Mary Bailey runs the rule over her top ten heavyweights in the cichlid division!
Some cichlids are huge and many make great pets as they respond to their owner. They show great interest in what activities are taking place outside their aquarium.
They typically occupy a large space in natural waters. However, they can be happy in the largest aquariums within our homes.
The idea is that a single specimen should never be alone in a tank in the fish room. They will get bored without the stimuli of domestic life. Pairs are another matter, tending to be less interested in their owner as they have other things to keep them busy!
Considerations before keeping large cichlids
All the cichlids detailed here must have large tanks where they can turn round comfortably and get exercise. In aquariums they usually remain smaller than maximum sizes quoted.
A 122 x 46 x 46cm/48 x 18 x 18" tank should be the smallest considered for a single, smaller species of cichlid. Tanks measuring 183 x 46 x 46cm/72 x 18 x 18" can work for a pair. You may yet need to upgrade to larger aquariums, depending on the size of the fish.
The largest cichlids are probably best left in their native waters.
Eight out of my ten species are piscivores. What is more surprising is that it isn’t a full house as it takes a lot of protein to build a large fish. Plus, you need to be chunky to be an out-and-out piscivore.
So, except where indicated, raw fish should form a significant part of their diets. Feed it along with prawns, shrimps, mussels, earthworms and other robust meaty foods.
Huge fish also produce lots of waste, so efficient filtration is important. Although this does not mean strong currents are desirable. None of these species live in turbulent water.
Related article: Buyer's guide to external filters.
So, let's start with the tenth largest, and work our way up. However, check out the "Big Fish Campaign" from many years ago before buying a huge fish, as it is still incredibly valid.
10. Buccochromis lepturus
The first Malawi and only mouthbrooder to make it into my list! B. lepturus reach a maximum length of 40cm (16"). They are a piscivore found throughout Lake Malawi and also in the smaller Lake Malombe.
It hunts over sandy bottoms, but we know little else about its behaviour in the wild. People believe that they do not breed on the open sand and in captivity males have dug nests among rocks.
Little other information on aquarium maintenance is available either. While exports do happen occasionally, they are rare to see in the hobby.
Males are attractive and apparently not particularly aggressive. The fresh water should be hard and alkaline, clean and with plenty of dissolved oxygen.
Related article: Understanding water hardness.
The breeding behaviour reported suggests a large tank with a decent expanse of open bottom, but some rocks with sand between. I imagine that if the tank is large enough other large Malawi ‘haps’ could share the space.
Lake Malawi is home to other contenders for this tenth place, one being Champsochromis caeruleus. Another piscivore, which lost out because it is an elongate pursuit predator, B. lepturus is deeper-bodied, so larger.
9. The Buttie (Heterotilapia buettikoferi)
Although 30cm (12") is a more normal size, an adult male Buttie can attain 40cm (16"). This makes it the largest tilapia. As well as this, it is probably the most attractive, at least in appearance as its habits are less desirable.
It lives in the lowland rivers across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Here it apparently prefers large rivers with rocky bottoms. A rather atypical scenario for the genus and just like the bad behaviour.
In addition it is — again unusual for a tilapia — partially piscivorous. Meaning they are likely to eat tank mates as well as aquarium plants.
A hardy fish not too bothered about water chemistry. Although its natural waters are soft, breeding in hard alkaline conditions does happen.
The sexes are similar when young, but males are ultimately much larger and more boldly marked. The species is productive, if the female survives the spawning. Males are wife beaters before and after spawning. Often, it is necessary to use a divider to separate them between spawning.
When first imported the Buttie took the hobby by storm because of its looks. However, once seeing its behaviour the attraction vanished practically overnight. However, like those large, badly-behaved 'Centrals', a single Buttie makes an excellent pet cichlid.
8. Red terror cichlid (Mesoheros festae)
People believe that cichlids colonised Central America from the south. However, over the millennia a small number of species have found their way back.
While Kronoheros umbrifer (see below) retains a foothold in Panama, M. festae makes it furthest south. They live down in the Pacific coastal rivers of Ecuador and Peru. Here it feeds on small fish and aquatic invertebrates such as shrimps that it finds by turning over stones.
