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Order

Cichliformes

186 species

Cichliformes is an order of fishes. Its members were previously classified under the order Perciformes, but now many authorities consider it to be an independent order within the subseries Ovalentaria.

The earliest fossils are known from the Eocene.

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The earliest fossils are known from the Eocene.

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Oscar

Astronotus ocellatus

The oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) is a species of fish from the cichlid family known under a variety of common names, including tiger oscar, velvet cichlid, and marble cichlid. In tropical South America, where the species naturally resides, A....

Nile tilapia

Oreochromis niloticus

The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a species of tilapia, a cichlid fish native to parts of Africa and the Levant, particularly Israel and Lebanon. Numerous introduced populations exist outside its natural range. It is also commercially...

Convict cichlid

Amatitlania nigrofasciata

The convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) is a fish species from the family Cichlidae, native to Central America, also known as the zebra cichlid. Convict cichlids are popular aquarium fish and have also been the subject of numerous studies on...

Green chromide

Etroplus suratensis

The green chromide (Etroplus suratensis) is a species of cichlid fish that is native to fresh and brackish water habitats in some parts in India such as Kerala, Goa, Chilika Lake in Odisha and Sri Lanka. The species was first described by Marcus...

Ram cichlid

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi

The ram cichlid, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the Orinoco River basin, in the savannahs of Venezuela and Colombia in South America. The species has been examined in studies on fish behaviour and is a popular...

Mozambique tilapia

Oreochromis mossambicus

The Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) is an oreochromine cichlid fish native to southeastern Africa. Dull colored, the Mozambique tilapia often lives up to a decade in its native habitats. It is a popular fish for aquaculture. Due to...

Green terror

Andinoacara rivulatus

The green terror (Andinoacara rivulatus, syn. Aequidens rivulatus) is a colorful freshwater fish in the cichlid family. The fish originates from the Pacific side of South America from the Tumbes River in Peru to the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador. It...

Jack Dempsey

Rocio octofasciata

The Jack Dempsey (Rocio octofasciata) is a species of cichlid fish that is native to freshwater habitats from southern Mexico to Honduras, but also introduced elsewhere. Its common name refers to its aggressive nature and strong facial features,...

Pterophyllum scalare

Pterophyllum scalare, most commonly referred to as angelfish or freshwater angelfish, is the most common species of Pterophyllum kept in captivity. It is native to the Amazon Basin in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. Particularly to the Ucayali river in...

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Pelvicachromis pulcher is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family, endemic to Nigeria and Cameroon. It is popular amongst aquarium hobbyists, and is most commonly sold under the name kribensis, although it has other common names, including various...

Blue acara

Andinoacara pulcher

The blue acara (Andinoacara pulcher) is a colorful freshwater fish in the cichlid family. This fish can be found in various freshwater habitats, ranging from standing water to flowing streams, in Venezuela and Trinidad. They can reach lengths of 16...

Labidochromis caeruleus

Labidochromis caeruleus is a species of cichlid endemic to the central western coastal region of Lake Malawi in East Africa. It is also known as lemon yellow lab, the blue streak hap, the electric yellow or yellow prince, depending on the colour...

Amphilophus labiatus

Amphilophus labiatus is a large cichlid fish endemic to Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua in Central America. It is also known by the common name red devil cichlid, which it shares with another closely related cichlid, A. citrinellus.

Oreochromis aureus

The blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) is a species of tilapia, a fish in the family Cichlidae. Native to Northern and Western Africa, and the Middle East, through introductions it is now also established elsewhere, including parts of the United...

Parachromis managuensis

Parachromis managuensis is a large species of cichlid native to freshwater habitats in Central America, where it is found from Honduras to Costa Rica. The binomial name refers to Lake Managua in Nicaragua, from which the holotype was obtained. It is...

Pterophyllum altum

Pterophyllum altum, also referred to as the altum angelfish, deep angelfish, or Orinoco angelfish, occurs strictly in the Orinoco River Basin and the Upper Rio Negro watershed in Southern Venezuela, Southeastern Colombia and extreme Northern Brazil.

Texas cichlid

Herichthys cyanoguttatus

The Texas cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus), also known as the Rio Grande cichlid, is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family, and the only cichlid species that is native to the United States. It is found in the lower Rio Grande drainage in Texas...

Amphilophus citrinellus

Amphilophus citrinellus is a large cichlid fish endemic to the San Juan River and adjacent watersheds in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In the aquarium trade A. citrinellus is often sold under the trade name of Midas cichlid. A. citrinellus are...

Pholidichthys leucotaenia

Pholidichthys leucotaenia, commonly known as the convict blenny/goby or the engineer blenny/goby, is a marine fish from the west-central Pacific Ocean. Despite its common names, it is neither a blenny nor a goby, but is in fact one of two species in...

Cichla ocellaris

Cichla ocellaris, sometimes known as the butterfly peacock bass ("peacock bass" is also used for some of its relatives), is a very large species of cichlid from South America, and a prized game fish. It reaches 74 cm (29 in) in length. It is native...

