the cichlid family and are food fish across the world and apparently don’t have a particularly fishy flavor! Natural HabitatĪlmost all African species of cichlid appear in one of the three major lakes in Africa: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi.Īfrican cichlids make up the majority of cichlid species.Īsian varieties, however, are found in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, India, Iran, and Sri Lanka.Īll species can be found in rivers, swamps, large lakes, and even puddles and ditches. One of the most common types of edible cichlid fishes you’ve probably heard of is the tilapia, and the Nile tilapia is the most farmed species in many parts of the world. In addition to being a popular and diverse group of fish to keep in home aquariums, many cichlid species are food sources… However, several species are located in Asia and Europe.Ī lot of cichlid varieties are African and are very prominent in the major African lakes such as Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Malawi. Most species of cichlids are found in tropical America, Madagascar, and Africa. The majority of aquarium varieties are from Africa and South America, though some are from Europe and Asia. There are at least 1,500 species of cichlid, with more species being discovered each year. Cichlids are a species of freshwater fish from the Cichlidae family.
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