Different Kinds of African Cichlids

According to Animal World, there are approximately 2,000 species of cichlids. Cichlids are freshwater fish that have a wide range of body type, color patterns and behaviors, and they are popular aquarium fish. Learning more about the different types of African cichlids is essential to deciding on the best type for your aquarium.

  1. Lake Tanganyika Cichlids

    • Lake Tanganyika cichlids may come from several different types of environment. Lake Tanganyika borders Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Burundi. The cichlids from Lake Tanganyika may be adapted to an open water environment, to a rocky environment or to the shell bed. The shell bed is the sandy bottom of Lake Tanganyika, which is scattered with empty snail shells. The sand and shells provide smaller species of cichlids with good hiding places. Some Lake Tanganyika cichlids include the Convict Judy cichlid, the five-bar cichlid and the lemon cichlid.

    Goby Cichlids

    • Goby cichlids are native to Lake Tanganyika, and they are typically around 3 inches in length. They favor the shores close to the shallow waters, and there are five recognized species that are classified as goby cichlids. The spotfin goby cichlid and the blue goby cichlid are two goby cichlid species.

    Tropheus Cichlid

    • Tropheus cichlids live in Lake Tanganyika, and they are normally found along the coastal areas of the lake. They prefer rocky shores with many hiding places and tend to remain in shallow waters. They are algae eaters, and they thrive best in areas where there is enough light for plentiful algae growth. Some species of tropheus cichilds include the Tropheus moorii and the Tropheus duboisi.

    Lake Malawi Cichlids

    • Lake Malawi cichlids are known for their bright colors and striking patterns. According to Animal World, there are more than 800 species of cichlids in Lake Malawi, and only 300 have been described. This classification includes all cichlids that are not zebra cichlids or peacock cichlids. A few examples of Lake Malawi cichlids include the dogtooth cichlid, the red empress cichlid and the electric blue harp cichlid.

    Zebra Cichlids

    • Zebra cichlids are also known as Mbuna cichlids. They are native to Lake Malawi in Africa, which borders Malwai, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Zebra cichlids tend to dwell among rocky areas, and many cichlid species that fall into this type are colored blue with black stripes. Kenyi cichlids, red zebra cichlids and blue daktari cichlids are all zebra cichlids.

    Peacock Cichlids

    • Peacock ciclids are native to Lake Malawi, and there are 28 species that are known as peacock ciclids. They are colored in brilliant shades of red, blue and yellow, and they often have an iridescent quality to their scales. They are known to be more peaceful than other cichlid species.