Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-45, the more expensive Angelfish are the ones that are either wild, or are of a new cultivated form. The cheaper ones are usually home-bred youngsters.

Short Bio: The Angel seems to be one of the most popular cichlids around, even though most fish keepers don’t know that it’s a cichlid. That’s just because of the unusual shape that the angel fish has.

Origin:
Amazon drainage, South America.

Size:
Both, males and females get to around 5 in (13 cm) long.

Sexual distinctions:
There are some who can say that by physical differences, that they can tell the different sexes, but when it comes to Angelfish the best known way to tell the sexes apart are is to observe the genital papilla during spawning. During spawning the males will be pointed, and the females will be blunt.

Tank conditions:
The tank size should measure, 24 x 16 x 16 in (60 x 40 x 40 cm). For a pair the tank size should be 36 x 16 x 16 in (90x 40 x 40 cm) for a community.
All the conditions below are for both community tanks and specie tanks.

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Temperature 77-82 Fahrenheit (25-28 Celsius). Water, for tank-bred strains the water conditions are not as critical and they can thrive in almost any type of water chemistry. Now, for wild specimens the water chemistry is actually important. For the wild Angelfish use soft, slight acid (Ph 6-6.5) water. Avoid having strong currents in the tank.
The tank should be well planted with bogwood, but for tank-bred strains this is not critical.
The Angelfish will prefer to stay at the top of the tank, and since in the wild there are shoals of Angelfish, so there really is not limit to the number of Angelfish that you can keep in a tank the has adequate space.

Food: In the wild Angelfish eat aquatic invertebrates, but in aquariums will eat any type of omnivore or carnivore foods.

Behavior:
A very peaceful cichlid even during breeding but be warned, may eat small tank mates.

Breeding:
Tank-bred Angelfish will breed in the tank but odds are they will eat the brood, so artificial hatching may be needed. Two females will “pair” and spawn if no male is present.

FireMouth Cichlid
chichlasoma meeki

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-45, with the wild caught specimens costing more.

Origin:
Guatemala Yucatan (Mexico)

Description:
Typical cichlid shape, but with a larger head. Upper body more arched then lower one. About 6 inches (15cm).

Color:
Consists of many different colors, the basic solo is a bluish gray with a nice purple sheen. The back tends darker, while the belly is a yellowish olive, the throat an lower jaw define what the fish is called because they are a magnificent brick red. A black line that is often divided in to spots, starts at the top edge of the gill cover and extends all the way to the bas of the tail. In the middle of the body there is a large gray-edged patch.

Sexual Distinction:

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Female will be duller in color, while having less pronounced spines of the anal and dorsal fins.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 68-73 degrees Fahrenheit (20-23 Celsius). Ph and hardness rating that too important, middle ranges with soot this fish best. Does not do well in planted tanks.

Food:
Live food, with a little plant food.

Behavior:
A relatively peaceful fish. Does better with other cichlids.

Sexual maturity and reproduction:
Reach a sexual maturity at around 3 inches (8cm). Pair forming, and when trying to breed you can raise the tank water to 75-79 degrees Fahrenheit or (24-26 Celsius).

Compatibility:
Should be kept with other cichlids. Become territorial.

Coming Soon.

Jack Dempsey
chichlasoma octofasciatum

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-15

Origin:
Central Amazon basin, Rio Negro

Description:
General shape, similar to most other cichlids, straighter belly profile. Has large dorsal and anal fins. Grows up to 7 inches (18 cm)

Color:
Said by some, including me, to be one of the colorful fish in ones aquarium. The basic colors are gray-brown to a vibrant red-brown. There are usually seven to eight black vertical lines, with old age these lines will disappear completely. There is one lateral black line that starts on the gill covering and ends in a black patch on the middle of the body.

Sexual distinction:
The female will be paler in color, while the male will be a brilliant deep blue to attract the female. On the males the dorsal fin will come to a point, while the females will be rounded.

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Tank conditions:
Temperature 72-75 degrees Fahrenheit (22-24 Celsius). The ph and hardness are of medium values. A large non-planted tank with a substrate of sand or fine gravel would soot this fish well. Coconut shells and some stones will give the Jack hours of enjoyment.

