Cichlid | The cichlid is a brightly coloured freshwater fish that can range in size from just a couple of centimetres to over a metre in length. All species of cichlid are
very similar in appearance with the exception of their size and colour.
There are more than 1,300 known species of cichlid with more being
found each year. There is an estimated 3,000 different species in total!
Every different species of cichlid is only found in Africa and in very
specific places.
The cichlid is native to
the Victoria, Malawi, and Edward Lakes of eastern Africa and the
Tanganyika lake which is the largest lake in central Africa. The two
different types of cichlids are thought to have evolved from
different fish. The great diversity of the cichlids in these lakes, is
of significant importance to scientists studying evolution within
species. Cichlids are often popular fish to keep as they as can be small and colourful but are easier to keep in an artificial aquarium than marine fish. Other cichlids are bred for meat due to their enormous size and are often caught in the wild by local fishermen.
Oddly enough there are actually a few species of cichlid that are found in the waters of the Amazon basin in South America. The freshwater angelfish,
the discus fish and the oscar (also known as the marbled cichlid), are
thought to have evolved from African cichlids years ago after crossing
the Atlantic Ocean. Although there are many different species of
cichlid, a great deal of them are
considered to be endangered species as they have been over hunted and
the waters in which they life have been subjected to vast amounts of
pollution, particularly fuels such as diesel.
The diet of the cichlid is
largely dependent on it's species. Some species of cichlid feed mainly
on algae and small invertebrates, others primarily feed on small animals
such as insects and fish and some species of cichlid will eat just
about anything that they can find which has proved to be a destructive
trait for those cichlids that have been artificially introduced to areas
such as Asia and the United States.
Cichlids are prey to
numerous predators including humans, other fish and birds. Oddly enough,
the biggest predator of the small cichlid species are the larger
species of cichlid that exist in the same area. All species of cichlid
are known to show strong parental bonds during breed. When the female
cichlid has laid the eggs on an underwater log or rock, she fans water
over them while the male cichlid defends their territory. Cichlids look
after the baby cichlids (known as fry) until they are able to swim freely and are a few weeks old.
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