The vibes are genuinely impeccable on this
this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
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They would seriously be one of my favorite cichlid species they weren't quite as territorial. A healthy adult really is that color naturally. Red yellow orange and blue. He would stalk the java ferns most of the time. But would shoot out every so often. And especially at feeding time. About the only tank mate he tolerated was a pictus catfish that stayed on the bottom of the tank.
Here's me 'snorkeling' with a bunch of cichlids in god's fishtank, Lake Malawi, in 2005. Your photo reminded me to go back and check my old photos, which has been a fun experience. They were everywhere. This was in a nature reserve part of the lake, and the fish were completely unafraid.
Also, I discovered that I'd picked up the parasite Bilharzia doing this when I returned to Sweden. First case in 25 years they told me. Fortunately, it's easily treated by medication if discovered before major organ damage occurs.
Sounds like a blast. Such a generally colorful genus of fish. Well at least over in africa. I have some American cichlids while not as colorful necessarily they're still neat fish. The few we have in the waters around us here. You really couldn't go snorkeling to see. The water's tend to be fairly brackish and heavy in sediment.
I miss having African cichlids. I don't miss taking care of a 90 gallon tank lol
Oh yeah. I've got a 50 and a 45. And a couple of twenties and fives with tropicals. It's definitely a bit of work to keep them clean. They tend to make a pretty good size mess. Worse than tropicals. But then they tend to be much bigger fish so that makes sense. Right now I've got a 45 with a hybrid blood parrot and a few mixed Africans that I raised from a small size. They're all about four or five inches or larger. The parot is as big as my palm. For their demeanor they're definitely one of my favorite cichlids. They would be fairly territorial amongst themselves. But in the 45 with the other mixed Africans they tend to leave him alone and he tends to leave them alone and is just the friendliest little guy. When I'm cleaning the tank or doing anything he's right there by my hand.
I had one in a ten gallon by himself named Heinrich because he wouldn't stop attacking everyone else despite there being plenty of room! He was a fun fish, but way too aggressive to keep with other fish.
Yes they are extremely temperamental sometimes. You certainly aren't going to have a large community of fish without an ungodly amount of space when you're dealing with cichlids.
Contrast that with swordtails. Schools of them swimming about just doing their thing. I have a 20 gallon I keep having to move swordtails out of. Because they keep having Young. And there's just not enough space to support them all. 30 or 40 at a time in there from juvenile to adults. The trick with them anymore is finding the nice brick red ones. The silver and green ones are more their natural color. But I grew up in a seventies and eighties with the brick Reds so they always have a special spot for me