Neolamprologus brevis – This is another tiny cichlid with a light pink body and subtle silver stripes covering its sides.Similis is quite ferocious when it comes to defending its territory. This is a cute one, but don’t let those soul-melting eyes fool you. Neolamprologus similis – This tiny cichlid won’t grow more than 2 inches and comes in copper-red and yellow variations with white vertical stripes covering the entire body.Here are some interesting cichlid options to consider: Some dwarf cichlids are even smaller than guppies, although nowhere near as friendly and peaceful. If you plan on going small, there are a number of African cichlids capable of scratching that itch. Other factors include aggressiveness, color, growth rate, compatibility with other cichlids or fish species, etc. Naturally, when it comes to choose your preferred African cichlid species, size is but one metric to rely on. Which comes with its own challenges, of course. They you have monsters like the Boulengerochromis microlepis (giant cichlid) coming from Lake Tanganyika and spanning across 3 feet. Dwarf cichlids, for instance, won’t grow more than 4 inches at most, allowing you to keep more in the same habitat or even consider them for community tanks. This means you can find cichlid species of various shapes and sizes, depending on your tank’s setup and your overarching goals. Here’s a table with several African cichlid species divided by size: African CichlidĪs you can see, the African cichlids’ size is all over the place, which is a good thing. But, as a general rule, African cichlids as a whole revolve around 2 to 12 inches. So, it pretty much depends on which species of African cichlids you’re getting. The question is actually ill-formed, so to speak, since the notion of African cichlids doesn’t refer to a species, but a group of multiple species. So, let’s get into it! What is the Average Size of African Cichlids? Tanganyika and Victoria cichlids, on the other hand, prefer more open spaces, since many species are shell dwellers or simply open swimmers, albeit rarely.īut, if you’ve decided to take in African cichlids, what should you expect in terms of size? After all, knowing the fish’s size and growth rate is essential, since it informs the tank size and overall setup. Lake Malawi cichlids like Mbunas prefer rocky habitats, since they spend most of their lives near the substrate and around rocky caves. Since they evolved in different areas, African cichlids display some noticeable differences between them, including in behavior, color, size, and environmental preferences. African cichlids can only be found in 3 major lakes on the African continent, namely Malawi, Victoria, and Tanganyika.Įach group divides into hundreds or even thousands of species, with thousands more considered to be undiscovered.
African cichlids no longer require an introduction at this point, but I will offer one just in case you’re not already familiarized with this group.
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