This species is part of a small group of related species that now live in the narrow strip of lowlands west of the Andes. Males can attain 40cm (16”) or so, but such a size is exceptional in captivity.
This is a South American cichlid that does not require soft, acid water. Moderately hard and neutral to alkaline suits it far better.
Once adult the species is strongly sexually dichromatic. Males are greenish and females orange with black barring. Athough males take on a similar coloration to females when breeding. Note that the names 'Green festae' and 'Red festae' relate to these differences in colour in one and the same species!
They begin to colour up and mature at 15cm (6"). Given their colours they are surprisingly uncommon in the hobby, though there are youngsters if you are prepared to look hard for them.
Singles seem to make for lesser pets than some other large cichlids, so these fish are better kept in pairs. However, male behaviour can vary.
A compatible pair can be inseparable, but males can kill their partners like some other large 'Centrals'.
7. Uaru amphiacanthoides
The inclusion of this species may seem odd, but it actually can reach 45cm (18") and I’ve seen one! For a herbivore — except when tiny — to attain this size is remarkable. However, Uaru are like pacu in that they don’t feed on algae but consume higher plants with gusto.
I once caught my ex feeding mine segments of orange, which they seemed to enjoy. I was concerned about the effects of the juice on water conditions, though! They do well on duckweed and vegetarian pellets and enjoy earthworms. They have no interest in prawns and the like and small fish are generally quite safe.
I have accidentally added zebra danios in a net of duckweed. I found them swimming happily around the Uaru, even when the duckweed had gone. Uaru also need bogwood to gnaw on and an efficient filter to clear up the resulting excrement!
Uaru require soft, slightly to moderately acid water. They are totally unsexable, but as they like to live in a group it is no bad thing to start with six youngsters.
Never keep an adult alone as it must at least be able to see other Uaru or will stop eating. A rise of several degrees in temperature, from 27 to 29°C (80 to 85°F), seems to trigger breeding. The fry glance on the parents as in discus and initially require lots of meaty foods, otherwise they will eat bits of each other.
Much as I love Uaru, they are rather thick and lack the pet character of the large predators.
6. Bay snook (Petenia splendida)
Described from Lake Peten, hence the genus name Petenia. This species also occurs in rivers and other lakes in Belize, Guatemala and southern Mexico, including the Yucatan.
It occurs in both a normal (blue-green with dark vertical bars) and an orange form. The latter only occurs in Lake Peten, I believe.
A hardy fish, sometimes penetrating brackish water in river estuaries. Its preferred habitat, however, is slow moving or still, hard alkaline waters. Abundant marginal and floating vegetation is present, where it can swim in open water, but with cover above.
Scarce in the hobby, I have seen only the orange form. The most striking feature is its long and angular lower jaw. This allows it to open wide and extend its mouth to suck in prey. However, despite its size it is peaceful, except when guarding its brood.
I have seen half a dozen around 30cm (12”) long sharing a tank with other large fish with no sign of aggression. Pairing takes place without any of the 'fireworks' seen in many cichlids. It needs to be a good size to breed and there is no sexual dichromatism, just size and shape to give a clue. Males being larger and slimmer.
The young look rather fragile up to a couple of inches. They are sociable with their own kind and like to swim in a pack.
5. Jaguar cichlid (Parachromis managuensis)
The Jaguar can grow as large as 50cm (20"), even 60cm (24") according to some authorities. Luckily they usually remain smaller in the aquarium and breed readily at half their reputed maximum.
This piscivore comes from the Nicaraguan lakes where it keeps numbers of convicts and Neetroplus nematopus within bounds. They also occur in lowland rivers across much of Central America. The precise natural range is unknown. Prey preference is small fish that fit in their mouth in one gulp.
This species requires hard, alkaline water and large decor. Youngsters up to around 15cm (6") are difficult to sex, but adults exhibit dichromatism and males are larger.
If starting with six juveniles you should end up with a pair, but don’t expect to learn what happened to the other four. They will disappear along the way. Pairs formed this way generally remain happily married for a long time, sometimes forever. They will breed readily without needing any special requirements.
