Species

Cynotilapia afra

A scrappy Malawi mbuna that rewrites the rules with open-water schooling behavior.

Hemichromis letourneuxi

A bold, pair-bonding cichlid that earns its jeweled reputation through color and attitude.

Hemichromis elongatus

A jewel cichlid with a reputation for being the most aggressive in the genus.

Xenotilapia sima

A sand-sifting Tanganyikan schooler that rarely turns up in the hobby

Lamprologus speciosus

A pint-sized shell-brooding cichlid from Lake Tanganyika with outsized attitude.

Haplochromis brownae

A wave-swept Lake Victoria cichlid built for life on exposed, rocky shorelines.

Altolamprologus calvus

A razor-thin Tanganyikan ambush hunter built to slip into the tightest rock crevices.

Teleocichla centrarchus

A dwarf riverine cichlid built for life in Brazil's fast-flowing rapids.

Dicrossus filamentosus

A tiny, ornate cichlid with a lyre-shaped tail and a big personality.

Melanochromis chipokae

Possibly the most aggressive mbuna in the hobby. Not for the faint-hearted.

Cichlasoma bocourti

A hefty Central American cichlid that means business in any territory it claims.

Nandopsis tetracanthus

Cuba's only native cichlid: territorial, long-lived, and surprisingly personable.

Crenicichla compressiceps

A pocket-sized pike cichlid with an outsized attitude and lightning-fast reflexes.

Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor

A century in the hobby, this tiny African cichlid broods its young in its own mouth.

Astronotus crassipinnis

A bold, intelligent cichlid that knows your face and owns its territory.

Nannacara anomala

A tiny cichlid that punches well above its weight come breeding time.

Herichthys carpintis

A pearl-flecked bruiser that rewards bold hobbyists willing to manage its attitude.

Parachromis managuensis

A bold, personable predator that owns every tank it inhabits.

Parachromis motaguensis

A bold Central American predator that holds its own against anything in the tank.

Caquetaia kraussii

A predatory Colombian cichlid that lurks in swamps and ambushes its prey.

Lamprologus lemairii

A Lake Tanganyika ambush predator that plays dead to lure its prey.

Dimidiochromis compressiceps

The Lake Malawi ambush hunter famous for a truly unsettling feeding habit.

Aristochromis christyi

Lake Malawi's sneaky ambush predator that rolls sideways to fool its prey.

Variabilichromis moorii

A Lake Tanganyika rockdweller with a fascinating family life and devious brood tactics.

Etroplus maculatus

The only cichlid native to India, with a fascinating cleaning-fish side hustle.

Hoplarchus psittacus

A rare blackwater cichlid that defies its aggressive reputation in the right company.

Cichla kelberi

A hard-hitting Amazonian predator that rewards patient keepers with bold personality.

Cichla ocellaris

A river predator that grows to nearly three feet and eats anything it can catch.

Cichla orinocensis

A river predator that grows to nearly two feet and eats its tankmates.

Haplochromis perrieri

A piscivorous Lake Victoria cichlid that will eat anything it can fit in its mouth.

Crenicichla albopunctata

A compact, manageable pike cichlid with serious predator personality.

Crenicichla lepidota

A torpedo-shaped predator that brings serious personality to a South American biotope.

Crenicichla lugubris

A deceptively pretty juvenile that grows into a large, predatory tank-buster.

Stomatepia pindu

A critically endangered Cameroonian cichlid that turns jet black when spawning.

Amphilophus labiatus

A notoriously aggressive cichlid that somehow also becomes your best friend.

Cichlasoma festae

A massive, fierce Ecuadorian cichlid that will eat anything it can fit in its mouth.