The Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Yellowtail Tang, Yellowtail Surgeonfish, or Blue Surgeonfish is native to the Red Sea however, they have also been encountered in the Gulf of Aden, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and recently in the Mediterranean Sea near Sardinia. They have been recorded […]

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The Orinoco Angelfish (Pterophyllum altum) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Altum Angelfish, Deep Angelfish, Orinoco altum or Altum Angel is found in the Orinoco River basin and the upper Rio Negro watershed in Southern Venezuela, Southeastern Columbia, and the Northen part of Brazil. Most Orinoco Angelfish are found in the well oxygenated, extremely […]

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The Kyoga Flameback (Xystichromis “Kyoga Flameback”) is an endangered species found in Lake Nawampassa, a lake north of Lake Victoria that is part of the Kyoga Basin/ Victorian Nile drainage system. Unfortunately, due to pollution and the introduction of the Nile Perch in it’s waters, the Kyoga Flameback like many other Lake Victoria species is […]

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The Horse Nose Cichlid (Eretmodus cyanostictus) also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Striped Gopby Cichlid and Tanganyikan Clown Cichlid is endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it is found in the “surge zone” along the shallow surface layers of the rocky shorelines of Zambia and Tanzania where they scrape algae from the rocks […]

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The Christmas Fulu (Xystichromis phytophagus) is a beautiful endangered species that is already considered extinct in Lake Victoria however, it is relatively common in Lake Kanyabooli, in the Kenyan Yala Swamp of Africa. In their natural habitat, Christmas Fulu are polygamous maternal mouth brooders that feed primarily on algae and vegetable matter.   Because they are […]

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Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis is a peaceful, solitary cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi that is found over sandy substrates in relatively shallow depths of up to 160 feet. Taeniolethrinops praeorbitalis can be distinguished from it’s close relative Taeniolethrinops laticeps, by it’s longer snout and the absence of an oblique dark diagonal line that crosses the upper portion […]

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The Chocolate Cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Emerald Cichlid is found in the Ucayali, Amazonas, SolimñƒÂ´es, Amapá and Oyapock Rivers in Brazil, Colomiba, Peru, and Venezuela. The Chocolate Cichlid is a peaceful, rarely aggressive species that prefers living in the silt laden, slow flowing rivers and backwaters of their […]

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The African Butterfly Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara jacobfreibergi) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Malawi Butterfly Cichlid, Eureka Cichlid, Fairy Cichlid, Freiberg’s Peacock, Jakes or Jake Cichlid, Mamalela Peacock, and Swalllow Tail Peacock is endemic to Lake Malawi, Africa; Otter Point, Nkudzi, Monkey Bay, Nankumba, and the Domwe Islands. Aulonocara jacobfreibergi is widespread throughout the […]

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The Flowerhorn Cichlid (Cichlasoma X) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts simply as Flowerhorns, was first developed in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand and except for culled specimens that were intentionally dumped into the ponds and riverine ecosystems of Malaysia and Singapore, does not occur naturally in the wild. The Flowerhorn Cichlid Hybrid originated in Asia […]

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The Ruby Green Cichlid (Haplochromis sp. Ruby Green) is a herbivore known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Ruby Green Hap or Ruby Green, and is found around the heavily vegetated shorelines of Lakes Kyoga and Nawampasa in Uganda. The Ruby Green Cichlid is often mistaken for the Flameback Cichlid (Haplichromis sp. “Flameback”) Male […]

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The Fire Red Uganda (Haplochromis s. “fire”) or (Paralabidochromis sp. “fire”) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Fire Red Ugandan, and is found in the Northern section of Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga. The Fire Red Uganda is a rock dwelling cichlid (mbipi) from the Ugandan shores of Lake Victoria that is […]

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The Crimson Tide Cichlid (Pundamilia nyererei) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Nyerere’s Victoria Cichlid, Crimson Tide Flameback, or Flameback is only found along the shallow coast lines of several islands located at the southern end of Lake Victoria, East Africa. All Pundamilia nyererei from Lake Victoria are beautiful and highly aggressive, even more […]

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Aulonocranus dewindti is a species of “featherfin” cichlid that inhabit sandy bottom areas that are littered with rocks and empty shells in Lake Tanganyika, the Rusisi, and the Lukuga rivers. Aulonocranus dewindti is endemic to and widely distributed throughout the Lake Tanganyika basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. Aulonocranus dewindti […]

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The Sardine Cichlid (Cyprichromis leptosoma) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Slender Cichlid, Cyprichromis, or Slender Cyprichromis, is a small, colorful, sardine shaped open water species that is found only along the rocky eastern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, between Kigoma in Tanzania, and Mpulugu in Zambia.   They are prized by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts […]

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The Red Devil Cichlid (Amphilophus labiatus) is a large Central American species that is usually found in submerged rocky areas hiding among the crevices in Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua. Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts will readily attest that the Red Devil Cichlid is one of the most aggressive cichlids around, bar none. Keeping a single […]

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The Gold Head Compressiceps (Altolamprologus compressiceps) is known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Golden Head Compressiceps, Goldhead, or Goldface Compressiceps, and is found from Malasa, Tanzania to Chituta, Zambia at the Southern end of LakeTanganyika.   Most Goldenhead are collected near Mutondwe Island in Zambia. The Gold Head Compressiceps is indigenous to Lake Tanganyika […]

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  Dwarf Sumbu Shell Compressiceps Cichlid (Altolamprologus compressiceps sp.) “Sumbu Shell” is also known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Sumbu Shell, Sumbu Dwarf Compressiceps, or Sumbu Shell Compressiceps and is found in the southernmost tip of Lake Tanganyika around Ndole Bay near Zambia, Africa. Dwarf Sumbu Shell Compressiceps have a high back, laterally […]

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  The Electric Blue Ahli (Sciaenochromis Fryeri) “Maleri Island” known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts simply as the Electric Blue Ahli Cichlid is a popular, stunningly brilliant blue Haplochromis widespread throughout Lake Malawi, and native to the waters around Maleri Island. Although the Electric Blue Ahli is widely distributed throughout Lake Malawi, it is more […]

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          [evp_embed_video url=”https://tropical-fish-keeping.com/videos/Super Red Spotted Severum.mp4″ width=”500″ autoplay=”true”] Severum (Heros efasciatus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Green Severum, Red Spotted Severum, Golden Severum, Hero Cichlid, and Banded Cichlid are found throughout the main channel of the Amazon, the rio Solimoes, and rio Xingu in South America. Often confused with […]

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Astatotilapia Desfontainii is an extremely rare, gravely threatened, and possibly extinct cichlid species that is native to Algeria and Tunisia, in Northern Africa, where it is found in freshwater springs, oasis, and in the canals and ditches of irrigated lands Because of habitat loss partially caused by the irrigation of date palms, Astatotilapia desfontainii had […]

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