4. Kronoheros umbriferus
This cichlid is rather rare, so not much information is available. They live in areas where collecting and exports are rare. It has a foothold in both Central and South America, living in southern Panama and northern Colombia.
It appears to sometimes venture into brackish water and stomach contents suggest a natural diet of decapod crustaceans. Like most large cichlids it is hardy as regards water chemistry, but this should be on the alkaline side of neutral.
An open brooder, with a preference for vertical rock faces as spawning sites. They mature at only 12-15cm (5-6”). Males are larger than females and the latter turn from blue-green to golden when breeding. They sound well worth trying if you have a large tank and stocks are available.
3. Wolf cichlid (Parachromis dovii)
Also known as Dow’s cichlid, this measures 75cm (30") in males and 60cm (24") in females. The largest of the guapotes — the local name for large predatory cichlids. They make an excellent pet.
Although found in rivers throughout much of Central America, its stronghold are the Nicaraguan lakes. Here, it forms part of a cichlid species flock with some interesting interrelationships.
As a piscivore, it plays an important role in preventing the smaller members of the species flock taking over. Meanwhile smaller cichlids, like the aforementioned convicts, protect their species’ interests by in turn predating on dovii fry. The result is an ecological system in perfect balance.
Aquarium stocks of dovii are almost exclusively tank bred, but it is unusual to see it available. Perhaps because most aquarists are unable to house their adult size and shops are reluctant to stock youngsters.
Young ones are silvery and quite unsexable, but later there is clear sexual dichromatism. Females yellow with black markings, males mainly blue-green — as well as size differences.
The best way to get a pair is to start with half a dozen youngsters, unless you come across a second-hand adult pair. They start breeding at 30cm (12"), so it is quite feasible without needing a swimming pool of a tank.
Like most 'Centrals' this species requires hard, alkaline water and large decor. Although it doesn’t eat plants, they are unlikely to survive this cichlid’s digging.
2. Peacock bass (Cichla ocellaris and company)
There has been confusion on how many Cichla species are valid. The latest scientific wisdom being that there are actually a host of taxa. How many of the species attain(s) the 75cm (30") claimed for C. ocellaris is impossible to know.
Cichla are pursuit predators, hence their streamlined shape. Unusually for South American cichlids, adults swim in the open water of the large rivers and lakes. They are too large for all but the most ambitious otter or caiman to tackle. However, younger ones up to 30cm (12") are pack animals that stick to the bank zones for shelter.
For this reason the young sometimes available are best kept in a group in a large tank with bogwood décor. This offers the best chance of getting a pair of these unsexable predators.
There have been rumours of captive breeding at a size not much in excess of 40cm (15"), but I have yet to find confirmation. Nor have I heard of anyone having a 'pet Cichla'.
The water in the natural habitat is soft and acidic. These cichlids now occur in the Caribbean and Florida, introduced as food fish and for angling. They have established themselves readily in harder, more alkaline, even brackish water.
1. Boulengerochromis microlepis
This, at 90cm (36") TL in males and 75cm (30") in females, is the world’s largest cichlid, though anglers have made claims for Cichla that size or larger. Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives over wide expanses of sand with scattered rocks and beds of plants.
It breeds only once, when full-grown, putting its entire life energy into one clutch of eggs numbering thousands. They lay their eggs on a stone, or stones, amid the sand.
Because there is little or no cover, survival of any young depends on the parents keeping away a host of other fish. They often congregate to feed on eggs, larvae, and fry.
Imagine a human trying to chase away a swarm of bees. That is pretty much what the Boulengerochromis face.
To make sure they remain steadfast, Mother Nature has played a bizarre trick. Once these fish have spawned they never feed again and their digestive tracts atrophy. So breeding is all or nothing, no eating the spawn and trying again, no nipping off, leaving the partner to do all the work.
The parents guard the fry for months until they die of starvation. By which time the young are hopefully large enough to stand a chance without any protection.
Young Boulengerochromis occasionally appear in the trade, I feel this is best left in the wild. Breeding in captivity is unlikely and the occasional half-grown singles I’ve seen looked miserable. If you must keep one, they need well-oxygenated, hard alkaline water, like other Tanganyikans.
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