--- type: category category: "Cichlid" stores: 205 states: 27 url: https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids --- # Best Cichlid Fish Stores by State 205 stores specializing in African and South American cichlids across 27 states Cichlids are the most personality-packed fish in the hobby. They are territorial, intelligent, often brutal, and endlessly fascinating to watch. A single mbuna tank has more social drama than a reality show, and a well-kept discus display stops people in their tracks. But cichlids also demand more from their keeper than a typical community tank: harder water for Africans, softer water for South Americans, species-specific diets, and tank layouts designed around aggression management rather than aesthetics alone. A dedicated cichlid store understands all of this and stocks accordingly. They carry the fish, the rock, the sand, the food, and the advice that keeps a cichlid tank thriving instead of turning into a war zone. ## States | State | Stores | | --- | --- | | [Florida](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/florida) | 25 | | [California](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/california) | 23 | | [Texas](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/texas) | 18 | | [New York](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/new-york) | 14 | | [Illinois](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/illinois) | 13 | | [Ohio](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/ohio) | 11 | | [Michigan](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/michigan) | 9 | | [Iowa](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/iowa) | 7 | | [Louisiana](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/louisiana) | 7 | | [Tennessee](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/tennessee) | 7 | | [Virginia](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/virginia) | 7 | | [New Jersey](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/new-jersey) | 6 | | [Wisconsin](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/wisconsin) | 6 | | [Georgia](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/georgia) | 5 | | [Indiana](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/indiana) | 5 | | [Colorado](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/colorado) | 4 | | [Massachusetts](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/massachusetts) | 4 | | [New Hampshire](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/new-hampshire) | 4 | | [Oregon](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/oregon) | 4 | | [Utah](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/utah) | 4 | | [Washington](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/washington) | 4 | | [Connecticut](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/connecticut) | 3 | | [Kentucky](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/kentucky) | 3 | | [Minnesota](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/minnesota) | 3 | | [Missouri](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/missouri) | 3 | | [North Carolina](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/north-carolina) | 3 | | [South Carolina](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids/south-carolina) | 3 | ## African cichlids: mbuna, haps, peacocks, and why mixing matters Lake Malawi alone contains over 800 described cichlid species, and most African cichlid stores focus heavily on this lake because the fish are colorful, hardy, and breed readily in aquariums. But not all Malawi cichlids mix well. Mbuna (the rock-dwelling species like Pseudotropheus demasoni, Labidochromis caeruleus, and Metriaclima estherae) are herbivorous grazers that need vegetable-based foods like Hikari Cichlid Excel or NorthFin Veggie and will develop bloat on high-protein diets. Haplochromis and Aulonocara (peacocks) are more carnivorous, calmer, and get bullied to death if housed with aggressive mbuna in undersized tanks. A good cichlid shop keeps these groups in separate systems and will refuse to sell you a mix that ends in dead fish. They know that overstocking mbuna, counterintuitively, reduces aggression by spreading territorial behavior across more targets. A 75-gallon tank with 30 mbuna and heavy rock work is more peaceful than the same tank with 8 fish and open swimming space. ## South American and Central American cichlids: a different world If Africans are the colorful brawlers, South American cichlids are the sophisticated specialists. Discus require soft, acidic water between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, pristine conditions with near-zero nitrate, and a diet of frozen bloodworms, Hikari Discus Bio-Gold, and high-quality beefheart mix. Apistogramma (dwarf cichlids like A. cacatuoides and A. borellii) thrive in densely planted tanks with tannin-stained water from Indian almond leaves and driftwood. Geophagus species sift sand through their gills searching for food, which means they need fine sand substrate and cannot live over gravel. Central Americans like Jack Dempseys, firemouths, and convict cichlids are bulldozers that rearrange tanks and need oversized filtration to handle their bioload. A knowledgeable cichlid store separates these groups by water chemistry and temperament, and the staff can tell you exactly which species pair well for breeding and which will murder a tankmate overnight. ## Tank setup, diet, and the equipment cichlid keepers actually need Cichlid tanks demand more filtration than community tanks because these fish eat aggressively, produce heavy waste, and most keepers stock densely to manage aggression. Canister filters from Fluval or Eheim rated for twice your tank volume are standard, and many experienced keepers add a sponge filter or powerhead for extra flow and oxygenation. For African setups, the substrate should be aragonite sand or crushed coral to buffer pH above 7.8. Pool filter sand works too but does not buffer. Rock is essential: Texas holey rock, lace rock, or stacked limestone creates the caves and line-of-sight breaks that prevent dominant fish from terrorizing the entire tank. For South Americans, the setup flips to soft substrate, driftwood, live plants, and dim lighting that mimics blackwater conditions. Diet is where many cichlid keepers go wrong. Spirulina-based pellets for mbuna, high-protein pellets for haps and peacocks, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp for South Americans, and never feeding mammalian protein like beefheart to Africans, which causes fatal bloat. Good cichlid stores stock species-appropriate food and make sure you leave with the right bag. ## FAQ **Q: Why do my African cichlids keep dying from bloat?** A: Malawi bloat is one of the most common and preventable killers in African cichlid tanks. It is caused by a combination of factors: feeding high-protein foods to herbivorous mbuna species, poor water quality with elevated nitrate, and stress from overcrowding or incompatible tankmates. Mbuna are algae grazers in the wild and their digestive systems cannot handle rich foods like bloodworms, beefheart, or high-protein pellets designed for predatory species. Stick to spirulina-based pellets and flakes: Hikari Cichlid Excel, NorthFin Veggie, or New Life Spectrum with high vegetable content. Keep nitrate below 20 ppm with regular water changes and make sure your filtration turns over the tank volume at least 6 times per hour. If you catch bloat early (loss of appetite, white stringy feces, and a swollen abdomen) Epsom salt baths and Metronidazole in food can sometimes save the fish, but prevention through proper diet is far more reliable. **Q: Can I keep African and South American cichlids in the same tank?** A: This is strongly discouraged and experienced cichlid keepers will tell you it does not work long term. African cichlids from Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria need hard, alkaline water with a pH between 7.8 and 8.6 and high mineral content. South American cichlids like discus, angelfish, and Apistogramma need soft, acidic water with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Neither group thrives in the other's water chemistry, and attempting a middle ground means both groups are stressed and immunocompromised. Beyond water chemistry, African cichlids are generally far more aggressive than South Americans and will harass, injure, or kill slower and more docile species. Keep them in separate tanks with water parameters matched to their native habitats. **Q: How do I reduce aggression in a cichlid tank without adding more fish?** A: Rearranging the rockwork is the fastest way to reset territorial boundaries. When you move the caves and structures, every fish loses its established territory and has to re-stake a claim, which temporarily levels the playing field and can break a bully's dominance. Do this after lights-out and rearrange enough that the tank looks completely different. Adding more line-of-sight breaks also helps: tall rocks, additional caves, and even PVC pipe sections hidden behind decor give subordinate fish escape routes. Target feeding helps too. Drop food at multiple points in the tank simultaneously so the dominant fish cannot guard a single feeding spot. If one specific fish is terrorizing the tank despite these measures, remove it to a separate tank for two weeks and then reintroduce it. The established hierarchy resets, and the returned fish often loses its dominant position. Some fish are simply too aggressive for community life and need to be rehomed. A good cichlid store will usually take them back. --- *Source: [FishStores.org](https://www.fishstores.org/best/cichlids)*