Should I buy it?
African Cichlid
Various (Mbuna, Peacock, Haplochromis)
Also known as: mbuna, malawi cichlid, African cichlids (group), Mbuna / peacock mix (loose)
A broad label for dozens of Rift Lake species sharing aggression and hard water requirements. Multiple males in an understocked tank triggers lethal hierarchy fights.
African Cichlid tank mates · 200L tank size hub
aggressive · intermediate care
Sources & confidencemedium · partially verified · beginner: not recommended
Typical care sources — trade names for this fish get mixed up, so verify the ID before you buy. Numbers here are a careful starting point. Your tap water, tank size, and habits decide the rest. How we evaluate.
Best for: Species-specific African cichlid setups 200L or more with heavy rockwork and deliberate overstocking to dilute aggression.
Avoid if: You want a community tank, have soft acidic water, or haven't researched the specific rift lake species you're buying.
Common mistakeStocking five males in a 200L African setup is how keepers invent endless dominance fights with no space to dilute aggression. Build a larger hard alkaline system with proper group structure — or skip the African rock tank. Crowding males into a short display never stabilises.
Top things that go wrong
- Mouth gap vs tiny tank mates. May eat tank mates small enough to fit the adult mouth — plan adult sizes, not shop sizes.
- Shrimp & snails. Not shrimp-safe — adults, fry, or both get eaten.
Common trade-name warning
This is a group placeholder, not a single species. "African cichlid" bundles Malawi, Tanganyika, and other rift lineages with different water chemistry and aggression. Always research the exact fish you are buying, not this umbrella card alone.
What most shops don't tell you
- 1.Myth: African cichlids mix fine with soft-water community fish if the tank is big enough. Reality: they need hard alkaline water and will harass or eat peaceful soft-water stock — run a dedicated African setup, not a compromise community Plan the husbandry before the shop impulse buy.
- 2.Predation risk scales with gape, night feeding, and crowding. 'they grew up together' is a schedule, not a law.
- 3.Buying for juvenile size in the shop tank. Budget for adult length and turning radius, not the inch-long fish in the bag.
- 4.Adding bite-sized tetras or livebearers "until the predator grows". The first lost fish lands months earlier than the plan said.
- 5.Needs hard alkaline water. Not compatible with soft-water fish. Territorial enough that mbuna keepers overstock slightly to spread aggression. A dedicated African cichlid tank is the best approach.
- 6.Rift Lake cichlids need hard alkaline water — incompatible with soft-water Amazon fish.
About this species
African cichlids from Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika are colourful, active rift-lake fish that need hard alkaline water (pH 7.8 to 9) and are best kept in species-specific setups.
- Convict cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Discus200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Firemouth Cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Jack Dempsey200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Keyhole cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Rainbow cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Angelfish150L min · same fish family
- Electric Blue Acara150L min · same group, similar adult size
- Green Terroralso intermediate aggressive, similar tank size
- Jack Dempseyalso intermediate aggressive, similar tank size
- Cuckoo / petricola catfish tank matesnames this fish as a conditional pairing — read the pair page conditions
Plan grid
Key limits are above. Here: pH band, swim level, bioload, and activity.
Swim zones
Care snapshot
Quick compare before you buy. Not a score of how “good” the fish is.
- Beginner ease26
- Peacefulness0
- Community fit0
- Small-tank fit90
- Hardiness54
- Energy54
Numbers are deterministic planning indices from Fishori fields — not a scientific score of your individual fish.
Example setups
Starting points only. Run the pair checker for every fish you add.
Avoid “one of everything” baskets — African Cichlid belongs in a plan built around territory, line-of-sight breaks, and matched water chemistry.
Compatibility
Tank mates for African Cichlid
No unconditional “safe” tank mates are listed for African Cichlid — this shortlist has CAUTION pairings that need specific conditions and RISKY pairings to avoid. Conditional (CAUTION — read the pair page before buying): Molly, Oscar, Sailfin Molly. Avoid (RISKY): Corydoras Catfish, Guppy, Neon Tetra, Platy. Every name links to a live pair check — the lists are a shortlist, not a stocking plan.
Usually safer
Open a pair page with this fish as the starting point.
None listed. Use the pair checker before mixing.
Needs planning
Read the blocking rule on each pair page before experimenting.
Usually avoid
Do-not-stock combinations on conservative hobby rules.
No safe-mate list on this record yet. Use the fish index to find species with similar care, then run a pair check before you buy.
Behaviour and temperament
African cichlids are aggressive to semi-aggressive rock and open-water fish that sort dominance constantly. They stay calmer in correctly structured hard-water groups with broken sight lines. Stress and injury explode when males are overcrowded or soft-water dither is added as decoration.
What sets them off
- Crowding and limited territory
- Similar-looking fish in the same tank
- Spawning, for any breeding pair
Fin nipping: Not a habitual fin-nipper; stressed or crowded individuals can still test fins.
