South American Cichlids

A very diverse group of fishes, these include familiar species such as Angels and Discus, as well as Pike cichlids a Read More

A very diverse group of fishes, these include familiar species such as Angels and Discus, as well as Pike cichlids and Peacock bass that would treat an average community aquarium as an all you can eat buffet.

Amazonian fishes generally prefer soft water but there are some notable exceptions to this, with domestication and distribution both playing a part. Size is also no real guide to temperament, with many of the large Eartheaters being far more placid and sociable than many of their smaller distant kin. In fact, many of these cichlids are best kept in groups of six or more, which allows them to display normal behaviour. In the case of species such as Oscars, Severums and Uaru, this means a large aquarium is needed.

All members of this group are most peaceful when given lots of room, especially as their parental instincts can make spawning pairs a risk to tankmates in small aquaria. Although they might be predatory, these fishes are not generally aggressive enough to live alongside their Central American cousins.

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