Natural Habitat of Cichlids

The Cichlidae family of fishes, commonly known as cichlids, is a diverse and extensive group of fishes. Scientists are still learning and working to categorize all of the species within the Cichlidae family. There may be thousands of known species of cichlids, with equally varying natural habitats. Even the most common cichlids found in aquariums come from all over the world.

  1. Oscar Cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus)

    • Oscars are found in the Amazon basin waterways. They are well-adapted to muddy waters with temperatures from 71 to 77 degrees F.

    Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

    • Also known as the Niger cichlid or the purple cichlid, the kribensis is native to Nigeria and Cameroon. They live in waters with lots of vegetation and caves in which to breed.

    Electric Yellow Cichlid (Labidochromis caeruleus)

    • This cichlid is one of the many that reside in Lake Malawi in southeastern Africa. They stay in areas of the lake that have a lot of sediment and rock outcroppings.

    Convict Cichlid (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus)

    • Convict cichlids are found in the fresh waters of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. They prefer to live in waters that are warm, up to 80 degrees F, and where there is fine sediment in which to breed.

    Jack Dempsey Cichlid (Cichlasoma octofasciatum)

    • The natural range of the Jack Dempsey cichlid is from southern Mexico to throughout Central America. They also live in warm waters around 80 degrees F, and they like to hide in caves.