Africain Cichlids

The African cichlids contain some of the most colorful of all freshwater fishes. The cichlids are an enormous family of fish and they offer the widest variety of body shapes and behaviors of all freshwater fishes. This wonderful group is further complimented by their remarkable behavior, it is highly complex yet ritualistic. They are very active and many can be very personable, readily greeting their keepers and begging for food. These are the characteristics that make cichlids a favorite attraction for many hobbyists. The African Cichlids seen in the hobby have a mix of fascinating characteristics and are a delight to keep. There are many colorful cichlids like the popular varieties of Peacock Cichlids. Others are highly prized for their unique habitat or behavioral characteristics. These can be seen in the goby cichlids, Shelldwellers, Featherfins, and popular Tropheus genus, to name a few. Most of the favorite fish are moderate in size and very well suited to home aquariums. Some also reach an impressive size and are great specimens for a large show tank. Only a few are not really suitable for the home aquarium due to size.