Cichlids are an extremely diverse family of fishes, most of which are found in rift lakes in Africa.
Most are specialized feeders, which allows many different types to live together without much competition. Some mollusc eaters crush the shells of their prey and eat them whole, while others grab the extended foot of the prey and suction them out of the shell. Invertebrate eaters may pick through algae beds or dig through the muddy bottom searching for food. Species that feed on zooplankton usually filter feed in the open water. Keeping Count New species of cichlids are discovered every year.