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Yellow Lepturus Cichlid (Buccochromis rhoadesii)
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 1000L
£43.99
African Cichlids for Sale UK
Malawi mbuna, peacocks and haps plus Tanganyika Tropheus and Frontosa — mostly juveniles, supplied size on every listing. Hard-water advice included.
Shop current stock237 live listings
- Check the listing for the exact sale unit and current price
- Match adult size, water needs and social behaviour
- Prepare a fully cycled aquarium before arrival
Current delivery and offer information
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Current African Cichlids listings
237 products
−12%
Moderate
Johanni Mbuna (Pseudotropheus johannii)
24–27°C · pH 7.5–8.8 · 150L
£6.15£6.99
−10%
Advanced
Malawi Hawk Cichlid (Aristochromis christyi)
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 500L
£43.19£47.99
Moderate
Karilani Herring Cichlid (Cyprichromis microlepidotus)
24–27°C · pH 7.5–9 · 250L
£41.99
−10%
Advanced
Bemba Tropheus (Tropheus moorii “Bemba”)
24–28°C · pH 8–9 · 300L
£36.89£40.99
Moderate
Gold Head Compressiceps (Altolamprologus compressiceps)
23–27°C · 200L
£20.99
Moderate
Brichard’s Chalinochromis (Chalinochromis brichardi)
24–27°C · pH 7.5–9 · 150L
£18.99
Moderate
Lwanda Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara sp. 'Lwanda')
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 200L
£18.99
Easy
Chilumba Scrapemouth Mbuna (Labeotropheus trewavasae)
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 200L
£14.99
−12%
Moderate
Meleagris Shell-Dweller (Neolamprologus stappersi)
24–28°C · pH 7.8–9 · 60L
£16.71£18.99
Advanced
Petrochromis sp. "Kazumbe" Cape Kabogo
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 400L
£62.99
Moderate
Electric Blue Hap (Sciaenochromis fryeri)
24–26°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 300L
£42.99
Moderate
Acei Cichlid (Pseudotropheus sp. “acei”)
24–26°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 300L
£7.99
Moderate
Mpangha Rocks Red Top Zebra (Maylandia emmiltos)
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 150L
£35.99
−14%
Moderate
Blue Ocellated Shell-Dweller (Lamprologus ocellatus)
23–25°C · pH 8–9 · 75L
£16.33£18.99
Moderate
OB Red Zebra Mbuna (Maylandia zebra)
24–26°C · pH 7.8–8.6 · 300L
£11.99
Moderate
Steveni Blue Neon Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara stuartgranti)
24–26°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 300L
£12.99
Moderate
Kande Island Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara kandeense)
24–26°C · pH 7.5–8.4 · 250L
£27.99
Advanced
Gold Mundola Point Zebra Mbuna (Maylandia sp. 'zebra gold')
24–26°C · pH 7.6–8.6 · 400L
£26.99
Moderate
Zonatus Cichlid (Cyprichromis zonatus)
24–27°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 300L
£40.99
Moderate
Humphead Cichlid (Steatocranus gibbiceps)
24–27°C · pH 6.5–8
£19.99
Moderate
Black Pearl Calvus (Altolamprologus calvus)
23–25°C · pH 8–9 · 200L
£21.99
−12%
Moderate
Saulosi Mbuna (Chindongo saulosi)
24–26°C
£11.43£12.99
Moderate
Gallireya Reef Dogtooth Cichlid (Cynotilapia sp. 'Hara')
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 150L
£18.99
Before you choose from this collection
African rift-lake cichlids need hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5), rockwork and a deliberately stocked species tank rather than a community; most Malawi mbuna and peacocks reach 10-15 cm. Common mbuna and juvenile peacocks start at about £4 and most fish sit at £10-£20, listed below by lake — Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria — as live stock with our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Every African cichlid on this page is a live fish held in our own system before dispatch — not a stock photo. We carry one of the UK's widest ranges: Malawi mbuna and peacocks (Aulonocara), Tanganyikan Tropheus and Cyprichromis, haplochromines and more, with new imports landing most weeks. Listings are grouped by lake — Malawi mbuna, peacocks and haps; Tanganyika Tropheus, frontosa and shell dwellers; Lake Victoria haplochromines — because each lake's water and aggression pattern needs its own plan.
African cichlids ship in oxygen-charged bags inside an insulated box, dispatched Wednesday for Thursday delivery with a licensed live-animal courier so your fish never sits over a weekend. Every order carries our live arrival guarantee: film a short, continuous unboxing video and tell us the same day, and we refund or replace.
