Why Do Cichlids Dig?

[Steven A]

I am just curius and want to know why most of the central american cichlids dig in the aquarium?

 

[Jchillin]

The SA cichlids natural environment is comprised of muddy lakes or river banks. Eons of evolution has taught them to dig in this mud for food and/or to lay their eggs in it. Quite natural.

 

[malkore]

Bill, you beat me to it

 

[mrcrazypants05]

Hmm... Know of anyone with mud as their decor? lol

 

[coolchinchilla]

The SA cichlids natural environment is comprised of muddy lakes or river banks. Eons of evolution has taught them to dig in this mud for food and/or to lay their eggs in it. Quite natural.

Hmmmmm.... I thought this was a question like "Why did the chicken cross the road?" Cichlids dig because it's FUN!

 

[Zagz]

LOL I was going to say because they CAN!

 

[Jchillin]

Ok, here's a nice reference for the topic:

http://www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=176

 

[QTOFFER]

In college, I remember watching sunfish clear nesting sites in the ponds on campus.
This quote is taken from the NYS DEC website:

"Male sunfish build nests by using their fins to fan the bottom to remove fine materials that might smother developing eggs."
Perhaps cichlids do it for the same reason.

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fishspecs/sunfitxt.html

 

[anythingscales]

Ok, here's a nice reference for the topic:

http://www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=176

That was a very intresting read, thank you.

 

[DiverDown]

I was going to say something like "they are all interior decorators at heart, and, given their druthers, they'd rather spend their evenings with a nice bottle of Chardonney and a DVD of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy".