Few freshwater environments contain the biomass and diversity of this aquatic biotope in east Africa. Like a living time capsule, fish species from this region have evolved unlike anywhere else in the World and with up to 98% of these species being cichlids. Of the three lakes of major importance to the aquarium trade: Tanganyika, Victoria, and Malawi, there may be up to and over 1200 endemic species. Malawi alone has anywhere between 600 – 800 described and un-described species, with still new species being discovered year after year. Each of the three lakes contains it’s own endemic cichlid community, evolving differently from each other, in accordance to the nature of their respective environment.

Most species have adapted to the many rocky shores and reefs scattered throughout the lake, with fewer species adapting to the open water, sandy, and vegetated environments in between. Many species have evolved on certain reefs or stretches of shoreline, separated from other rocky environments by expanses of deep open water or sandy flats. It is this situation that has allowed so many species to evolve from just one body of water, as some become marooned to a designated reef, while a nearby reef will be inhabited by totally different specimens.

For sheer diversity and interesting behavior, African Cichlids since their introduction to the hobby have been intriguing aquarist, some of which devote their whole hobby to keeping and breeding as many specimens as possible.