Some interesting Cichlids are Firemouths. These beautiful fish have a dark red throat and belly. They are usually pretty peaceful except for when they are spawning. You should put them with less aggressive, more peaceful fish when planning a community for your aquarium. The firemouth is one of the more passive Cichlids as Cichlids go, so if mixing them with other Cichlids, you should introduce the least aggressive ones first and the next least aggressive next, and so on. It’s well-advised to actually create an underwater community for your firemouth cichlid with other underwater creatures who are also from South America; but who are not Cichlids; for example: tetras, catfish, South American plants, and other South American invertebrates. They will complement your Firemouth Cichlid in a rich underwater environment that everyone will enjoy - including your fish!

The Tiger Oscar is a Cichlid who is silver-blue with dark tiger stripes and a splash of tiger-orange coloring when they mature. This attractive fish really is not for the community tank; so, a word of caution: they will eat smaller fish! They need a large tank and a great filtration system because they grow to be pretty big and they are messy eaters. It’s worth it to have a 50 - 80 gallon tank, though. Then, you will be able to enjoy the famous personality and intelligence of 1 or 2 of these amazing fish!

I’ve heard stories of these wonderful fish who apparently know their pet-parent’s daily routine and look forward to time spent together every day. They clearly recognize you and feel a bond with you from their enthusiastic response to the pattern of your daily life that they get used to. Do these type of fish know you and feel emotions for you? People who have had this type of fish for years will shout a resounding “Absolutely!”.

By the way, even the albino tiger oscar can have color such as yellow or red. Some are pure white, and even this is a brilliant addition to your tank - especially if your background, plants, gravel, and toys for your fish set off this presence of all colors to its advantage.

The Convict or Zebra Cichlid is so named because it appears to be dressed in stripes like a convict or zebra! This fascinating fish is actually one of the most aggressive cichlids - so beware - because, although they may be smaller than other fish, they can successfully attack a fish much bigger than themselves. It is only safe to keep them in a community tank if you have a very large tank. (Crowding can cause aggression.) Besides its basic black stripes, this fish can also come in pink and white and may be marbled or calico. Go Cichlids!