Cichlid

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{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Cichlids | image = Freshwater angelfish biodome.jpg | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Actinopterygii | ordo = Perciformes | familia = Cichlidae | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = Acaronia
Aequidens
Alcolapia
Alticorpus
Amphilophus
Apistogramma - Dwarf Cichlids
Archocentrus
Aristochromis
Astronotus (Oscars)
Aulonocara
Baileychromis
Bathybates
Benitochromis
Boulengerochromis
Buccochromis
Cichlasoma
Crenicichla
Geophagus
Hemichromis
Heros
Julidochromis
Maylandia
Mikrogeophagus - Dwarf Cichlids
Parachromis
Pseudotropheus
Pterophyllum - Freshwater Angelfish
Rhamphochromis
 Symphysodon - Discus
Teleogramma
Thorichthys
Tilapia }}

A Cichlid (pronounced “sick-lid”) is a fish of the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. The family Cichlidae, a major family of perciform fish, is both large and diverse. It includes some 2000 species, in sizes that range from ca. 3 cm (e.g. Apistogramma) to close to a metre (Boulengerochromis, Cichla), and with morphologies ranging from highly compressed (Pterophyllum, Symphysodon, Altolamprologus) to extremely elongated (Teleogramma, some Crenicichla spp.).

Some species are important food fishes, and many other are valued aquarium fishes. Some commonly available aquarium cichlids are the angelfish, discus, Jack Dempsey, shell dwellers and the oscar.

Contents

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Types and characteristics of cichlid

The common features of cichlids include:

  • a single nostril on each side of the head instead of two (a characteristic they share only with damselfish)
  • an interrupted lateral line organ (except for genera Teleogramma and Gobiocichla)
  • a distinctive shape of one of the otoliths
  • the small intestine leaves the stomach from its left side, not from its right side as in other fish.
  • the presence of teeth in both the jaws and in the throat.
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Range

Cichlids are mainly freshwater fish and inhabit most of the Paleotropics (Africa) and the Neotropics (Americas south of ca. 30° N). However, several interesting examples exist outside of this area as well- FOr example, Sunfish, commonly caught by children under docks as far north as Ontario, are Cichlids too. A few species are also found in Asia. In Africa cichlids are widespread, occurring in the rift lakes (Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika), other lakes and riverine habitats.

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Diet

Diets are also diverse: generalized predators, plankton-feeders, herbivores, piscivores, scale-eaters, paedophagus (eat other species' young). Scientists believe it is this wide adaptability of feeding styles that has helped the fish of cichlidae to inhabit such a wide range of habitats. It is largely the pharyngeal teeth (teeth in the throat) that allows the cichlid so many 'niche' feeding behaviors, i.e. the jaws may be used to hold or pick food, while the pharyngeal teeth are used to crush what was harvested.

Image:Managuense with eggs.jpg

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Reproduction

All species show some form of parental care for both eggs and larvae, often extended to free-swimming young until they are several weeks old. The discus fish even feeds its young with a milk-like secretion that is excreted from the skin, probably evolved from modified slime glands. Parental care falls into one of three categories: mouthbrooders, substrate brooders, and delayed mouthbrooding where the eggs are laid in the open or in a cave, and subsequently brooded in the mouth(s) of the parents.

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Cichlids as aquarium fish

During the 1960s and 70s, the lakes of the Great Rift Valley in Africa were discovered by aquarists, and the great wealth of cichlids endemic to those lakes became a goldmine of novelties for aquarists. Most popular were Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi, and many of the species from those lakes remain common in the hobby.

Aquarium cichlids are not the most peaceful aquarium residents, though behaviour varies, as do their water quality demands and feeding habits.

The main groups of cichlids kept in aquariums are:

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External links (A-Z)

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References

fr:Cichlidae it:Cichlidae lt:Cichlidai nl:Cichlidae no:Cichlider ja:シクリッド pl:Pielęgnicowate pt:Cichlidae sv:Ciklider

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