RE: Why are the African cichlids so popular? Was Collected Simple Questions -Reply

["Griffiths, Richard" <rgriffit@visa.com>]

My two centavos worth:

Why are the African cichlids so popular?
A) It may be a matter of people's perception; and,
B) They are not be the most popular  fish when considered globally.

However. There is a head start for many African Cichlids--but only because
of the volume trade. Apisto's have been around--albeit not as diverse--since
the 40's & 50's. But it was truly the specialists area--like Killies were.
They could be found, but one had to look. 

The African continent opened up in the 1960's, as did air (jet)  freight,
and the fish were not only exportable, but commercially breedable in the US
and Europe, and took well to hard water (almost any water), hence, volume
trade. The economic growth of the 1970's allowed not only exposure in this
country, but $$ to flow freely, and exploration also continued--with many
European's going to Africa and getting involved on that side of the world.
American 'enterprise' took off when it was feasible to get a single
pair/group of something for some high$ and breed them for slightly less
high$ and 'make a killing'--but not many people were willing to make trips
down to the Amazonian jungles to hunt for fish very often. 

Now, it's just a large 'commercial trap' that many fish keepers fall into
with fast breeding fish that take little (for the most part) the rough and
tumble tropical fish trade life (water conditions, feeding, stress,
CROWDING, and people's stupidity)  better than other fish. Unlike apisto's
which require more difficult conditioning/conditions and care, both in
collecting, transport, and housing. Added to the fact that African cichlids
are 'prettier' even under stress and as juveniles and Apisto's don't, you
can see why there is a $$oriented popularity perception.

While Discus are possibly as great a 'draw' as the African's, their supposed
special care scares too many   potential hobbyists away, though I scarcely
doubt you could call Discus second class lookers.

Note:
When the ACA was formed, most of us were originally CA/SA oriented cichlid
enthusiasts. Even when we had some of the early imports from Malawi, the
orientation was still fairly well moderate. In the 1970's, the  African
cichlid craze hit, and what you now see in the ACA is probably 90% oriented
that way; though many of us still work with the fish that bring us pleasure,
even if they aren't African lake fish.


> ----------
> From: 	William Vannerson[SMTP:William_Vannerson@ama-assn.org]
> Sent: 	Thursday, November 05, 1998 6:20 AM
> To: 	apisto@majordomo.pobox.com
> Subject: 	Re: Collected Simple Questions -Reply
> 
> >>> 3) Why are African cichlids more popular than apistos?
> Personal opinion - I love my apistos, but East African lake cichlids
> often blow them away on primary colours. <<
> 
> It's also important to keep in mind that African Cichlids have a 20 year
> head start on Apistos in the trade.
> 
> Bill Vannerson
> http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/william_vannerson
> 
> 
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