Species Profiles
2742 articles- Nandopsis haitiensis Care GuideNandopsis haitiensis, the Haitian cichlid or black nasty, is a large aggressive cichlid endemic to Hispaniola.
- Nandopsis tetracanthus Care GuideNandopsis tetracanthus, the Cuban cichlid, is a predatory cichlid from Cuba inhabiting fast rivers and lakes, reaching about 20 cm.
- Parachromis motaguensis Care GuideParachromis motaguensis is a large predatory cichlid from the Motagua basin of Guatemala and Honduras, reaching about 30 cm.
- Pasion Cichlid (Thorichthys pasionis) Care GuideThorichthys pasionis is a small firemouth relative from the Usumacinta drainage of Mexico and Guatemala, with a metallic iridescent body.
- Blue Flash Cichlid (Thorichthys aureus) Care GuideThorichthys aureus is a small firemouth relative from the Atlantic slope of Central America, known for iridescent blue flank coloration.
- Ellioti Cichlid (Thorichthys ellioti) Care GuideThorichthys ellioti is a small Mexican cichlid of the Papaloapán region, closely related to the firemouth and treated as a synonym of Thoric
- Two-Banded Cichlid (Vieja bifasciata) Care GuideVieja bifasciata is a large detritivorous cichlid of the Grijalva and Usumacinta basins in Mexico and Guatemala, reaching about 30 cm.
- Redhead Cichlid (Vieja synspila) Care GuideVieja synspila is a large Mexican cichlid widely known in the hobby; it is regarded as a junior synonym of Vieja melanura and is one parent
- Silver Cichlid (Vieja argentea) Care GuideVieja argentea is a large silvery cichlid from the Usumacinta basin of Mexico, also classified in the genus Maskaheros.
- Vieja fenestrata Care GuideVieja fenestrata is a large Mexican cichlid of Atlantic-slope rivers, feeding mainly on plant matter and reaching about 25 cm.
- Black Belt Cichlid (Vieja maculicauda) Care GuideVieja maculicauda is a large detritivorous cichlid ranging from southern Mexico to Panama, named for the bold dark band across its body.
- Redhead Cichlid (Vieja melanura) Care GuideVieja melanura is a large detritivorous cichlid of the Atlantic slope of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, with a dark caudal band and herbivoro
- Arrow Cichlid (Amphilophus zaliosus) Care GuideAmphilophus zaliosus is a slender, elongate cichlid endemic to Lake Apoyo in Nicaragua and rated Critically Endangered by the IUCN.
- Amarillo Cichlid (Amphilophus amarillo) Care GuideAmphilophus amarillo is a yellow, snail-eating cichlid endemic to crater Lake Xiloá in Nicaragua, part of the Midas cichlid species complex.
- Xiloa Cichlid (Amphilophus xiloaensis) Care GuideAmphilophus xiloaensis is a colour-variable Midas-complex cichlid endemic to the crater Lake Xiloá in Nicaragua, where it feeds largely on s
- Midas Cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus) Care GuideAmphilophus citrinellus is a large omnivorous cichlid of Nicaraguan and Costa Rican lakes and crater lakes, often showing a pronounced nucha
- Red Devil Cichlid (Amphilophus labiatus) Care GuideAmphilophus labiatus is a large, aggressive cichlid endemic to Lakes Nicaragua and Managua, known for its powerful jaws and, in the wild, en
- Butterfly Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellaris) Care GuideCichla ocellaris is the type species of the peacock bass genus, a large piscivorous cichlid native to the Guianas and the Branco River in Br
- Kelberi Peacock Bass (Cichla kelberi) Care GuideCichla kelberi is a predatory peacock bass endemic to the Tocantins-Araguaia basin, widely stocked elsewhere, described by Kullander and Fer
- Blue Peacock Bass (Cichla piquiti) Care GuideCichla piquiti is a predatory peacock bass endemic to the Tocantins-Araguaia basin, with five dark vertical bars, described by Kullander and
- Monoculus Peacock Bass (Cichla monoculus) Care GuideCichla monoculus is a large, widespread Amazonian peacock bass and prized game fish, described by Agassiz in 1831.
- Speckled Peacock Bass (Cichla temensis) Care GuideCichla temensis is the largest American cichlid, a piscivorous peacock bass from the Orinoco and Negro basins, described by Humboldt in 1821
- Orinoco Peacock Bass (Cichla orinocensis) Care GuideCichla orinocensis is a large predatory peacock bass from the Orinoco and Rio Negro basins, described by Humboldt in 1821.
- True Parrot Cichlid (Hoplarchus psittacus) Care GuideHoplarchus psittacus is a large blackwater cichlid from the Negro and upper Orinoco basins, described by Heckel in 1840 and not related to h
- Saddle Cichlid (Aequidens tetramerus) Care GuideAequidens tetramerus is a widespread, adaptable South American acara found across the Amazon and Orinoco systems, described by Heckel in 184
- Yellow Acara (Aequidens metae) Care GuideAequidens metae is a hardy Colombian acara from the Meta River in the Orinoco basin, described by Eigenmann in 1922.
