How Much Do Cichlids Cost in Singapore? Prices by Species

FishyHub Editorial Team

Author

7 October 2026

6 min read

How Much Do Cichlids Cost in Singapore? Prices by Species

Cichlids in Singapore range from budget fish to collector pieces. On FishyHub, the cichlid category as a whole sits in the mid-range price tier, with African cichlids and rams at entry-level prices, discus and apistogramma in the upper mid-range, and the flowerhorn alone in the collector / premium tier. Cichlid prices in Singapore are trending up across most of the family, led by discus, angelfish and American cichlids.

Key Findings

FishyHub marketplace data shows cichlids sit in the mid-range price tier in Singapore, with high purchases and high buyer interest.
FishyHub data shows the flowerhorn is the only cichlid in the collector / premium price tier in Singapore, and its prices are easing.
On FishyHub, African cichlids and rams sit in the entry-level / budget tier in Singapore, the most affordable cichlids on the marketplace.
FishyHub data shows cichlid prices in Singapore are trending up for the family as a whole, including discus, angelfish, American cichlids and oscar.
FishyHub data shows angelfish have very high supply and high purchases in Singapore, and angelfish and discus activity is rising.
FishyHub data shows demand runs ahead of supply in Singapore for American cichlids, oscar, rams and tilapia.
FishyHub data shows flowerhorn supply in Singapore runs ahead of demand, with high supply but limited purchases.

Cichlid Prices in Singapore by Species

FishyHub groups cichlids by species group. The flowerhorn and oscar are listed under their own categories but are cichlids too, so they are included here. All groups are in alphabetical order within each tier.

Collector / premium

Flowerhorn

Upper mid-range

Apistogramma
Discus
Other cichlids (a broad group covering species such as severum, geophagus, jewel cichlid and many others)

Mid-range

American cichlids (for example convict, firemouth, Jack Dempsey and green terror)
Angelfish
Oscar
Parrot fish (blood parrot)
Tilapia

Entry-level / budget

African cichlids (for example Lake Malawi mbuna and peacocks)
Rams

Supply, Demand and Price Direction by Species

Species group	Supply	Purchases	Demand vs supply	Price direction
African cichlids	Moderate	Moderate	Balanced	Not enough data
American cichlids	Moderate	Moderate	Demand ahead of supply	Prices trending up
Angelfish	Very high	High	Balanced	Prices trending up
Apistogramma	High	Moderate	Balanced	Prices stable
Discus	High	High	Balanced	Prices trending up
Flowerhorn	High	Limited	Supply ahead of demand	Prices easing
Oscar	Moderate	High	Demand ahead of supply	Prices trending up
Other cichlids	Very high	High	Balanced	Prices trending up
Parrot fish	Moderate	Moderate	Balanced	Prices stable
Rams	Moderate	Moderate	Demand ahead of supply	Prices stable
Tilapia	Limited	Moderate	Demand ahead of supply	Not enough data

Why Some Cichlids Cost More

Flowerhorn: bred for the head

The flowerhorn is a man-made hybrid cichlid, developed in Malaysia and popular across the region, and it has a devoted following in Singapore. Fish are judged on the size of the nuchal hump, or "kok", on the head, the pearling on the body, the flower-like markings and colour. Strong, well-formed fish from known lines command collector prices, and the narrow price spread on FishyHub shows that sellers price these fish similarly. With high supply, limited purchases and easing prices, flowerhorn buyers currently have the upper hand.

Discus: colour lines and care

Discus are among the most recognisable cichlids in Singapore, where local breeders have built a strong reputation for colour lines such as pigeon blood, red melon, blue diamond and leopard snakeskin. A good discus needs clean, soft, warm water and frequent water changes, and breeders raise them slowly to keep the body round. That care shows in the upper mid-range price, rising activity and prices trending up.

Apistogramma: small fish, specialist prices

Apistogramma are dwarf cichlids from South America. Despite their size, they sit in the upper mid-range on FishyHub, because many are wild-type or line-bred colour forms, such as cacatuoides double red and agassizii, and are sold in pairs. Activity is rising and prices are stable.

Angelfish: plentiful and climbing

Angelfish have very high supply and high purchases in Singapore, with a wide price spread. Common silvers and marbles are inexpensive, while altum angelfish and rare colour forms cost far more. Prices are trending up and activity is rising.

African cichlids and rams: the budget end

African cichlids and rams are the least expensive cichlids on FishyHub in Singapore. Mbuna and peacocks from Lake Malawi are bred in large numbers by farms in the region, and rams are a widely farmed community cichlid. Even so, demand for rams runs ahead of supply, so good-quality German blue and electric blue rams can sell quickly.

Oscar and tilapia: big appetites

Oscar sit in the mid-range with high purchases and high buyer interest, and demand runs ahead of supply. Prices are trending up, and tiger, albino and lemon forms are the usual choices. Tilapia are a smaller niche, often coloured forms kept as pets, with a very wide spread between varieties.

Momentum: Where Cichlid Activity Is Heading

Cichlid activity in Singapore is steady overall, but the picture differs by group. Activity is rising for angelfish, apistogramma, discus, flowerhorn and tilapia, and cooling for African cichlids, American cichlids, other cichlids, parrot fish and rams. Oscar activity is steady.

Keeping Cichlids in a Singapore Home

Singapore's warm climate suits most cichlids, so many keepers manage without a heater, though discus enjoy water at the warmer end of the range. The bigger costs are space and filtration: oscar, flowerhorn and many American cichlids grow large and need roomy tanks, which take planning in an HDB flat or condo. African cichlids prefer hard, alkaline water, so keepers often add buffers, while discus and apistogramma prefer soft water. Many cichlids are territorial, so tank size and stocking matter as much as the price of the fish.

FishyHub merchants deliver across Singapore, and the Central region has the most livestock buyers and sellers on the marketplace.

Methodology

This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in Singapore over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at active cichlid listings by species group, including flowerhorn and oscar, listed prices and how they are moving, price spread, orders, wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves, new listings and orders over time, and buyer and seller regions. Findings are reported as tiers and directions, never as figures or prices.

Individual species within a group are not tiered separately. Price direction is shown only where there was enough data, and regional data covers livestock in general. Background on breeding, water and care is general hobby knowledge, not FishyHub data. The data covers cichlids sold through independent merchants on FishyHub, not farm sales or retail shops.

Frequently Asked Questions