No argument with new worlds, they were my first interest in fish, I've always kept at least a few, even when I was heavy into breeding Africans, and several years ago I went back to them as currently my primary interest in fish. But I have to defend cyphotilapia as a fish well worth keeping. I've had kapampa for 9 years now and never get tired of them, before that I had other fronts for years. To name a few reasons cyphotilapia have their share of fans:
- They're a large fish that does well in groups and also tolerates a range of other tankmates, making possible some impressive display tanks.
- Color of gibberosa (the southern fish that includes Zaires), long finnage/trailers of mature males.
- Graceful, regal way about them, a relaxing fish to watch.
- Many moods. Generally a calm fish, but contrary to what some think they don't just sit around all day, not when they're kept in a decent sized group, are happy in their tank, and if you spend more than just a few minutes in the evening feeding or observing them.
- A fish that uses color as communication and changes shading with mood.
- Long life span.
- Fewer fry, yes, but if you have a good looking variant there's always interest in the fry.
- An intelligent and curious fish.
As far as slow growing, can't tell you how often I see people say their SAs, geos for example, are slow growing. When kept and fed intelligently, fronts will grow 4-6 inches in their first year (males/females), on par with a lot of other cichlids of decent size. After that they'll grow an inch or two per year, until approximately five years. As far as all they do is hide, that's as much about how (or where) you keep them as anything.
What they are is more challenging in some respects. Want them to breed? Being a long lived fish, it takes 3 years or so for males to become sexually mature, more like 18 months for females, so breeding is not a matter of months, like some species. They don't spawn ever few weeks like a lot of new worlds, more like every couple of months, so breeding takes patience. Might be a negative for some, but it's a positive if you've done fish for years and are looking more for a challenge than instant gratification.
Want them not to hide all the time? It's all about knowing what to do and what not do. For example, don't create a lot of hiding places, keep most of the tank open with sparing, large-ish and low lying rocks, rather than stacking rocks and making caves-- they don't need them and will be more active without them. Also, spend time near the tank so they get accustomed to you, it's like you're taming them. Don't fuss with rearranging your tank constantly. Keep really clean water and feed a quality food they like. All this will make them happier, less nervous, etc. When I set a chair next to the tank mine come over to check me out, when I open up the lid to feed they come right up to the surface, some will hand feed if I want to. Many people who have kept them longer term say similar things. If they bolt and hide all the time it's more about your approach to keeping them as anything else, or following common misconceptions such as they need caves to hide out in-- they don't.
Everyone's cup of tea? Understandably not, in the same way that dwarf cichlids or African mbuna or glass bangers are not for everyone. They're more subtle in behavior than a lot of fish, but the subtlety also makes them interesting because you don't see their whole act in just a few minutes, or few months, keeping them. All in all they're a fish that takes more patience, but they also live for years and are rewarding over the long term.
Like I say, I love new worlds and their practically limitless variety, but there are also reasons why there are forums especially dedicated to cyphotilapia, and maybe part of it is not everyone succeeds with them-- it's part of the challenge, part of the charm.
this is all off course, IMO