African cichlids are the most colourful freshwater fish you can keep, but they are hard-water, territorial specialists — not community fish. Read the cichlid care guide linked below before ordering: rift-lake species need alkaline water, rockwork and careful stocking to spread aggression.
Explore related collections
Visual route into our wider UK live-fish range.
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South American Cichlids
South American Cichlids for sale UK — Apistogramma, Rams, Oscars, Severums, Geophagus, Pikes, Discus and Angelfish.
Catfish & Plecos
Corydoras, Bristlenose, L-number plecos, Synodontis and Otocinclus for clean-up and character — supplied and adult size on each listing so the tank fits.
Livebearers
Livebearer fish for sale UK — Guppies, Mollies, Platies, Swordtails, Endlers, Limias. Easy-breeding community favourites.
Gouramis & Labyrinth Fish
Gouramis and labyrinth fish for sale UK — Pearl, Dwarf, Honey, Kissing, Giant and rare species. Peaceful surface-breathers.
Rasboras & Danios
Harlequin, Chili, Galaxy, Zebra and Celestial rasboras and danios for planted and nano tanks — peaceful shoalers for UK tap water, priced in groups.
Barbs
Aquarium barbs for sale UK — Cherry, Tiger, Rosy, Denison, Gold, Odessa. Hardy community fish, perfect for beginners.
Loaches & Oddballs
Loaches and oddball fish for sale UK — Kuhli, Clown, Yoyo, Knife Fish, Bichirs, Puffers, Mudskippers, Eels.
Frequently asked questions
Hard, alkaline water — pH around 7.8-8.5 — which mirrors the rift lakes they come from. This is the single biggest difference from South American cichlids and most community fish. Fortunately much of the UK has naturally hard tap water that suits them; soft-water areas may need mineral buffering.
Common mbuna and juvenile peacocks start at about £4, with most fish £10-£20. Rare wild-caught Tanganyikans and premium peacock strains run much higher, into the hundreds for show specimens. Prices on this page are live: what you see is what's in stock today.
Not with typical community fish — they are too territorial and need hard water that soft-water species dislike. The usual approach is a species-appropriate cichlid community: a group of Malawi mbuna together, or Tanganyikans together, stocked slightly heavily over rockwork so no single fish is bullied. Don't mix Malawi and Tanganyika casually.
It sounds counterintuitive, but deliberately crowding mbuna spreads aggression so no one fish gets singled out and killed. Combined with heavy filtration, plenty of rock caves and frequent water changes, controlled overstocking is a standard, well-established technique for keeping the peace in a Malawi tank.
They are a step up from community fish — the hard-water requirement, territorial behaviour and stocking strategy all need planning. That said, a Malawi mbuna tank is one of the most rewarding intermediate setups, and the fish themselves are hardy. Read the care guide and plan the aquascape before you buy.
Yes. African cichlids are robust fish that ship well: bagged in oxygen-charged water inside a polystyrene-insulated box with a winter heat pack, sent by a licensed live-animal courier on a Wednesday for Thursday arrival. Our photo-proof live arrival guarantee covers every order.
Most African rift-lake cichlids — Malawi mbuna and Aulonocara peacocks, and many Tanganyikans — are maternal mouthbrooders. After spawning over a rock or in a pit, the female scoops the fertilised eggs into her mouth and holds the developing fry there for around three weeks, not eating, until they are released as free-swimming juveniles. This is why a stocked Malawi tank so often produces fry with no effort, and why hard, alkaline water that mirrors the rift lakes keeps the fish in breeding condition.
Yes, but not Rift Lake fish. Jewel cichlids (Hemichromis and Rubricatochromis species) are West African riverine cichlids that reach around 12 cm, tolerate a wider range of water than Malawi or Tanganyika species, and become strongly territorial when breeding. Plan them for a robust West African or species tank rather than a Malawi mbuna community.
Watch: African Cichlids in 60 seconds
Short clips from our own channel — the things keepers most often get wrong, answered in a minute.
Keep exploring
Shop related
- Tetras
Premium Tetras for sale UK — Cardinal, Ember, Black Neon, Rummy Nose, Serpae, Diamond, Glowlight and more. Peaceful community schoolers.
- South American Cichlids
South American Cichlids for sale UK — Apistogramma, Rams, Oscars, Severums, Geophagus, Pikes, Discus and Angelfish.
- Catfish & Plecos
Corydoras, Bristlenose, L-number plecos, Synodontis and Otocinclus for clean-up and character — supplied and adult size on each listing so the tank fits.
- Livebearers
Livebearer fish for sale UK — Guppies, Mollies, Platies, Swordtails, Endlers, Limias. Easy-breeding community favourites.