Despite being a wholly unsuitable aquarium subject, C. idella is often traded as such, with an albino form having been developed specifically for the ornamental market.

Individuals which have outgrown their aquarium or pond should never be released into natural waters, either, since this species has proven capable of causing serious environmental damage under a wide range of climatic conditions.

The most essential item of décor is a soft, sandy substrate so that the fish can browse naturally (see ‘Diet’).

Coarser materials such as gravel or small pebbles can inhibit feeding, damage gill filaments and even be ingested with the potential of internal damage or blockages.

Additional furnishings ar…

This species is not recommended to those lacking the facilities to house it for life. Sadly it’s all too often seen for sale as an attractive, silvery 2-3″ juvenile, supposedly suitable for the general freshwater community tank. To make matters worse, it is also usually given an ‘alluring’ name such as ‘black-finned’ or ‘silvertip’ shark catfish. The fate of the majority of these specimens is in all likelihood a depressing one.

Inhabits moderate to fast-flowing, well-oxygenated, lowland streams and rivers with pH measured to range between 5.4 and 8.0 and temperature 22-31°C/71.6-87.8°F, while conductivity at one habitat was 600 µS.

Substrates may be composed of open mud or sand, or strewn with variably-sized boulders depending on locality, while aquatic plants have not been observed.

It occurs sympatrically with the convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata with oth…

In its natural waters, females have been observed caring for mixed broods containing both their own fry and those of another cichlid, Amphilophus bussingi. It is unknown if these are mixed by accident (as the two species have also been recorded tending broods in close proximity to one another) or if this represents an adaptive behaviour to increase numbers in a brood and therefore decrease the chance of predation.

A. calobrensis is not as common in the hobby as some other species in the genus (most notably A. citrinellus). It was considered a member of the genus Cichlasoma for some time, before being restored to its original position in Amphilophus. However it exhibits several characteristics that seem to set it apart from its congeners. As a result many experts believe it will probably be moved into a newly-erected genus at some point in the future. You may also see it listed as a member of Astatheros oc…

A. bimaculatus is not a popular aquarium fish but is available on occasion exception, most often as a contaminant among shipments of other species.

It’s identity is also in question to an extent with the name currently applied to what is considered to represent a species complex comprising at least four taxa.

A hugely popular and very adaptable species, the convict is one of the most ubiquitous fish in the hobby. It is often referred to by synonyms such as Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus and Cichlasoma nigrofasciatus. It's difficult to know how much to recommend it to the beginner, as despite its hardiness and ease of breeding, it's not really a community fish. However, if you want to breed a species and witness some amazing parental behaviour, it's an unreserved recommendation. It now exis…

Wild swordtails are a fairly basic green colur. However the vast majority of swordtails available in the hobby today are hybrids of X.helleri with X.maculatus or X.variatus. There are a huge number of selectively-bred varieties available, including wagtail, lyretail, tuxedo, albino, neon, red, green and hi-fin.

Swordtails may undergo what appears to be a change in sex. In young fish this may simply be late development. However some adult females develop male characteristics which is thought …

This is an exceptionally hardy and adaptable species. It's not an especially common fish in stores, but is quite widely available in hobbyist circles. The common name arises from the row of modified, paired scales that form a keel running from the base of theto the caudal fin….