- Diadem Acara (Aequidens diadema) Care GuideAequidens diadema is an acara from the upper Negro and Orinoco basins, described by Heckel in 1840 and kept in community aquariums.
- Blue Acara (Andinoacara latifrons) Care GuideAndinoacara latifrons is a hardy Colombian acara from the Magdalena and neighbouring basins, described by Steindachner in 1878.
- Blue-Dotted Acara (Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus) Care GuideAndinoacara coeruleopunctatus is a hardy Central American acara from Panama and Costa Rica with blue spotting on each scale, described by Kn
- Panda Uaru (Uaru fernandezyepezi) Care GuideUaru fernandezyepezi is a rare blackwater uaru from the Atabapo region of the Orinoco basin, described by Stawikowski in 1989 and listed as
- Triangle Cichlid (Uaru amphiacanthoides) Care GuideUaru amphiacanthoides is a large, peaceful Amazonian cichlid that needs substantial plant matter in its diet, described by Heckel in 1840.
- Orinoco Festivum (Mesonauta egregius) Care GuideMesonauta egregius is a peaceful festivum cichlid from the Meta and Vichada systems of the Orinoco basin, described by Kullander and Silfver
- Acora Festivum (Mesonauta acora) Care GuideMesonauta acora is a peaceful festivum cichlid from the Tocantins and Xingu basins of eastern Brazil, described by Castelnau in 1855.
- Echinopora pacificus (Pavement Coral) Care GuideEchinopora pacificus is a photosynthetic Pacific stony coral forming encrusting pavement-like plates; a hardy beginner LPS coral.
- Rainbow Favia (Dipsastraea) Coral Care GuideRainbow Favia is a photosynthetic Dipsastraea brain-coral morph with concentric multicolour rings; an LPS coral for the home reef.
- Platygyra lamellina 'Aussie Rainbow' Maze Brain Coral Care GuidePlatygyra lamellina is a photosynthetic maze brain coral; the 'Aussie Rainbow' is a colourful Australian form for advanced reef aquariums.
- Lamprometra palmata Featherstar Crinoid Care GuideLamprometra palmata is a featherstar crinoid (an echinoderm, not a coral), a demanding filter feeder with very poor captive survival.
- Astroides calycularis (Mediterranean Cup Coral) Care GuideAstroides calycularis is a temperate Mediterranean non-photosynthetic cup coral, bright orange and requiring coolwater conditions, not a tro
- Balanophyllia Cup Coral Care GuideBalanophyllia is a solitary, non-photosynthetic cup coral related to Tubastraea; bright orange-yellow and dependent on frequent feeding.
- Antipathes Black Coral Care GuideAntipathes is a deep-water, non-photosynthetic black coral with a protein-chitin skeleton; CITES-protected, very slow growing and rare in tr
- Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Senegal Tea Plant) Care GuideGymnocoronis spilanthoides is a fast-growing South American stem plant and strong nutrient sink, but a regulated invasive species in the EU.
- Eichhornia diversifolia Care GuideEichhornia diversifolia is a submersed American stem plant with fine ribbon-like leaves, suited to soft, bright, CO2-supplied tanks.
- Ludwigia 'Marilia' Care GuideLudwigia 'Marilia' is a Brazilian Ludwigia variant with rounded bronze-orange leaves, colouring strongly at the shoot tips under light and C
- Rotala sp. 'Burma' Care GuideRotala sp. 'Burma' (Myanmar) is a demanding red-colouring stem plant from the Burmese region, needing strong light, CO2 and iron.
- Rotala 'Fujian' Care GuideRotala 'Fujian' is a Chinese locality form of Rotala rotundifolia with broader leaves and orange-pink colour under strong light and CO2.
- Nymphoides hydrophylla (Taiwan Lily) Care GuideNymphoides hydrophylla is an Asian floating-heart with rounded leaves on long petioles, valued in the aquarium trade as the 'Taiwan' form.
- Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Softstem Bulrush) Care GuideSchoenoplectus tabernaemontani is a tall reed-like sedge for pond margins and paludariums that tolerates fresh and brackish water.
- Avicennia marina (Grey Mangrove) Care GuideAvicennia marina is a true grey mangrove tree with aerial pneumatophores, suited to advanced brackish and marine paludariums.
- Mesonauta mirificus Care GuideMesonauta mirificus is a flag cichlid (festivum) from the western Amazon, a surface-oriented species often seen in the aquarium trade.
- Heros notatus Care GuideHeros notatus is a spotted severum from the Amazon and Rio Negro basins of Brazil, reaching about 15 cm standard length.