Cichlids come in all sizes and shapes. The African cichlids live in the three big lakes in Africa (Victoria, Malawi and Tanganyika). The other cichlid species come from South America, North America and Asia. All cichlids require warm conditions and can only be found in the southern parts of North America.

You might wonder why cichlids are so popular to keep in aquariums. The simple answer is that a tropical aquarium with cichlids is the most beautiful aquarium you can get. Cichlids have adapted to many different habitats and you can always find cichlids that are suitable for your aquarium and experience level. The problem with most people starting out with aquariums is that they get too small aquariums. With a small aquarium you don't have many cichlid species to choose from.

Another bad thing about a small aquarium is that it is a lot harder to keep your water condition good. You will most likely have to choose one of the dwarf cichlids and this can cause trouble. The dwarf cichlids are a lot more sensitive than medium sized cichlids. The biggest reason that people fail with their first aquarium is lack of knowledge and research.

All cichlids belong to family Cichlidae that contain over 1300 species. New species are discovered all the time. Hopefully lakes will be explored before over fishing and pollutions go too far. Cichlids were here before us and hopefully can stay in the wild. They have evolved to fit into many different niches and they have wide varity characteristics. Some characteristics are shared by all of the cichlid species.

They only have nostril like the damsel fishes. Another rare thing about cichlids is that they have teeths in both lower and upper jaws. Some of the most popular fish to keep in aquariums today are the Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus), Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare), Peacoch Cichlids (Aulonocara Hansbaenschi) and Jack Dempsey (Archocentreu Octofasciatum).

Before you head out to buy your first cichlids you need to investigate what kind of environment, feeding habits, temperament, minimum aquarium size required and how to breed them. There is not one general aquarium setup that will fit all cichlids. Put some time to research the species you like and make sure to build the environment that exact cichlid require. Most important is the water condition.

Make sure to at least check the pH of the water and the hardness before you buy your cichlids.

For more detailed information about African cichlids you can have a look at http://www.africancichlidssale.com for a great resource. Many great articles and information on how to keep and breed African cichlids.