We've have a lot of discussions about Cichlid communities recently, and the differences in behaviour and needs of Cichlids from various regions of the world interests me a lot. So I'll float out some ideas to consider for set ups here.
We know Cichlids are an ancient family, and a successful one. They've spread via continental drift, the ability of some species to cross short distances of saltwater, human stupidity, and natural catastrophes. With that spread, they've become similar looking but behaviourally different creatures.
The classic "African Cichlid" comes from rocky reefs in Lake Malawi, and to a lesser degree, Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. Lake Mweru in the Congo system is being studied as another hot spot for the evolution of new species, though the fish aren't popular yet. Tanganyikans tend to be like most other Cichlids although they need hard water. They are territorial, and should not be crowded. They do some fascinating things if you set them up right.
Malawis and Victorians are colourful bargers - they fight a lot in a competition for resources. They are popular because we can crowd them. New aquarists love a huge pile of fish in a tank, and these guys, within reason, can live like that in hardwater tanks.
We betray a certain ignorance when we call them "Africans", because there is a lot more to the continent than a couple of eastern lakes. African riverine Cichlids behave more like South Americans. They need light stocking, defined territories and soft water. If you're lucky, you'll find Congo River Cichlids, a group that lives along the mighty rapids of that enormous river. They are great fun to watch and learn about. Some have reduced swim bladders and hop along the bottom. West and Central African species tend to be like SA Cichlids, only more aggressive. I find that in a conflict, they are better fighters - something to think about if you want to combine fish from different regions.
Asian Cichlids are uncommon in the hobby.
North American Cichlids are often called Central Americans, and they often live slightly more crowded than most. The water tends to be hard, and the fish larger and rougher. They combine poorly with other regions. Cichlids have their own ways of communicating, through body language and chemicals, and the long evolution since the continents broke up has created different languages. Poor communication can lead to brutal fighting.
South Americans are, in my experience, the mildest group. There are exceptions, and generalization is the curse of the aquarist, but beyond the real rowdies, most SA Cichlids need space, and will get their clocks cleaned by North/Central Americans or any African groups. Their range is so vast and the differences between them are so striking that no rules can be invented, but in general, they are softwater fish like West Central Africans, and need light stocking.
The Cichlid hobby is in decline compared to 20 years ago, and we're actually going backwards in the hobby and forgetting a lot of hard earned lessons. People have lower standards of living, less leisure and less space, and Cichlids take room and a bit of work. In my local club, 90% of the auction used to be Cichlids, with 90% of the Cichlids bred locally being Malawis. Now, it's down to the occasional bag of fish on offer. That said, the fish are still regularly discussed, and it's good to be aware they are very diverse, and that a Cichlid is not just a Cichlid. They are a lot more complicated than that.
We know Cichlids are an ancient family, and a successful one. They've spread via continental drift, the ability of some species to cross short distances of saltwater, human stupidity, and natural catastrophes. With that spread, they've become similar looking but behaviourally different creatures.
The classic "African Cichlid" comes from rocky reefs in Lake Malawi, and to a lesser degree, Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. Lake Mweru in the Congo system is being studied as another hot spot for the evolution of new species, though the fish aren't popular yet. Tanganyikans tend to be like most other Cichlids although they need hard water. They are territorial, and should not be crowded. They do some fascinating things if you set them up right.
Malawis and Victorians are colourful bargers - they fight a lot in a competition for resources. They are popular because we can crowd them. New aquarists love a huge pile of fish in a tank, and these guys, within reason, can live like that in hardwater tanks.
We betray a certain ignorance when we call them "Africans", because there is a lot more to the continent than a couple of eastern lakes. African riverine Cichlids behave more like South Americans. They need light stocking, defined territories and soft water. If you're lucky, you'll find Congo River Cichlids, a group that lives along the mighty rapids of that enormous river. They are great fun to watch and learn about. Some have reduced swim bladders and hop along the bottom. West and Central African species tend to be like SA Cichlids, only more aggressive. I find that in a conflict, they are better fighters - something to think about if you want to combine fish from different regions.
Asian Cichlids are uncommon in the hobby.
North American Cichlids are often called Central Americans, and they often live slightly more crowded than most. The water tends to be hard, and the fish larger and rougher. They combine poorly with other regions. Cichlids have their own ways of communicating, through body language and chemicals, and the long evolution since the continents broke up has created different languages. Poor communication can lead to brutal fighting.
South Americans are, in my experience, the mildest group. There are exceptions, and generalization is the curse of the aquarist, but beyond the real rowdies, most SA Cichlids need space, and will get their clocks cleaned by North/Central Americans or any African groups. Their range is so vast and the differences between them are so striking that no rules can be invented, but in general, they are softwater fish like West Central Africans, and need light stocking.
The Cichlid hobby is in decline compared to 20 years ago, and we're actually going backwards in the hobby and forgetting a lot of hard earned lessons. People have lower standards of living, less leisure and less space, and Cichlids take room and a bit of work. In my local club, 90% of the auction used to be Cichlids, with 90% of the Cichlids bred locally being Malawis. Now, it's down to the occasional bag of fish on offer. That said, the fish are still regularly discussed, and it's good to be aware they are very diverse, and that a Cichlid is not just a Cichlid. They are a lot more complicated than that.
