I have been visiting fish auctions in my northeast region (NJ, Pa and DC ) annually for the last 30 years, and observed that large cichlid species bags are declining. About 10 years ago, the African table had a mountain of bags, now just a few bags with limited species of choice. Mbuna had almost no taker, selling for a dollar a bag. The CA/SA table is filled up with mostly angels, discus, and dwarf cichlid, but no big CA/SA species. Large CA/SA cichlid have almost no taker, selling for a dollar of a large Midas or Vieja. The craze of large CA during Jeff Rapps era is over. The aquarium hobby seems to be going small and peaceful, more nano and small fish, tetra and life bearers, or angels and discus, but no more tank monsters. I am not sure if it is only my regional trend or national.
The declining interest in large cichlid
- Thread starter tiger15
- Start date
Yep. At our local auctions, it’s just shrimp, bristlenose, plants, and various livebearers that get the most interest. And now Medaka.
Not even angelfish or dwarf cichlids, and definitely not large cichlids or Africans. I can’t understand the endless demand for shrimp and guppies. I don’t even go anymore.
Not even angelfish or dwarf cichlids, and definitely not large cichlids or Africans. I can’t understand the endless demand for shrimp and guppies. I don’t even go anymore.
Its been 10 years since I left the US to net my own less run of the mill cichlids,
even back then there were only a few brave souls who would bid on the haitiensus, beanii, or other brown or grey, less that flashy lunkers I´d bring to auctions.
In many cases these would average just a buck or 2 per bag of 5 juvies, in Milwaukee or Chicago.
When you consider the space needed to hold just a pair of haitiensus or Vieja, (minimum 6 ft tank for just 2) and the realization of providing the time, and the expense of doing enough water changes, heat and up keep, in our average declining economy, its no suprize.
even back then there were only a few brave souls who would bid on the haitiensus, beanii, or other brown or grey, less that flashy lunkers I´d bring to auctions.
In many cases these would average just a buck or 2 per bag of 5 juvies, in Milwaukee or Chicago.
When you consider the space needed to hold just a pair of haitiensus or Vieja, (minimum 6 ft tank for just 2) and the realization of providing the time, and the expense of doing enough water changes, heat and up keep, in our average declining economy, its no suprize.
I have certainly kept my share of monsters over the years.
These days, instead of a few whoppers in a relatively big tank, I prefer a big, crowded tank of small to midsized community fish. Mostly Barbs & Loaches.
I haven't sunk so low as to take up shrimp keeping or reverted back to childhood days keeping Guppies & Mollies. Lol.
Keeping monsters requires big tanks & big filtration, which require big bucks. When financial times are hard, those items are secondary.
Surprisingly, big Cichlids in my area are very affordable. Green Terror or Jack Dempsey juveniles are selling for less than $8 bucks.
On the other hand, fish that were once normally very inexpensive, such as Tiger Barbs & Rosy Barbs are selling for $5 - $6 bucks apiece.
The commercial hatcheries are making a killing.
Why would breeders push monster fish, which cater to a relatively small segment of the hobby, when more money is to be made on selling expensive, common community fish & invertebrates.
These days, instead of a few whoppers in a relatively big tank, I prefer a big, crowded tank of small to midsized community fish. Mostly Barbs & Loaches.
I haven't sunk so low as to take up shrimp keeping or reverted back to childhood days keeping Guppies & Mollies. Lol.
Keeping monsters requires big tanks & big filtration, which require big bucks. When financial times are hard, those items are secondary.
Surprisingly, big Cichlids in my area are very affordable. Green Terror or Jack Dempsey juveniles are selling for less than $8 bucks.
On the other hand, fish that were once normally very inexpensive, such as Tiger Barbs & Rosy Barbs are selling for $5 - $6 bucks apiece.
The commercial hatcheries are making a killing.
Why would breeders push monster fish, which cater to a relatively small segment of the hobby, when more money is to be made on selling expensive, common community fish & invertebrates.
I agree with all of the comments above, it's not cheap keeping big cichlids but the joy you get seeing a tank full of fry from a bonded pair is always worth it. If I couldn't keep bigger cichlids like beani or Trimac's I probably wouldn't keep any. I do also enjoy Tiger barbs but big brute cichlids the way they interact with their mates is awesome. There will always be a demand for bigger cichlids I believe for those of us who enjoy their behavior.
Fish keeping is a luxury, not a basic necessity. So I don’t think economy has anything to do with declining interest in big fish. US economy for the last two decades have actually been doing better than Europe and Japan, and far better than people feel or what Trump want you to believe before electing him. The newer trend of loving shrimp, nano, small fish and plants don’t come cheaper either. True. You don’t need investment in big tanks and big space for nano fish. But rare species of shrimp, Apisto, and nano fish cost more $$$ per oz, and breeding these nano critters require investment in RO water and TLC, not cheaper or easier.
