Cichlid average size

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Brazzen1

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 18, 2013
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Chickasaw Nation
Hello everyone, I'm always hearing about how large every cichlid can get, 30"+ Dovii & 36"+ Umbee. But what is the real average sizes of some cichlids, not the max. I know that they can vary just like everything else in nature, people can go from Tom Thumb to larger than Andre the Giant, but these are the average sizes. Also I'm talking about sizes in captivity, not in the wild. Thanks and please forgive me if this has already been asked or if I'm coming on too strong, I'm just very passionate about cichlids. :nilly:
 
Brazzen1 said:
Hello everyone, I'm always hearing about how large every cichlid can get, 30"+ Dovii & 36"+ Umbee. But what is the real average sizes of some cichlids, not the max. I know that they can vary just like everything else in nature, people can go from Tom Thumb to larger than Andre the Giant, but these are the average sizes. Also I'm talking about sizes in captivity, not in the wild. Thanks and please forgive me if this has already been asked or if I'm coming on too strong, I'm just very passionate about cichlids. :nilly:
Click to expand...

Those max sizes are sizes the fish should reach when properly cared for or close to that size anyway. Kinda like oscars for example, when kept in an appropriate sized tank they should reach a size of 15"+. It should be us fish keepers buying fish that can live a healthy life in the tanks we can get, not the other way around. I too am very passionate about this hobby and hope this helps. Also, on average you can expect dovii to reach in the mid 20 inch range. Happy fish keeping!


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That is actually a good question. The max size any fish can obtain is determined by a number of factors such as diet, space, water quality and genetics. I am sure there is more. The people on this website are not average hobbyists for the most part, demonstrated by their presence here. Therefore they are looking to try to get the most from their fish through good husbandry and strive to help each other in that goal.

As far as average size of say a dovi, that is hard to say. You would have to know the answers to some of the things already stated. I would venture a guess and say the average dovi ends up stunted because of lack of space or poor water management. Because of that the average size of a tank raised fish is most likely smaller than a wild fish. That being said, the average adult male dovi in my experience (those I have seen) is around 14". Most of those fish have had Hole in the Head too.
 
Sometimes captive raised fish grow larger than fish in the wild due to the availability of food. Sometimes captive raised fish are smaller than fish in the wild due to water quality issues. It all depends upon the fishkeeper.
 
Thanks guys, that's what I was thinking would be the factors going into obtaining these sizes (that's why I asked the "experts" on MFK). I was just wondering what you guys have seen with the average person or lfs because on almost all of the forums that I've been to everyone claims that every single dovii is at least 27" of pure fire and brimstone. I understand how aggressive they are and that they are up near the top in size but my issue is the broad generalizations. I'm not singling out dovii cichlids, it's just an example of the most commonly mentioned tankbuster. Also could you guys explain to me how some fish stunt at a certain size while others just keep growing no matter what size aquarium. I hope that I'm not being too long winded, I'm not writing a Stephen King novel LOL, I just know that you guys have hundreds of years of collective experience.
 
Both doviis and umbees get to be the same size, and both don't exceed 30''. They get bigger in the wild from wild caught specimens I have seen. The only cichlid sp. the exceeds 30'' is the emperor cichlid which is an African. In general most sp. get larger in the wild, or in public aquariums that can provide the space and ideal conditions.
Stress is the main reason fish don't reach their potential. Stress will reduce a fish's ability to grow, and stay disease free. It will also slow down growth since the fish is putting more energy into fighting the stress. The only way cichlids really reach their full size and potential is understocking. This keeps water conditions ideal, and keeps the stress down. For example I have always thought about getting a single trimac for my 150g with nothing else. I bet if I did the fish would reach full size and great colors.
Growth-all sp. have their size limit. Age certainly makes a difference as fish grow through out their lives, but as they get older the growth slows down. I had a male convict for 15 years and he grew to 7'' TL.
 
Agree with cichlidfish, if stressed they will stunt, and may also tend to have deformed features. Can't tell you how many stunted and deformed oscars I've seen turned into LFSs
Stress may be caused by high nitrates, 20ppm and above due to lack of water changes.
Or diet, feeding a mainly vegetarian fish such as xC pearsei or bocourti a meaty high protein diet.
Or trying to feed a carnivore a mainly vegetarian diet.
Or cramming cichlids together in a small space that don't belong together.
I have snorkeled with Jack Dempseys in nature and seen them eating a diet of mostly algae, and where a pair will claim a territory of 4 square ft or more (240 gals +) and they are sleek, active and very different from the stubby, lethargic ones, normally seen in captivity.
 
As stated above, it all depends on stress, species, diet and the tank itself. Don't underestimate stress either.

Lots of fish do grow larger in the aquarium though. Totally depends on the husbandry.


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cichlidfish said:
In general most sp. get larger in the wild, or in public aquariums that can provide the space and ideal conditions. The only way cichlids really reach their full size and potential is understocking.
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Now this is something I've often wondered about, and I really believe that keeping these big fish on little glass boxes has more effect on their growth and size than we realise. Sticking with the dovii example, almost all the examples of massive dovii I've seen posted here have been either wild caught or in a public aquarium, with the occasional exception like Mel's big male that is in 600g. So how much space do they really need in order to thrive and reach their full potential?

Obviously there is a difference between the world-record maximum size and average size, with natural genetic variance some fish will grow faster and larger than others, anyone who has grown out a batch of fry will have seen it. What I'm not sure of is how big the slower growing fry get in the long run. Fish never cease growing, so I think given the right conditions most fish should be able to grow fairly close to their potential maximum size.


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