FRESHWATER CICHLIDS

Question
When they butt "noses" are they playing or fighting?

Answer
Good evening Marie, thank you for your question.

This can be spawning behavior between a male and a female, or between two males, a struggle for dominance. Cichlids play by interacting with their rockwork, mouthing gravel, but they also display threatening and intimidating behavior while they determine a pecking order... not a cause for concern, but keep an eye out, and watch for bullied fish.

They're one of the most interactive of aquarium fish, a large family encompassing hundreds, possibly thousands, of different species! Take a moment to read about cichlids of all kinds, by visiting any of the sites listed below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cichlid
http://www.cichlid-forum.com
http://www.cichlids.com
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/cichlids.html
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/cichlids.htm

Have a good day,
Nicole