Apistogramma cacatuoides

Apistogramma cacatuoides or the cockatoo dwarf cichlid is a South American cichlid and the Apistogramma species most commonly bred in captivity.

Pseudotropheus demasoni

Pseudotropheus demasoni is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is only known from the Pombo Rocks in Tanzanian waters. This species can potentially reach a maximum length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) SL. It is now commonly found in...

Cyphotilapia frontosa

Cyphotilapia frontosa, also called the front cichlid and frontosa cichlid, is an east African species of fish endemic to Lake Tanganyika. The genus name is a combination of the Ancient Greek "cypho-", meaning "curved", and tilapia, which means...

Pterophyllum leopoldi

Pterophyllum leopoldi, also referred to as the teardrop angelfish, Leopold's angelfish dwarf angelfish, or roman-nosed angelfish, is an angelfish species native to the Amazon River (between Manacapuru and Santarém), Essequibo River and Rupununi...

Firemouth cichlid

Thorichthys meeki

The firemouth cichlid (Thorichthys meeki) is a species of cichlid fish native to Central America. They occur in rivers of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, south through Belize and into northern Guatemala.Their natural habitat is typically shallow,...

Banded cichlid

Heros severus

Heros severus (previously known as Cichlasoma severum), is a species of tropical freshwater cichlid native to the upper Orinoco and upper Rio Negro basins in South America. It has historically been confused with several other species in the genus,...

Melanochromis auratus

Melanochromis auratus, the auratus cichlid, is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family. It is also known as golden mbuna and Malawi golden cichlid. It is endemic to the southern region of Lake Malawi, particularly from Jalo Reef southward along the...

Maylandia estherae

Maylandia estherae (the Red Zebra mbuna, Red Zebra Cichlid, or Esther Grant's Zebra) is a haplochromine cichlid. It is a rock dwelling fish or mbuna from Lake Malawi. This fish, like most cichlids from Lake Malawi, is a mouthbrooder - females hold...

Parachromis dovii

Parachromis dovii, the guapote, rainbow bass, or wolf cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to Central America where it occurs in lakes, rivers and streams in Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It is one of the largest cichlids, reaching up to 14...

Mango tilapia

Sarotherodon galilaeus

The mango tilapia (Sarotherodon galilaeus) is a species of fish from the cichlid family that is native to fresh and brackish waters in Africa and the Levant. Other common names include Galilaea tilapia, Galilean comb, Galilee St. Peter's fish, and...

Neolamprologus brichardi

Neolamprologus brichardi is a species of cichlid endemic to the alkaline waters of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. It is a popular aquarium fish kept in the fishkeeping hobby, where it is known under a variety of common names including Princess...

Heterotilapia buttikoferi

Heterotilapia buttikoferi, also known as the zebra tilapia, is a West African species of cichlid.

Malawi eyebiter

Dimidiochromis compressiceps

The Malawi eyebiter (Dimidiochromis compressiceps) is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae. This predatory cichlid is endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa.

Redbelly tilapia

Coptodon zillii

The redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii, syn. Tilapia zillii), also known as the Zille's redbreast tilapia or St. Peter's fish (a name also used for other tilapia in Israel), is a species of fish in the cichlid family. This fish is found widely in...

Symphysodon aequifasciatus

Symphysodon aequifasciatus, the blue discus or brown discus, is a species of cichlid native to rivers of the eastern and central Amazon Basin downriver from the Purus Arch. This discus is found in black-, clear- and whitewater, but its preference...

Pseudotropheus crabro

Pseudotropheus crabro, the Bumblebee Cichlid or Hornet Cichlid, is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is found in different habitats but most frequently in large caves or in the vicinity of large boulders. This species can reach a...

Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Neolamprologus multifasciatus is one of the small shell-dwelling cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika. The male reaches 5 cm (2 in) in length, and the female only 2.5 cm (1 in) in the aquarium. In the wild, they reach only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in...

Cichla temensis

Cichla temensis, the speckled pavon, speckled peacock bass, painted pavon, or three-barred peacock bass, is a very large South American cichlid, and a prized food and game fish. Reaching up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length and 13 kg (29 lb) in weight, it...

African jewelfish

Hemichromis bimaculatus

The African jewelfish (Hemichromis bimaculatus), also known as jewel cichlid or jewelfish, is from the family Cichlidae.

Giant cichlid

Boulengerochromis microlepis

The giant cichlid (Boulengerochromis microlepis), also known as the emperor cichlid, is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae, endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa. It is the only member of its genus Boulengerochromis and tribe...

Maylandia lombardoi

Maylandia lombardoi, is a 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long freshwater fish from the family Cichlidae. This species is popular in the aquarium hobby where it is sold under a variety of common names including: lombardoi mbuna, kenyi mbuna or kennyi mbuna...

Rainbow cichlid

Herotilapia multispinosa

Herotilapia multispinosa (previously: Archocentrus multispinosus) also known as the rainbow cichlid is a Central American freshwater fish of the cichlid family. It is found on the Atlantic slope of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica from Patuca...

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