General Cichlid Info - Important Stuff

Cichlids are a species of fish that thrive in freshwater. They are all members of the same Cichlidae family. Some of the most popular breeds of cichlids include Oscars, Angelfish, and Dwarf cichlids. The following article will provide some useful cichlid info for anyone contemplating becoming new owners.

Cichlids are traditionally divided up into four major groups. These groups are:

- African cichlids
- Central American cichlids
- North American cichlids
- South American cichlids

African cichlids are further divided into three of their own categories, as they are the group with the most species. The three groups are named after the lakes from which the cichlids come: Lake Tanginika, Lake Victoria and Lake Malawi.

Dwarf cichlids have been commonly separated from the other groups, although they most often belong to the African group. Useful cichlid info will include that Dwarf cichlids are named for their small size.

Other interesting bit of cichlid info is the fact that there are more than 1,500 known cichlid species and there are thought to be many that haven't been scientifically described yet. This number will also grow as more and more species interbreed and evolve. There are many cichlid breeds that live in waters yet to be discovered.

A great piece of cichlid info is that most breeds of this species can live in a wide range of water conditions. They grow to be a wide variety of sizes, ranging from 3 centimeters all the way up to 100 centimeters in length. The smaller breeds of cichlids are the most popular among aquarists.

As far as breeding goes, cichlid fish fall into three groups: Mouth-brooders, open breeders and cave breeders. Mouth-brooders keep their eggs in their mouth until they hatch and they often carry their fry in the mouth as well. Something to watch out for is that the females nearly starve themselves while carrying their eggs and when the eggs hatch, they sometimes eat the fry. So it is a good idea to separate the fry and the Mom after birth. You can reunite them once they fry are big enough to fend for themselves.

Open breeders lay and fertilize their eggs out in the open. The females tend to the eggs and the males protect the territory. The cave breeders lay their eggs in secluded areas, hidden away from the rest of the fish population.

Cichlid info is easy to come by. All you have to do is a little online research. In addition, you can poll your network of friends, to see if they have any cichlid knowledge you might find useful.

For more valuable cichlid info be sure to check out my site. I have been keeping cichlid fish for years and the most important concept to master is basic cichlid care.