Best cichlid for freshwater tanks
23 species in this category on Fishori. Open a profile for tank size, temperament, then run pair checks before mixing.
Cichlids run from 5 cm rams to 35 cm Oscars, and "cichlid" is barely a useful category once you start planning. A dwarf cichlid that lives happily in a 60L planted tank shares almost nothing with a Central American that wants 400L and bare rock. Plan each species from its own profile page. Breeding behaviour, water hardness, and adult footprint do not transfer across the family.
All in this category
- African Cichlidaggressive · min 200L · ~15cmTank mates →
- Agassiz’s dwarf cichlidsemi-aggressive · min 80L · ~5cmTank mates →
- Angelfishsemi-aggressive · min 150L · ~20cmTank mates →
- Apistogramma Borelliisemi-aggressive · min 80L · ~6cmTank mates →
- Apistogramma Macmasterisemi-aggressive · min 100L · ~7cmTank mates →
- Apistogramma Trifasciatasemi-aggressive · min 80L · ~6cmTank mates →
- Bolivian Rampeaceful · min 110L · ~8cmTank mates →
- Checkerboard cichlidpeaceful · min 100L · ~5cmTank mates →
- Cockatoo / crested Apistogrammasemi-aggressive · min 100L · ~7cmTank mates →
- Convict cichlidsemi-aggressive · min 200L · ~12cmTank mates →
- Discuspeaceful · min 200L · ~20cmTank mates →
- Electric Blue Acarasemi-aggressive · min 150L · ~18cmTank mates →
- Firemouth Cichlidsemi-aggressive · min 200L · ~12cmTank mates →
- German Blue Rampeaceful · min 80L · ~7cmTank mates →
- Golden dwarf cichlid (Nannacara)peaceful · min 50L · ~4cmTank mates →
- Green Terroraggressive · min 300L · ~30cmTank mates →
- Jack Dempseyaggressive · min 200L · ~25cmTank mates →
- Jaguar cichlidaggressive · min 500L · ~35cmTank mates →
- Keyhole cichlidpeaceful · min 200L · ~10cmTank mates →
- Kribensissemi-aggressive · min 100L · ~10cmTank mates →
- Oscaraggressive · min 300L · ~35cmTank mates →
- Rainbow cichlidpeaceful · min 200L · ~12cmTank mates →
- Severumsemi-aggressive · min 250L · ~20cmTank mates →
Peaceful subset
Fin-nippers in this category
Tank volume hubs
Guides
- Beginner-friendly freshwater fish
- Peaceful community fish
- Fin-nipping fish
- Aggressive & semi-aggressive fish
- Fish that may eat smaller tank mates
- Fish that grow too big for small tanks
- Schooling & group fish
- Fish for smaller aquariums (on file)
- Often shrimp-tolerant (heuristic, conservative)
- Fish that are a poor first choice for beginners