"It is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog."

- Mark Twain

The Cichlid Fish

Malawi Blue Cichlid

Cichlid is any of about 85 genera of freshwater and brackish-water fishes that make up the cichlid family in the perch order. In Africa cichlids are the dominant fishes in Lakes Malawi, Victoria, and Tanganyika, where hundreds of cichlid species are found. They also occur in India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, the West Indies, and South and Central America; the range of one species extends into Texas. Several are popular aquarium fish, and many are extremely important as food fish.

Cichlids show considerable variety in shape but generally have a laterally flattened body, with spines in the dorsal and anal fins. They may be up to about 80 cm (about 30 in) long. The pike cichlids have an elongate body, and some other genera have high, sail-like fins. Many cichlids are active predators; others eat insects or plants.

Highly successful evolutionarily, the cichlid family is of interest to behavioral scientists because of the wide range of behavioral patterns it exhibits, particularly in breeding.
They are noted for their complex mating and breeding behaviour. This usually involves courtship and preparation, maintenance, and defense of the nest and protection of the new young. In certain species, however, known as mouthbreeders, the eggs are not placed in a nest but are carried in the mouth of the parent until hatched. The young remain close to the mother and flee for safety back into her mouth, until eventually she rejects them. This mouthbreeding behaviour is common to many species of the genus Tilapia and also to certain other Old World genera.

Among the better known of the many popular aquarium cichlids are the firemouth (Cichlasoma meeki), a fish with bright red in its mouth and on its throat and chest; the Jack Dempsey (C. biocellatum), a rather large, dark fish spotted with blue green; the oscar (Astronotus ocellatus), an attractive fish with an orange-ringed black spot on its tail base; and the discus (Symphysodon discus), a very deep bodied fish streaked with blue. Another popular aquarium fish of this group is the angelfish (q.v.), or scalare (Pterophyllum). A notable cichlid is Tilapia mossambica, a prolific African species that is now cultivated in many regions as a source of food. Both fresh and smoked tilapia are increasing in popularity. Some members of this group have been used as a biological control for aquatic vegetation.

"Cichlid." Microsoft® Student 2007 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2006.