When you are considering cichlid fish care, then two things which you should consider is the communities which the cichlids will thrive in, as well as their behavior towards other species and members of their own species. There is a lot to learn about this beautiful and remarkable species of fish, and when it comes to thinking about cichlid care, then you should make sure that you do a little bit of home work before embarking on a new relationship with your fish friend! Read this article to find out a little bit more about cichlid behavior and communities.

Cichlids tend to have very highly developed brood care patterns and this makes them quite territorial and therefore they tend to exert some aggressive behavior which plays a very important part in their existence. If you are planning on keeping cichlid fish, then you need to be well prepared to deal with their aggressive behavior. When it comes to cichlid mating, a pair of cichlids will tend to break up and the female will be chased away by the male cichlid, if there is not enough cover in the tank, then the female might be killed by the male.

Because of the cichlids aggressive behaviour, when it comes to adding other fish to a cichlid tank, you should only consider adding large fish that will be capable of protecting themselves against the cichlids. Cat fish and large barbs can often be tolerated by cichlids, but by keeping one large species of fish in a big aggressive community tank will also help to keep the cichlid’s behavior in check as well!

The communities in which the cichlids live in is important when it comes to cichlid care, and if the inhabitants of the cichlids are picked with the same traits as the cichlids, then these species can usually be kept in a community aquarium. Dwarf cichlids tend to get along rather well with schooling fish such as the characins; you can also keep two different types of dwarf cichlids together as long as there is plenty of room in the tank. Larger species of cichlids should usually get along well with large fish of different species, but they should usually only be kept with fish who share the same kind of traits and temperaments of the cichlids, or fighting could ensue! If you are unsure about which species you can keep with the cichlids, then ask at your local pet store for more information.