Freshwater Fish
Assorted African Cichlid.
A mixed selection of African cichlids — bold, colorful, and full of personality, hand-picked from what's looking best in our tanks. Most come from the rocky lakes of East Africa and want hard, alkaline water with plenty of caves and territory. Ask us to pair compatible types for your setup.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Adult size
- 5"
- Min tank size
- 55 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
Good tank mates
These come in as a mixed group and we don't have a set temperament or community rating on this listing, so the right tankmates really depend on which species are in this week. As a general rule, African cichlids do best matched with other African cichlids of similar size and attitude in a tank with hard, alkaline water and lots of rockwork to break up sightlines; mixing Rift Lake cichlids that don't share water needs, or putting them with soft, peaceful community fish, usually ends badly. Compatibility depends on the individual fish, so call us or stop in and we'll help you pair compatible types for your setup.
Good to know
Most African cichlids in the hobby come from the rocky shores of the East African Rift Lakes, mainly Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
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Synodontis Catfish
Native to Lake Tanganyika and shares identical hard, alkaline water parameters with African rift-lake cichlids. Occupies the substrate zone so it avoids direct territory competition, and cichlids largely ignore it. Widely regarded by experienced hobbyists as the single most reliable non-cichlid addition to an African cichlid tank.
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Peacock Cichlid
Lake Malawi origin means identical water chemistry requirements. Among the least aggressive of all African cichlid groups; routinely kept in mixed Malawi setups with Mbuna and Haps in tanks 55 gallons and larger. Temperament and size overlap is well-established in the hobby.
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Hap Cichlid
Open-water swimmers from Lake Malawi sharing the same hard, alkaline water parameters. Non-aggressive Haps are a staple of mixed Malawi cichlid tanks alongside Peacocks and milder Mbuna; the key is selecting similarly-sized, non-piscivorous species from this group.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.