Predation: May eat tank mates small enough to fit the adult mouth — plan adult sizes, not shop sizes.
Territory: Holds a patch (cave, corner, or surface). Break sight lines so neighbours can pass.
Planted tanks: good — easy plant ideas
In the glass: typical and warning signs
- A structured group holds territories on rockwork in hard alkaline water.
- Flare displays and short chases are normal ownership in a correct colony.
- Torn fins and nonstop chasing in a short 200L mean stocking structure failed.
- Faded colour in soft acidic water usually means chemistry first.
- Males will fight to injury when numbers and footprint cannot dilute dominance.
- Peaceful soft-water fish are targets, not compatible dither.
- Rehome excess males the same week damage will not settle.
- Do not add neon or corydoras to 'calm' an African tank — change the plan instead.
Fish behaviour can vary between individuals and tank setups. Always observe new fish closely after introduction.
Water, food, and grouping
Hardness
hard
Diet
omnivore
African cichlids are omnivores that need hard alkaline water and foods matched to the group — many mbuna lean vegetable, while peacocks and haps take more protein. Offer quality cichlid pellets plus occasional frozen foods, and keep portions the school can finish without fouling rockwork. Soft-water community flake routines leave them off colour and territorial for the wrong reasons.
Shrimp & snails
Not shrimp-safe — adults, fry, or both get eaten.
Keep at least 6, bought at the same time.
- Hold 24 to 28 °C steadily on a real thermometer, not the dial on the heater.
- Aim for pH 7.8 to 9 and a hardness you can re-test in two weeks. A one-time strip in the shop car park is not a water test.
- Footprint: short wide tanks and tall narrow tanks fish differently for the same volume. Match the tank shape to the swim pattern, not just the litre count.
- Tank volume meets or exceeds 200L published minimum for adults.
- You can stock at least 6 individuals (group welfare).
- Heater can hold 24–28°C without cooking cooler-water tank mates.
- No tank mates small enough to fit the adult mouth gap for this species.
Explore and stocking hubs
Tank-mates hub, matching guides, category peers, and litre stocking lists around this species’ minimum tank.
Plan with tools
Check mates as pairs first, then add this fish in the tank builder for the full stocking.
Filtration & heating
A 200L minimum tank needs a filter rated for at least 800L/hr turnover and a heater to hold 24–28°C reliably.
Plant suggestions
African Cichlid does well in planted tanks. Plants compatible with 24–28°C and pH 7.8–9:
Research: partially verified · Confidence: medium · 2 linked source(s). We do not invent citations.
How Fishori evaluates compatibility (same logic as pair and tank tools).
- Practical Fishkeeping. The Mbuna keeper’s survival guide
Primary: editor-written Malawi mbuna system setup, stocking philosophy, and aggression; use when planning a rock-scape, hard/alkaline rift system.
- Practical Fishkeeping. What’s the best Lake Malawi cichlid for beginners?
Primary: beginner-oriented Malawi cichlid planning, species picks, and tank/rockwork expectations. This profile is still a group placeholder, not one binomial.
Evidence notes
- The scientificName is intentionally a group placeholder (mbuna, peacocks, haps, Tanga fish all differ). There is no one species sheet; Practical Fishkeeping Malawi feature articles are used as the best available aquarium-editorial primaries, but Tanganyika-only or peacock-only plans will still need extra species-specific research.
- All compatibility text reflects typical hobby experience and the Fishori model. Individual fish, shop stress, and the order tank mates are added in can still defy a single-paragraph label.
Featured compatibility checks
Curated pair pages for African Cichlid. Each opens a full verdict — not just a list label.
Common questions about African Cichlid
- How big do African Cichlid get?
- African Cichlid adults reach about 15 cm. Shop fish look smaller; stock for the adult length.
- What size tank does African Cichlid need?
- 200L is the planning floor for adult swimming space and bioload. A 244L+ tank is the more comfortable long-term footprint. Length and depth matter as much as raw litres for active or territorial fish.
- Are African Cichlid aggressive?
- African cichlids are aggressive to semi-aggressive rock and open-water fish that sort dominance constantly. They stay calmer in correctly structured hard-water groups with broken sight lines. Stress and injury explode when males are overcrowded or soft-water dither is added as decoration.
- What is the most common mistake with African Cichlid?
- Stocking five males in a 200L African setup is how keepers invent endless dominance fights with no space to dilute aggression. Build a larger hard alkaline system with proper group structure — or skip the African rock tank. Crowding males into a short display never stabilises.
- What fish can live with African Cichlid?
- This profile currently has no curated unconditional safe-mates shortlist for African Cichlid. Other species may still return GOOD in the pair checker, so check the exact pair rather than treating this shortlist as exhaustive. Molly, Oscar, Sailfin Molly are conditional (CAUTION): workable only with the specific conditions on each pair page. Avoid Corydoras Catfish, Guppy, Neon Tetra, Platy (RISKY). Run the pair checker for your exact water and tank size before stocking.