Some cichlids are huge and many outsize species make great pets as they respond to their owner and show great interest in what activities are taking place outside their aquarium.

Although they typically occupy a large space in natural waters, they are also quite happy with restricted environments in our homes

The corollary is that a single specimen should never be shut alone in a tank in the fish room. It will get bored without the stimuli of domestic life. Pairs are another matter, tending to be less interested in their owner as they have other things to keep them busy!

Eight out of my ten species are piscivores; the surprise being that it isn’t a full house as it takes a lot of protein to build a big fish, and you need to be big to be an outandout piscivore. So, except where indicated, raw fish should form a significant element in diet, along with prawns, shrimps, mussels, earthworms and other robust meaty foods.

Big fish also produce lots of waste, so efficient filtration is important, although this does not mean strong currents are desirable. None of these species live in turbulent water.

So, let's start...