The older I get the less interest I have in watching big aggressive fish whaling on each other in an aquarium. I like to go into my fish room and enjoy a relaxing spectacle of fish...big, small or a mixture...going placidly about their business in a quiet restful tank. Having a pair of big cichlids frenetically herding around a school of plankton-like fry, keeping their surviving tankmates herded into a corner of a tank that they've completely dug up and re-arranged, gets old after the first few times...never mind the first few decades...
I know a lot of folks like to try a new cichlid species, get it to breed, wind up selling or giving away the young, and then move on to the next functionally-identical contender. Especially since moving into my current relatively-remote locale, I just can't get into that mindset any more. I've run through that cycle a few times up here and it just seems so silly to scuttle home from the LFS...which is just over 100km away, so maybe it's just the FS...chortling and rubbing my hands together at whatever new "challenge" awaits in the plastic bag. Fast forward a year, and I find myself using the offspring of that must-have species as feeders, and maybe bagging a few up for a local...again, 100km away!...auction, where they will bring in less than the cost of gasoline to drive the round trip.
I will definitely "stoop" to shrimp, livebearers (including guppies), Medakas and other small species. Even the lowly Goldfish has cast its spell upon me; big, colourful, active, peaceful...and, yes, another insane breeder if you still like that sort of thing. They even make good (dead) bait for fishing!
Finances? Well, this hobby can be very expensive...but it can also be done on a shoestring budget. For example, we live on a planet that is 70% covered with water. In many or most places, you can dig or drill a hole in the ground and it will fill with water. So...if you select species that will live in that particular flavour of water, then the primary ingredient for success is available very cheaply, almost free in many cases. My water costs me whatever trivial KW-hours my well pump consumes, and despite the fact that it's so hard that it's almost crunchy, there are lots of fish that like it just fine. If I decide I simply must have some picky species that needs soft, acidic water, forcing me to manufacture it in my home with RO or whatever, well of course it will cost money. I especially get a chuckle when I read about somebody reverse osmosing a batch of water for their fish...and then buying minerals to add back into the RO water to actually make it usable. But doing that just seems to be not only wasteful but also a very inelegant solution to a non-existent problem; to each his own.
Fish keeping is indeed a luxury rather than a necessity. For that reason alone, it is exactly the sort of thing which will be reduced or cut out completely when economic times become tough.
I know a lot of folks like to try a new cichlid species, get it to breed, wind up selling or giving away the young, and then move on to the next functionally-identical contender. Especially since moving into my current relatively-remote locale, I just can't get into that mindset any more. I've run through that cycle a few times up here and it just seems so silly to scuttle home from the LFS...which is just over 100km away, so maybe it's just the FS...chortling and rubbing my hands together at whatever new "challenge" awaits in the plastic bag. Fast forward a year, and I find myself using the offspring of that must-have species as feeders, and maybe bagging a few up for a local...again, 100km away!...auction, where they will bring in less than the cost of gasoline to drive the round trip.
I will definitely "stoop" to shrimp, livebearers (including guppies), Medakas and other small species. Even the lowly Goldfish has cast its spell upon me; big, colourful, active, peaceful...and, yes, another insane breeder if you still like that sort of thing. They even make good (dead) bait for fishing!
Finances? Well, this hobby can be very expensive...but it can also be done on a shoestring budget. For example, we live on a planet that is 70% covered with water. In many or most places, you can dig or drill a hole in the ground and it will fill with water. So...if you select species that will live in that particular flavour of water, then the primary ingredient for success is available very cheaply, almost free in many cases. My water costs me whatever trivial KW-hours my well pump consumes, and despite the fact that it's so hard that it's almost crunchy, there are lots of fish that like it just fine. If I decide I simply must have some picky species that needs soft, acidic water, forcing me to manufacture it in my home with RO or whatever, well of course it will cost money. I especially get a chuckle when I read about somebody reverse osmosing a batch of water for their fish...and then buying minerals to add back into the RO water to actually make it usable. But doing that just seems to be not only wasteful but also a very inelegant solution to a non-existent problem; to each his own.
Fish keeping is indeed a luxury rather than a necessity. For that reason alone, it is exactly the sort of thing which will be reduced or cut out completely when economic times become tough.
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It’s like that everywhere unfortunately which is a shame as I essentially only keep Central American cichlids. If you look on Aquabid for example there would be 4-5 pages of fish for auction now there are literally 3 listings(granted it’s getting cold but still).
Slightly higher South American fish.
AquaBid.com - Central America Cichlids Auctions - Tue Dec 9 10:22:58 2025
AquaBid.com: Auctions for Central America Cichlids Category - Tue Dec 9 10:22:58 2025.
aquabid.com
Slightly higher South American fish.
AquaBid.com - South American Cichlids Auctions - Tue Dec 9 10:22:58 2025
AquaBid.com: Auctions for South American Cichlids Category - Tue Dec 9 10:22:58 2025.
aquabid.com