These are an incredibly diverse group of fish. Each species has its own pattern and colouration, so there is one to suit everybody.
This includes the peacock cichlids which are some of the most colourful fish available.
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Care Level: | Intermediate |
| Temperament: | Aggressive |
| Colour Form: | Various |
| Lifespan: | Up to 15 Years (species dependent) |
| Size: | 7.5-17cm |
| Diet: | Depends on species |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Minimum Tank Size: | 113L |
| Tank Set-Up: | Freshwater: Rocks and Caves |
| Compatibility: | Depends on species |
African cichlids belong to the Cichlidae family, which includes all other cichlids. Cichlids are one of the most diverse groups of fish and many species can be found in Africa.
There could be over 1500 species, but most of these still need to be described by scientists.
South America is also home to lots of cichlid species; there are even some that live in Asia.
Nearly all African cichlids live in one of three great lakes in East Africa: Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria, and Lake Tanganyika.
The most popular species for home aquariums are from Lake Malawi.
The reason that they are so popular is that they’re some of the most colorful fish available.
Each species has its own patterns and colors, so there will always be one that suits you and your tank.
Another bonus is that they are quite hardy. This helps them to survive any beginner mistakes or any situations beyond your control.
How Long do African Cichlids Live?
It depends on the species, but most should live for around 8 years in an aquarium.
Typical Behavior
They are very active fish. Whenever they sense movement outside of the tank, they will follow it in the hope that they are about to be fed.
This behavior can make you feel like you’re underfeeding them since they’re always looking for food. Don’t let this trick you into overfeeding them as they would happily keep eating well beyond what they need.
Their active lifestyle makes them good swimmers, to the point where they can jump out of the tank; however, they probably won’t do this unless they get spooked or provoked.
Another thing to consider is their aggression. They can be territorial at times, especially when mating, which can lead to the death of weaker fish in the tank.
To try to reduce fights, make sure that there are plenty of hiding places in your tank. This gives your fish somewhere to escape and also gives them a territory to claim.
During the search for food, they may dig into the substrate or dig up decorations in the tank. This shouldn’t cause too many problems, as long as anything you place in the tank is well secured in the substrate.
Digging isn’t just for scavenging, some species use it as a hunting strategy.
Livingston’s cichlid (Nimbochromis livingstonii) burrows slightly into the sediment and plays dead until an unsuspecting prey passes by.
Many of these cichlid species display unique behaviors.
General Appearance and Colour Varieties
If you are raising them from fry, then you may have to wait a while before they start showing their colours off to their true potential.
Sometimes this can take up to a year, but this will vary between species and even between individuals.
The brightest colours will come when they are kept healthy. The colours will get brighter during mating and times of aggression or dominance.
Males are usually more colourful than females; they need to be attractive to females when mating. Females will either be plainer or have duller colouration/patterns.
All cichlids have teeth, but each species will have a different set depending on their diet.
Some have evolved smaller rows of teeth for scraping off algae from rocks; others have more fang-like teeth for catching small fish.
Every 100 days or so they will regenerate their teeth to replace any that have been lost or damaged, scientists are studying this to help with dentistry.
Regardless of the species, some will bite you and some won’t; you just have to get to know your particular fish.
How Big Do African Cichlids Get?
Most will grow between 10-15cm in length once fully matured.
African Cichlid Habitat and Tank Conditions
Most African cichlids kept in home aquariums are rock-dwellers. In the wild, they’d have little hideaways in the gaps between rocks.
The best way to recreate this in an aquarium is to use rocks too. Make sure they’re placed securely so they don’t collapse (you can buy aquarium-safe glue to stick your rocks together).
Since they are known to dig, a fine-grained substrate would be best so that it won’t scratch their scales.
The water in the aquarium should be moving, but the filter outlet will be enough to create a small current.
Species from rivers might appreciate water or an air pump to create a stronger current.
African cichlids need a water temperature of 75-85°F and a pH of 7.8-8.6 should keep most species healthy.
Africa’s great lakes have quite hard water, 4-6 dH, so try not to use soft water in your tank. Moderate lighting is fine for them.
You don’t need any specialist equipment, just a filter, and heater strong enough to work in the right sized tank. The filter should process all of the water in the tank 3-5 times in one hour.
We don’t recommend an under gravel filter. They tend to need a larger grain size on top of them and the digging nature of cichlids means you’ll have to be on the lookout for any exposed areas.
Plants often get nibbled in your tank, so they have to be able to withstand it. Java fern, Anubias and Amazon Swords will stand the best chance.
What Size Aquarium Do They Need?
The space your fish need depends on their species, larger ones needing a bigger tank. 30 gallons will be enough for most, but make sure to check what each species needs.
The small electric yellow cichlids (3 inches) will be happy in a 30 gallon tank, whereas the larger blue cichlids (8 inches) are better off in a 50 gallon tank.
Use this as a guide to judge the best tank size for your species, remembering that a larger tank is always best and will reduce aggression.
How many Cichlids Per Gallon?
The amount of cichlids you can keep depends on the species.
30 gallons is enough for a small cichlid, add another 3 gallons per cichlid that you add. Always thoroughly research the species you want to keep because some are much larger than others.
African Cichlid Tank Mates
African cichlids are territorial, so any open-water swimmers are likely to be attacked at some point.
If you want to mix them with other fish, they need to occupy different regions of the tank so that they don’t enter cichlid territory.
Bottom-dwelling fish can make good tank mates, as long as they match the cichlids for size and aggression. Good examples are African catfish, they are fast-swimming, large, and aggressive enough to defend themselves.
Any small fish (such as tetras) will become a meal.
Don’t mix African cichlids with South American cichlids (such as the convict cichlid).
They have evolved in different parts of the world so they have different immune systems, this means that species from one region can make the other sick.
Most of the time, only one species of cichlid is kept per tank to avoid fighting. If a tank is big enough then more species could be added, but this will always be a risk.
Diet and Food
African cichlids eat different things in the wild such as plants, insects, and meat. Most species will happily accept both plants and meats in the aquarium.
Peacock cichlids are insectivores, meaning that most of their diet is made up of insects. Some species of the Tilapia genus are herbivores, mainly eating plants and algae.
The rest will either eat fish or a mixture of the three diets.
The African butterfly would naturally eat small fish, whereas Electric yellow cichlids are more omnivorous, eating plants and the occasional fish.
Always research the specific species of fish you want to keep to ensure you can provide them with a suitable diet.
Though they have different diets in the wild, in the aquarium they will all be happy eating flake foods bought from stores. You can add in their natural preferences alongside fish foods.
These include frozen foods, live foods (fish or insects), or algae wafers.
Those species that spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank will enjoy wafer or pellet foods. This will encourage their natural behavior of sifting through the substrate for food.
Bloodworms can be used now and then to mix up their diet. Species that are used to a more herbivorous diet will enjoy raw fruit or vegetable matter that you have around the house.