Feeding:
Lots of live, coarse food. Some substitute for live food would be a high quality dried food.

Behavior:
A territorial fish once adulthood is reached, while in it’s younger years it’s a schooling fish.

Sexual maturity and reproduction:
Form strong united pairs. Will reach sexual maturity at a length of 3-4 inches (8-10cm). Open spawners.

Compatibility:
Highly aggressive and excitable, especially during spawning periods. Best when kept in a species tank.

Frontosa

cyphotilapia frontosa

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $15-90, wild specimens cost more to capture and ship. Tank breed Frontosas are cheaper.

Short Bio:

Frontosas are very popular do to their attractive appearance, the only real thing to worry about is that Frontosas grow to large sizes and will eat smaller tank mates.

Origin:

Lake Tanganyika, East Africa.

Size:

Male will get up to 8.3 in (21 cm), and females will reach the size of 6.7 in (17 cm).

Sexual distinctions:

There are no color differences, the males will have longer fins, bigger humps, and all around bigger in size.

Tank conditions:

Minimum tank size 48 x 14 x 18 in (120 x 35 x 45 cm).

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Temperature should be between 74-79 degrees Fahrenheit (23.5-26 Celsius). The water should be hard, alkaline (Ph 8+), very well-oxygenated, and contain minimal nitrogenous compounds. The tank should be decorated with scattered large rocks, caves (clay pipes are the ideal). Substrate should be sand or gravel. Within normal stocking rules there is no limit to the number of Frontosas that you can keep in a tank. But if you plan on keeping large number of Frontosas it’s best to keep them in a species tank, or keep with other large, peaceful Tanganyika or Malawi cichlids.

The Frontosa is a bottom dweller.

Food:

The Frontosas are a piscivorous species with a diet that should consist of raw fish, shrimp, prawn, carnivore pellets, and earthworms. You should feed the Frontosa at dawn and dusk, for this is when they feed in the wild.

Behavior:

Adults are peaceful to each other and others, and are actually quite inactive. The only thing to be concerned about is when the Frontosa is fully grown it will be able to eat it’s tank mates.

Breeding:

The Frontosa species is a mouthbrooding one. The female should be put into a separate tank to release the fry or they will be eaten by other Frontosas.

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
apistogramma cacatuoides

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: $5-45, the price you pay depends on where you go. It’s more expensive to buy from a shop then from a breeder.

Short Bio:
One of the smaller, peaceful, and very beautiful cichlids. The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid also has a very fascinating breeding behavior.

Origin:
It’s from the Peruvian part of the Amazon Basin.

Size:
The males will grow up to a size of 2.75 in (7 cm) with females reaching a size of 1 in (2.5 cm).

Sexual distinctions:
Males will be larger with brighter colors and more ornate finnage. The mouths of full-grown males will be very large.

Tank conditions:
The tank can be a community tank or a specialist aquarium.
Minimum tank size is 24 x 12 x 12 in (60 x 30 x 30 cm).

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Temperature should be between 79-81 degrees Fahrenheit (26-27 Celsius). The water ideally should be soft and slightly acid to slightly alkaline. (Ph of 6.0-7.5), although the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid will still breed in hard water. The water should be of excellent quality at all times. Try to eliminate strong currents. The tank should be decorated with plants and small flower pots, the substrate should be a fine gravel or sand. There really in no limit to the number of Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids kept in one tank, just make sure that each female is given a 12 in (30 cm) diameter territory of their own.
The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid tends to stay near the bottom of the tank.

Food:
In the wild would normally eat small aquatic organisms but in a controlled environment the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids diet should consist of small live food, frozen food, and or flake food. Switching up the diet every now and then is a good thing to do, it will give a balanced diet.

Behavior:
Peaceful in community tanks and can defend it’s brood against much larger fish. When defending it’s brood it uses intimidation more then injury inflicting fights.

Breeding:
Will pair up, but it’s better to have 7 females to one male, giving each female it’s own 12 in (30 cm) diameter territory with the males territory. The breeding caves should have small opening and low set ceilings. The brood is watched over by the female(s) alone.