| The cichlid fish has a very colorful appearance which | | | | against them. |
| makes them one of the most popular fish to own. | | | | If you carefully select the fish, cichlids can be kept in |
| Their care is not that difficult but they do have | | | | a community tank. Dwarf cichlids work extremely |
| requirements that must be adhered to in order for | | | | well for this. They can be kept together pretty easily |
| them to be healthy. | | | | with schooling fish like Characins. If you keep cichlids |
| Most cichlids come from Africa, but they are also | | | | in a tank together just make sure there is enough |
| found in Central and South America. They are found | | | | room for them to claim their own territory. |
| in many different kinds of waters, such as rivers, | | | | Large cichlids should only be kept with fish of the |
| lakes and ponds. There are many different cichlid | | | | same size and temperament as themselves. Do not |
| species and many different color variations. | | | | keep any large cichlid with a small fish because they |
| In your cichlid tank, you must provide places for | | | | will probably make them a meal. |
| them to hide, such as large pieces of driftwood or | | | | If you decide to breed cichlids, you need to realize |
| rock caves. If you have a large species of cichlids, it | | | | that there are two different types of breeders. |
| is best not to put plants in their aquarium because | | | | Substrate brooders lay eggs out in the open on a |
| they tend to dig up substrate materials. Other | | | | surface or hidden in a cavity. They will fan the eggs |
| species, like the angelfish and discus prefer a planted | | | | to increase oxygen supply and after they hatch, the |
| tank. | | | | fish will look after the young until they are eating on |
| Most cichlids like to be in water temperatures in the | | | | their own and free swimming. After that, the parents |
| mid seventies. The Discus species prefers slightly | | | | will still protect the young against predators. The |
| higher temperatures. The staple food of your cichlid's | | | | parents will be extremely aggressive during this time. |
| diet should be a large flake food, but you should also | | | | The other type of breeder is called a mouthbrooder. |
| feed many different types of live and frozen foods. | | | | They put the eggs and larvae in their mouths. They |
| It's good to have variety in their diet. If you have a | | | | keep them in their mouths until the young are free |
| large cichlid, it can even be fed earthworms and | | | | swimming. Most mouthbrooders stop looking after |
| crickets. | | | | the young once they are free swimming, but others |
| Cichlids are very territorial which makes them | | | | do continue to care for them by letting them go |
| aggressive. You must watch out for this aggression. | | | | back into their mouths when there is danger. |
| If you have a mating pair, the male will usually drive | | | | Cichlids are really fun fish to own. There are so many |
| away the female after mating. There needs to be | | | | different kinds of cichlids and some of the colors are |
| somewhere for her to hide or else she can be killed. | | | | truly stunning. Before you get cichlids, just try to do |
| Because they are so aggressive, you should only | | | | as much research about them as you can. |
| keep them with other large fish that can stand up | | | | |