Many aquarists and even novice aquarists who haven't had much experience are able to spot generic species of cichlid fish (pronounced "sicklids") within their dealer's aquariums. They sport a certain "look" that they have with regard to shape and behavior. This is due to the fact that all cichlids share a range of anatomical and behavioral characteristics which have put them in the family of Cichlidae belonging to the family Perciformes that is, also known as "perchlike" perch-like fish. They are, for starters, all freshwater fish, however, they can be quite adept at brackish waters and have close saltwater fish cousins particularly the damselfishes and surfpersches and wrasses, that together with cichlids make up their own suborder Percoidei.

1. About Cichlid Fish
Many aquaristsand evennovice aquaristswhohaven'thadmuchexperienceare able tospotgeneric
speciesof cichlidfish(pronounced"sicklids") withintheirdealer'saquariums.Theysportacertain"look"
that theyhave withregardto shape and behavior.Thisisdue tothe fact that all cichlidsshare a range of
anatomical andbehavioral characteristicswhichhave puttheminthe familyof Cichlidaebelongingto
the familyPerciformesthatis,alsoknownas"perchlike"perch-likefish.Theyare,forstarters,all
freshwaterfish,however,theycanbe quite adeptatbrackishwatersand have close saltwaterfish
cousinsparticularlythe damselfishesandsurfperschesandwrasses,thattogetherwithcichlidsmake up
theirownsuborderPercoidei.
Cichlidfish alsoshare avarietyof particularitiesintheiranatomy,withsome discernible,while others
are not.Theyhave a varietyof obscure particularizationsthatare part of theirdigestivesystemsaswell
as of the innerear,whichaquaristsaren'table to discern,anda majorfeature thatisn't apparenttothe
uninitiated,thathasallowedthemtobe extremelysuccessfulinutilizingvariousfreshwaterecosystems.
The pharyngeal jaw.Itis an anatomical distinctionsharedwithothersof the Percoidei.
Thenhowdo we as aquaristsidentifycichlidfish?Theirpositionwithinthe orderPerciformesimplies
theyare "perchlike"withrespecttogeneral appearance.Thinkof bassorsunfish(neitherof whichare
Cichlids) intermsof shape andappearance.
Theycan also be simple torecognize bytheirbehavior.Cichlidfishof all speciesare parentswhich
meansthat theytake care of theireggsand theiryoungand young,whichmakesthemstandoutfrom
the vast majorityof fish.The specificsof thisbehaviorare differentbetweenspecies.Some specieshave
pair-bondingsubstrate-spawnersandsome have mouthbrooders.There are,however,otherbehavior
patternsassociatedwithreproductionterritoriality,courtship -whichare unique to"cichlid."Gill flaring

2. jaw-locking,lateral displays,andjaw-flaringare all partof the behavioral repertoire. Inaddition,cichlids
are adeptand sensitive totheirsurroundingsinthe aquarium, unlike minnowsortetras.Inthe end,the
intricate behaviorof cichlidsisamongthe mainreasonstokeeptheiraquariumsinyourhome.
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