Species Recommendations For Beginners
by the CF Moderators
A very common question is: "What is a good fish for me to start out keeping?" The following is a list that was compiled by the CF Moderating Team. After discussing this topic privately for a few weeks, we are happy to share with you our consensus. It is our hope that you will find it beneficial.
This surely is not an exhaustive list, but in our humble opinion, these are the fishes we felt would best give the new hobbyist a rewarding experience and a good introduction to cichlids.
Lake Malawi
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Victoria
Riverine
New World
by the CF Moderators
A very common question is: "What is a good fish for me to start out keeping?" The following is a list that was compiled by the CF Moderating Team. After discussing this topic privately for a few weeks, we are happy to share with you our consensus. It is our hope that you will find it beneficial.
This surely is not an exhaustive list, but in our humble opinion, these are the fishes we felt would best give the new hobbyist a rewarding experience and a good introduction to cichlids.
Lake Malawi
- Pseudotropheus acei (55G and up)
- Labidochromis caeruleus "yellow" (40G and up)
- Pseudotropheus saulosi (55G and up)
- Metriaclima estherae (55G and up)
- Labeotropheus trewavase (75G and up)
- Nimbochromis venustus (100G and up)
- Nimbochromis polystigma (100G and up)
- Iodotropheus sprengerae (55G and up)
- Placidochromis electra (55g and up)
Lake Tanganyika
- Neolamprologus leleupi (25 G and up)
- Neolamprologus brichardi (30 G and up, due to character)
- Neolamprologus pulcher "Daffodil" (25G and up)
- Lamprologus multifasciatus (20G and up)
- Lamprologus caudopunctatus (20G and up)
- Lamprologus brevis (10g and up)
- Julidochromis marlieri (40g and up)
- Julidochromis regani (20g and up)
- Julidochromis transcriptus (10g and up)
- Astatotilapia burtoni (35G and up, VERY colorful in behaviour, ONE MALE ONLY!! or BIG tank, better keep with sturdy tankmates in bigger tank)
- Telmatochromis brichardi (10g and up)
Lake Victoria
- Pundamilia nyererei (55g and up)
- Haplochromis sp. 44 (40G and up)
- Haplochromis sp. "Ruby Green" (30g long and up)
Riverine
- Pelvicachromis pulcher (20G and up)
- Steatocranus casuarius (20 G and up, species tank when 20 G)
- Hemichromis letournauxi "Jewel" (30 G and up, species tank when 30 G)
- Tilapia mariae (100G and up)
New World
- Apistogramma cacatuoides "Cockatoo" (29 G)
- Archocentrachus nigrofasciatus "Convict" (20 G Long, species tank when 29 G and up)
- Astronotus ocellatus "Oscar" (75 G and up)
- Gymnogeophagus australis "Rainbow Earth Eater" (20 G Long)
- Hericthys cyanoguttatus "Texas Cichlid" (50G and up)
- Heros severus "Severum" (40 G Long and up)
- Herotilapia multispinosa "Rainbow" (20 G High)
- Mikrogeophagus ramirezi "Ram" (20 G High)
- Thorichthys meeki "Firemouth" (20 G Long and up)