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Cichlids are fish of the Cichlidae family. We are sure you heard about some very common cichlid species in Discus, Jack Dempsey, Oscar and Angelfish. Cichlidae is one family that is very diverse and you will find cichlids in many parts of the world and in various environments.
Cichlid species ended up evolving in order to properly deal with environment surroundings so that they can survive. This is a huge reason why this species developed variations in size, preferred water quality, temperament and various feeding habits. These wonderful creatures can be found in America, Asia and Africa.
Specialists say that there are 4 main groups. They are Central American, African, South American and North American. In Africa you will find most of these types of fish in the Great Rift Valley. There are 4 main subcategories of African cichlids based on where they live.
We have the Lake Victoria, Lake Malawy, Lake Tanganyika and special other types. Although it is common to consider a dwarf cichlid to be an African species some people will look at them as a separate form altogether.
Some of them are really problematic if we want to raise them in any aquarium. This is because some of them are really big. The biggest ones can even reach lengths of 1 meter. In most situations a dwarf cichlid will not grow more than 3 cm. Dwarf cichlids are really appealing for aquarists as they do not need a large space to grow. If you do want to raise them in aquariums there is an immediate need to take good care of them as they are highly sensitive.
Different cichlid species will usually look and act differently although some anatomic characteristics are common. Cichlids just have one nostril and their intestine leaves the body towards the left side. Cichlids can also easily be recognized as they have teeth in their throats, upper jaws and lower jaws.
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