Cichlid: Description, Types, Pictures, & Fun Facts

Cichlid: All You Need To Know

The Cichlid (Cichlidae) is a ray-finned omnivorous fish belonging to the Animalia family, phylum Chordata, class Actinopterygii, order Perciformes, and family Cichlidae.

The Cichlid ranges in size up to 3 feet in length and weighs up to 10 pounds, with the lifetime of 10 to 15 years. Cichlids are freshwater fish that feed on phytoplankton, zooplankton, mollusks, and other fish.

The most distinguishing characteristic is the exceptionally bright and varied colors. Cichlid are preyed upon by humans and other fish. Yellow, blue, red, black, white, green, orange, and silver colours, as well as being scales on the skin, are physical characteristics.

Cichlids are a unique species of ray-finned fish with such a wide range of colours, body shapes, habits, and reproductive techniques that it’s hard to believe they all belong to the same taxonomic family.

Despite the fact that cichlids are virtually exclusively found in the tropics, their tiny stature and vibrant colours make them a popular aquarium fish all around the world.

4 Incredible Cichlid Facts!

1. The cichlid fish, unlike many other freshwater fish, has a natural feeding zone that it will protect from outside invaders.

2. During the reproductive season, cichlid fish may be highly aggressive. Males will occasionally lock lips and try to force the other to the ground.

3. Some cichlids communicate with one another by altering their body colour. At least 16 species have been found to have vocalisations.

4. Aquaculturists have discovered that changing the temperature or releasing hormones into the water may change the sex of some cichlid species. This is done in order to construct single-sex tanks and avoid overcrowding.

Cichlid Classification and Scientific Name

All of these fish are members of the cichlidae family. The name comes from an ancient Greek word that means “fish.” Cichlids belong to the Cichliformes order (remember, families are lower classifications than orders, and genera are lower classifications than families). Only two species make up the only other family in this order (the convict blenny).

Various Cichlid Species

Most taxonomists estimate the number of species to be between 1,000 and 2,000, with the bulk hailing from Africa. More than 500 species of cichlid fish may be found in the lakes of Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika alone. They are dispersed among 140 genera in the lower classes.

Here are a handful of the most well-known and popular species:

• Angelfish: The angelfish is an endemic to the Amazon River Basin with large dorsal and anal fins that resemble angel wings.

• The Firemouth: It is indigenous to Central America, from Mexico to Guatemala, and is named from the brilliant red colour along the jaw and belly.

• The Midas Cichlid: It is a Costa Rican and Nicaraguan fish with an unusual name. The majority are grey or brown in hue, although some have a big hump on the head and are bright yellow, pink, or orange. The blood parrot cichlid is the result of a cross between a Midas and a redhead cichlid.

• Green Terror: This aggressive species is unique to Ecuador and Peru and has a beautiful iridescent green, blue, and orange pattern.

• Peacock Cichlids: There are 22 species of peacock cichlids native to Lake Malawi. Peacocks come in a variety of colours, including blue, green, and orange.

• Convict Cichlid: The convict cichlid has black stripes all over its body, as the name indicates.

Cichlid Appearance

With up to 2,000 distinct species, these fish come in such a variety of patterns and colours that it’s nearly hard to pick out a distinguishing feature. The majority of species have a single nose, rounded tails, a pointed anal fin at the pelvis, and a long dorsal fin running along the back.

The average cichlid species is only a few inches long and seldom grows to be more than a foot long. The biggest species, fittingly termed gigantic cichlid, may grow to be over 3 feet long. Males have a brighter and bigger appearance than females.

Cichlid Distribution, Population, and Habitat

This fish may be found across the global south, including Central America, South America, Africa, and South Asia (absent East Asia and Australia). The Rio Grande cichlid is the only native species in the United States, but 44 species have been imported, notably in Florida.

Despite their enormous diversity, nearly all cichlid species require warm low-elevation lakes and rivers with temperatures of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). While most species are found only in freshwater, others are found only in brackish water (mostly in Asia and Madagascar), which contains a little amount of salt.

Where rivers or lakes meet saltwater bodies, brackish water is formed. Almost every species has a preference for a certain sort of environment, such as rocks, coasts, or the open sea.

Cichlid Predators and Prey

Depending on the species, cichlids can be completely herbivorous or completely carnivorous. The morphological traits of the fish nearly always reflect this feeding plan. Many cichlids move across algae beds or the muddy floor, passively filtering out small food such as zooplankton (tiny marine creatures) and phytoplankton from the surrounding water (small photosynthetic plant matter).

Hard-shelled mollusks are consumed by larger cichlid species by shattering the shell with their powerful jaws or sucking the prey clean out. Only a few species will eat the eggs or larvae of other cichlids in their entirety.

They’ve adapted the one-of-a-kind approach of going for a mother who keeps the eggs protected in her mouth. They’ll ram her many times in an attempt to get her to release the eggs so it may devour them. Cichlids are preyed upon by humans and other fish, in addition to their own species.

Cichlids have been threatened by overfishing, habitat loss, and exotic species. The introduction of the Nile perch into portions of its native range has resulted in the extinction of a few species. However, many are categorised as “least concern” since they are not subject to any special demographic pressures.

Cichlid Reproduction and Lifespan

The cichlid has a variety of mating techniques, ranging from monogamy to total promiscuity. Carrying the eggs can be accomplished in one of two ways. The majority of species are substrate spawners (a common fish method in which the female lays a string of eggs that the male fertilises).

Mouthbreeders, on the other hand, will keep the eggs in their mouths until they are ready to hatch. If danger is approaching, the mother can signal to her young when it is time to seek safety in her mouth once more.

This fish is unique among fish in that the parents actively participate in the rearing of their offspring. Many species will meticulously develop and maintain a nest in which to raise their eggs, after which they will scavenge for plant stuff and leave food for the young.

The egg stage, the wriggler stage (hatched but not free-swimming), and the fry stage are the three unique juvenile stages of cichlids (free-swimming but still dependent on the parent).

In an aquarium setting, cichlids appear to live for roughly 10 years and possibly up to 18 years if they survive the juvenile phase.

Cichlid in Fishing and Cooking

Within its native region, the fish is a very frequent delicacy. For thousands of years, Egyptians have relied on Nile tilapia as a food supply. Although the cichlid is rarely eaten in the United States, it is considered a healthy fish with minimal mercury levels.