What are your all time favorite cichlids?

[anewbie]

As i gain experience with various species my view changes so this is a work in progress:
nannacara anomala -> not the prettiest but ton of personality
apistogramma borelli -> lots of bluff but a coward at heart
apistogramma nijjensi -> lovely fish
gold rams -> kind of boring but all so lovely could just stare at them all day long
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honorable mention angel fishes -> kind of a pia bickering group of sob; but hey they are family
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One fish that a lot of people like that I absolutely hate:
apistogramma cockatoo -> boring and waste of tank space; will never own again.
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One fish that I think would be absolutely perfect for an 8 grade science class project -> pair of kribs -> fantastic parents; could make for a series of very interesting lectures for the students and expose them to wonders of aquariums.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I've always had a soft spot for firemouths.

 

[Caesar]

My favourite cichlids would be a toss up between vieja zonatus, paretroplus menarambo, and crenicichla atabapo 1.

For line bred, non natural, probably a vieja fenestratus 'marbled'.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I loved my Kribensis, especially when they surprised me with a brood and demonstrated excellent parenting in a community tank. They made me a fair bit of money, too.
After these, I fell in love with basic Rams, who also obliged me by breeding.

Currently, I'm exploring Apistogramma and have been very pleasantly surprised by my Cockatoos, one male and two females. (Perhaps I'm easily pleased ).

 

[anewbie]

I loved my Kribensis, especially when they surprised me with a brood and demonstrated excellent parenting in a community tank. They made me a fair bit of money, too.
After these, I fell in love with basic Rams, who also obliged me by breeding.

Currently, I'm exploring Apistogramma and have been very pleasantly surprised by my Cockatoos, one male and two females. (Perhaps I'm easily pleased ).

Apistogramma is a large genus with a wide variety of behavior and requirements among the different species. The cockatoos are one of the more boring but passive and easy to keep member of the species. If you want another easy to keep species but with a bit more personality i'd recommend borelli. They are also harem breeders.

 

[AquaAlexC1993]

My favourite cichlids would be a toss up between vieja zonatus, paretroplus menarambo, and crenicichla atabapo 1.

For line bred, non natural, probably a vieja fenestratus 'marbled'.

I love atabapo pikes!

I loved my Kribensis, especially when they surprised me with a brood and demonstrated excellent parenting in a community tank. They made me a fair bit of money, too.
After these, I fell in love with basic Rams, who also obliged me by breeding.

Currently, I'm exploring Apistogramma and have been very pleasantly surprised by my Cockatoos, one male and two females. (Perhaps I'm easily pleased ).

apistogrammas are gorgeous!

 

[anewbie]

I love atabapo pikes!

apistogrammas are gorgeous!

Apistogramma is a genus with over 100 different species. Are you saying all species in the genus apistogramma you find gorgeous ?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Apistogramma is a genus with over 100 different species. Are you saying all species in the genus apistogramma you find gorgeous ?

Are you saying that there's an ugly one!?!

 

[AquaAlexC1993]

Apistogramma is a genus with over 100 different species. Are you saying all species in the genus apistogramma you find gorgeous ?

yes! most of them anyways

 

[anewbie]

Are you saying that there's an ugly one!?!

I would say that there are some that I would not be eager to make an effort to acquire.... but i suspect that most people have seen pictures of less than 10% of the species and have probably actually seen less than a handful of them... and there is a wide variance among them.

 

[Circus]

I am rather partial to shell dwelling cichlids. I own some Neolamprologus Multifasciatus (up to about 50 now in my 30 gal) and Neolamprologus Caudopunctatus. Some people think they look boring, but their personality and parenting are really cool. Especially I have noticed with the Multifasciatus, is that the older generations from the same parents will all help raise the young fry and drive off other fish.
I will post pic of the ones I have now.
I want to get some Lamprologus ocellatus, as they are pretty cute and actually bury their shells, which I think is cool.

 

[bigroof]

My favourite cichlids that i keep currently are:

Mbuna cichlids ( all different types of species of them)
I love my salvini and the convict also
I have this apistograma super red (georgous little fish)

I would like an oscar one day but just dont have the tank space. I also wants lake Tanganyikan shell dwellers. Im just trying to convince my wife to get another tank but not working at the moment

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I'm very partial to my Apisto...he is a right bolshy little sausage too....a Red Throat Viejta apparently, beautiful colours, really vivid red, black and silver with irridescent blue spots on his face

And my Ramirezi's (1 blue and 3 gold) are right little characters too, though not as stroppy as the Apisto

They are not all in the same aquarium....I ain't that daft yet

 

[Circus]

I also wants lake Tanganyikan shell dwellers.

You can have three to five Neolamprologus Multifasciatus in a tank as small as 20" long (average length of a 10 gallon).

 

[bigroof]

You can have three to five Neolamprologus Multifasciatus in a tank as small as 20" long (average length of a 10 gallon).

Yes you are right. 3 or 4 Multis can live on a small tank, hovever give it 6 months ill have a colony and need to upgrade again. I want a colony any way so im just going to wait and get a decent size tank for a colony.