Cichlids are easily some of the most fascinating freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby.
They’re intelligent, highly interactive, often incredibly colourful and can display behaviours that you simply don’t see from many other aquarium fish. Some form pairs, defend territories, excavate their own homes, guard eggs and even actively care for their young.
But there’s one important thing every new cichlid keeper should understand:
Not all cichlids are the same.
Two of the biggest groups you’ll encounter in the aquarium hobby are African cichlids and American cichlids — and although they belong to the same fish family, their ideal environments, behaviour, size, feeding requirements and water chemistry can be dramatically different.
So, which one belongs in your aquarium?
Let’s break it down.
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American Cichlids
“American cichlid” is actually a very broad description.
Cichlids occur throughout Central America and South America, ranging from relatively small species all the way through to large, powerful fish requiring substantial aquariums.
This group includes some of the hobby’s most recognisable fish, including Oscars, Angelfish, Discus, Convict Cichlids, Jack Dempseys, Severums and Texas-type cichlids.
Because they originate across such an enormous geographic range, there is no single set of water parameters suitable for every American cichlid.
That distinction is extremely important.
Some South American species naturally inhabit comparatively soft, acidic environments, while many Central and North American species are comfortable in harder and more alkaline conditions.
Always research the individual species rather than simply following care instructions labelled “American cichlid”.
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FSG Livestock Spotlight: Pearlscale Cichlids
One American cichlid currently available through Fresh Start Gardens is the beautiful Pearlscale Cichlid — Herichthys carpintis.
These fish are known for the spectacular blue-green pearling that develops across the body and fins. As they mature, their appearance can become absolutely striking.
But don’t let the pretty colours fool you!
Herichthys carpintis is a robust, territorial cichlid and needs to be kept with its adult size and behaviour in mind.
Juveniles may appear relatively peaceful when they’re small, but territorial behaviour can increase significantly with maturity — particularly during breeding.
A successful setup should provide plenty of swimming room while also incorporating rocks, wood and other structures to create visual barriers and defined territories.
This is one of the reasons planning a cichlid aquarium around the fish’s adult requirements, rather than its size at the pet store, is so important.
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African Cichlids
Now we travel to an entirely different part of the world.
Many of the African cichlids popular in aquariums originate from the enormous Rift Valley lakes of East Africa — particularly:
Lake Malawi
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Victoria
These environments have produced an extraordinary diversity of cichlids.
African cichlids are often associated with intensely coloured fish racing between huge piles of rock, but that only represents part of the group.
Depending on the species, African cichlids can behave very differently.
Some establish rocky territories.
Some live around open sand.
Some occupy shells.
Some form colonies.
And some species remain surprisingly small.
This is why researching the actual species is just as important with African cichlids as it is with American ones.
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Meet the Tiny African Cichlids: Shell Dwellers
Here’s where things get really interesting.
Not every African cichlid needs an enormous aquarium.
Lake Tanganyika is home to several tiny cichlids commonly referred to as shell dwellers.
Fresh Start Gardens keeps species including:
Neolamprologus multifasciatus — “Multis”
and
Neolamprologus similis — “Similis”
Instead of claiming enormous rocky territories, these little cichlids spend much of their lives around empty snail shells.
The shells aren’t simply decorations.
They’re homes.
Shell dwellers may sleep inside them, retreat into them when threatened, establish territories around them and use them for breeding.
Watching a colony develop is one of the most interesting behaviours you can experience in a freshwater aquarium.
They’ll dig.
They’ll move substrate.
They’ll defend particular shells.
And they’ll frequently rearrange the aquarium according to their plans rather than yours.
For people who love cichlid behaviour but don’t necessarily have room for a huge aquarium, shell dwellers can be an incredible introduction to the world of African cichlids.
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African vs American Cichlid Water
This is where one of the biggest differences appears.
Many popular African Rift Lake cichlids naturally come from mineral-rich, alkaline water.
Lake Tanganyika species in particular are associated with hard, alkaline conditions.
Many popular South American cichlids, on the other hand, originate from environments that can be considerably softer and more acidic.
But there are exceptions on both sides.
That’s why we don’t recommend choosing your water parameters based solely on whether the fish is labelled “African” or “American”.
Instead:
Research the natural requirements of the exact species you intend to keep.
A good aquarium test kit is one of the most valuable tools you can own.
Regularly testing parameters such as pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate gives you far more information about what’s happening inside your aquarium than simply looking at whether the water appears clean.
Where relevant, GH and KH testing can also be extremely useful — particularly when keeping species that depend on harder, mineral-rich water.
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Build the Aquarium Around the Fish
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is designing an aquarium entirely around how they want it to look.
With cichlids, we recommend doing the opposite.
Start with the fish.
Then build the environment around its natural behaviour.
Rock-dwelling African species benefit from structures that create caves, territories and visual barriers.
Shell dwellers need suitable shells and an appropriate substrate that allows their natural digging behaviour.
Larger American cichlids need substantial swimming room combined with strategically placed structures that help separate territories.
Breaking up the fish’s line of sight can be particularly useful.
If two territorial fish can constantly see each other from opposite ends of the aquarium, conflict may continue.
Rocks, wood and other aquarium-safe structures can interrupt that visual contact and create separate areas within the same tank.
Just remember that many cichlids are enthusiastic excavators.
