Detail:  Cichlids have been favourite aquarium fishes for almost a century. "Discus", "Angels", "Kribs" and "Rams" are well-known cichlids which are often kept with non-cichlids in a community aquarium, although they are best maintained in a special tank.

Cichlid keeping experienced a huge increase in popularity soon after the first species were exported from Africa's rift lakes; these fishes, with their gorgeous colours, were so different from those kept previously that they quickly stole the hearts of aquarists all over the world. Following the advent of rift lake cichlids their neotropical cousins also received increased attention from hobbyists. Aquarium clubs specialising in cichlids have been formed in many countries and information about these wonderful creatures is spread via numerous magazines. Every year cichlids fascinate more and more aquarisists with their splendid colouration and interesting behaviour.

During the past decade aquarists as well as scientiests have studied cichlids in their native waters, discovering a wealth of information about their natural behaviour. This knowledge, together with that derived from many years of keeping and breeding these fishes, has proved to be of vital importance to successful cichlid keeping and is here brought together for the first time in a single volume.