Buyer question
Are Cichlid freshwater fish good for beginners?
It can be: our Animal Library rates the Cichlid freshwater fish 3 out of 5 for beginners (research the species).
Source: the Cichlid freshwater fish page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Cichlid freshwater fish in the Animal Library
The detail
Cichlids are a huge family of fish from Africa and the Americas, from small peaceful dwarfs to large, territorial predators. Many of the popular ones come from Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika, and they are colorful, intelligent and often aggressive.
- Best fit
- Keepers who plan tankmates
- Hardiness
- 4 out of 5 (Many are hardy)
What to weigh
Cichlids can be aggressive, and mixing species without research leads to injuries and losses. Rift-lake species need hard, alkaline water.