I love most all cichlids, but I am still quite partial to my original favorite, the Convicts... I like them frankly because they are undemanding and inexpensive. I also like their stripes, their size, their ease of breeding, and their tough-guy reputation. All this despite the negatives like how the fry are so plentiful that they are worthless, and how they are so easy to breed that they do not pose a challenge to an advanced hobbyist. I think they are a "gateway drug" type of cichlid for beginners that still have much to offer the advanced fish-keeper, and are often overlooked...