Secure heavy rocks carefully and don’t assume your beautiful aquascape will remain exactly where you put it!
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“Aggressive” Doesn’t Always Mean a Bad Fish
Cichlids have a reputation for aggression.
And yes — some can be extremely territorial.
But understanding why the behaviour occurs makes you a much better fish keeper.
A cichlid may defend:
• A breeding partner
• Eggs or fry
• A cave
• A shell
• Feeding territory
• A particular section of the aquarium
Overcrowding, incompatible tank mates, inadequate space and poorly designed territories can make these behaviours considerably worse.
This is why purchasing a cichlid because “it looks pretty” without researching its adult behaviour can end badly.
Before buying, ask:
How large will it become?
What does it eat?
What water does it require?
How territorial is it?
Can it live with my existing fish?
How much space will it need as an adult?
Those six questions can prevent a huge number of problems.
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Feeding Cichlids Properly
Another misconception is that you can simply buy a food labelled “cichlid food” and feed it to every cichlid.
Different species have different nutritional strategies.
Depending on the species, their natural diet may contain varying proportions of:
• Algae and plant material
• Small crustaceans
• Aquatic insects and larvae
• Zooplankton
• Molluscs
• Other invertebrates
• Fish and other animal matter
That means diet should once again be chosen according to species, not simply the word “cichlid”.
A high-quality staple food appropriate to the fish should form the foundation of the diet, with additional foods used where appropriate to provide variety.
Fresh Start Gardens stocks a growing range of aquarium foods suitable for different fish, life stages and feeding behaviours.
When selecting food, don’t just look at the picture on the front of the container.
Look at what your fish actually needs.
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Don’t Underestimate Cichlid Filtration
Beautiful fish still produce waste.
And larger, heavily fed cichlids can place a considerable biological load on an aquarium.
Your filter isn’t simply there to collect visible dirt.
One of its most important jobs is providing habitat for beneficial microorganisms involved in the aquarium’s nitrogen cycle.
These microorganisms help process toxic nitrogenous waste, converting ammonia through intermediate compounds and ultimately into nitrate.
This is why established biological filter media should never be treated like something that needs to be sterilised.
When cleaning reusable biological or sponge media, avoid unnecessarily destroying the microbial community you’re trying to maintain.
Fresh Start Gardens stocks aquarium maintenance and filtration products including dual sponge filters, activated carbon filter pads, algae-removal products and other everyday aquarium supplies.
Sponge filters can be particularly useful in breeding and grow-out setups because they provide biological filtration while avoiding the powerful intake of some conventional filters.
For larger adult cichlid systems, filtration should always be appropriately sized for the aquarium’s volume, stocking level and waste production.
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Water Changes Still Matter
No filter eliminates the need for routine aquarium maintenance.
Regular water changes help control accumulated nitrate and dissolved waste while replenishing water removed from the system.
How frequently you need to perform them depends on factors including:
Stocking density, aquarium volume, feeding, filtration and nitrate accumulation.
Instead of blindly following a rule such as “change the water every X days”, test your aquarium and learn how quickly conditions change in your system.
Always treat replacement tap water with an appropriate dechlorinator before exposing fish or biological filtration to chlorine or chloramine.
Stable, clean water is one of the foundations of successful cichlid keeping.
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What About Live Plants?
This one depends heavily on the cichlid.
Some cichlid aquariums can contain beautiful planted areas.
Others quickly turn into underwater landscaping projects run entirely by the fish.
Large or highly territorial cichlids may uproot plants while digging, while some species may damage or consume softer vegetation.
Hardy plants, protected root systems or plants attached to wood and rocks can sometimes work better depending on the species.
Fresh Start Gardens grows and stocks a range of aquarium plants including Water Wisteria, Vallisneria, Rotala, Milfoil and more, but always check whether a particular plant is appropriate for the cichlid you’re keeping before adding it.
And if your cichlid decides your carefully planted stem belongs on the opposite side of the aquarium?
Welcome to cichlid keeping.
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So… African or American?
Neither is “better”.
That’s what makes cichlids so much fun.
If you love intensely interactive larger fish with enormous personalities, there are some spectacular American species to explore.
If you’re drawn towards rocky aquariums, unusual social structures and the incredible diversity of the African Rift Lakes, African cichlids open up an entirely different side of the hobby.
And if you’re short on space?
Tiny Tanganyikan shell dwellers prove that some of the most fascinating cichlid behaviour can happen in a relatively small package.
The important thing isn’t choosing the “best” cichlid.
It’s choosing the cichlid that suits your aquarium, your experience and the environment you can provide.
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Explore Cichlids & Aquarium Supplies at Fresh Start Gardens
At Fresh Start Gardens, we’re passionate about making the aquarium hobby more accessible while helping keepers understand the animals they’re bringing home.
Our growing range includes aquarium livestock, aquatic plants, fish foods, filtration products, shrimp supplies and everyday aquarium accessories — with more constantly being added.
Current cichlid livestock can include Pearlscale Cichlids (Herichthys carpintis), Multis and Similis, subject to availability.
Whether you’re building your first cichlid aquarium or adding something completely different to your fish room, always start with research.
Because the best aquarium isn’t necessarily the biggest, most expensive or most impressive.
It’s the one designed around the animals living inside it.
— Fresh Start Gardens