How Much Do Cichlids Cost? Average Prices by Species

FishyHub Editorial Team

Author

October 7, 2026

6 min read

How Much Do Cichlids Cost? Average Prices by Species

Most cichlids in the US sit in the mid-range price tier on FishyHub. Oscar and rams are the budget end of the family, discus are in the upper mid-range, and the flowerhorn is the one cichlid in the collector / premium tier. New cichlid listings in the US are rising for every species group FishyHub tracks, so supply is growing heading into 2027.

Key Findings

FishyHub marketplace data shows most cichlid species groups in the US sit in the mid-range price tier, including African cichlids, American cichlids, angelfish, apistogramma and parrot fish.
FishyHub data shows the flowerhorn is the only cichlid in the collector / premium price tier in the US, with a very wide price spread.
On FishyHub, oscar and rams sit in the entry-level / budget tier in the US, the most affordable cichlids on the marketplace.
FishyHub data shows discus sit in the upper mid-range tier in the US with a narrow price spread, so sellers broadly agree on discus prices.
FishyHub data shows American cichlids, discus and other cichlids have very high supply in the US, among the most widely listed freshwater fish on the marketplace.
FishyHub data shows new cichlid listings in the US are rising for every cichlid group tracked.
FishyHub search data shows oscar and flowerhorn are among the most searched fish terms on the marketplace, with "cichlid" and "apisto" also frequent.

Typical Cichlid Prices in the US by Species

FishyHub does not publish average prices. Instead, it places each species group in a price tier based on typical listed prices. The flowerhorn and oscar have their own categories on FishyHub but are cichlids, so they are included. Groups are listed alphabetically.

Species group	Price tier	Supply	Price spread
African cichlids	Mid-range	High	Moderate
American cichlids	Mid-range	Very high	Wide
Angelfish	Mid-range	High	Moderate
Apistogramma	Mid-range	Moderate	Moderate
Discus	Upper mid-range	Very high	Narrow
Flowerhorn	Collector / premium	High	Very wide
Oscar	Entry-level / budget	Limited	Narrow
Other cichlids	Mid-range	Very high	Wide
Parrot fish (blood parrot)	Mid-range	Moderate	Moderate
Rams	Entry-level / budget	Moderate	Narrow

What Each Price Tier Means for US Buyers

Entry-level: oscar and rams

Oscar and rams are the least expensive cichlids on FishyHub in the US. Oscar are widely farmed and usually sold as small juveniles, which helps explain the narrow spread. The low price is misleading, though: an oscar grows into a large, messy fish that needs a big tank and heavy filtration. Rams, including German blue and electric blue forms, are small South American cichlids that are bred in volume, and they also have a narrow spread.

Mid-range: most of the family

The broad middle of the cichlid market covers:

African cichlids, from Lake Malawi mbuna and peacocks to Lake Tanganyika species. They are a mainstay of US fishkeeping, and selectively bred colors and wild-type fish from specific lake locations cost more within the tier.
American cichlids, such as convicts, firemouths, Jack Dempseys, green terrors and severums. They have very high supply and a wide spread, from common farmed fish to rare Central American species.
Angelfish, from everyday silvers and marbles to premium strains.
Apistogramma, the dwarf cichlids, often sold as pairs.
Parrot fish, the hybrid blood parrot.

Upper mid-range: discus

Discus sit above the rest of the mid-range. They need soft, warm, very clean water, and breeders raise them slowly to keep a round body and strong color. Very high supply and a narrow spread mean US buyers have plenty of choice at consistent prices, but show-grade strains cost more.

Collector / premium: flowerhorn

The flowerhorn is a hybrid cichlid bred in Southeast Asia for a large head hump, bright color and pearled markings. On FishyHub in the US it is the only cichlid in the collector tier, and its spread is very wide, from juvenile fish whose head has not yet developed to imported adults from known lines.

Why Cichlid Prices Vary

Size and age. Juveniles cost less than adults that have colored up, especially for flowerhorn, discus and oscar.
Wild versus farmed. Wild-caught or location-specific fish, such as named lake variants, cost more than farm-bred fish.
Color strains. Albino, red, blue, gold and other line-bred forms carry a premium.
Pairs. Proven breeding pairs of angelfish, rams, apistogramma and discus cost more than single fish.
Origin. Many cichlids sold in the US are bred on fish farms in Florida, while specialist strains may come from Asia or from US hobby breeders.

Momentum in the US

New listings are rising for every cichlid group on FishyHub's US marketplace: African and American cichlids, angelfish, apistogramma, discus, flowerhorn, oscar, parrot fish, rams and other cichlids. The US marketplace is new and does not yet have order history, so this page does not report sales or demand. Search behavior points to strong interest: oscar and flowerhorn are among the most searched terms on FishyHub, and searches for cichlid, apisto, ram, peacock and blood parrot appear too.

Water, Heating and Shipping

Water hardness shapes which cichlids suit which part of the country. Hard, alkaline tap water across much of the Midwest & Central and West Coast & Mountain West zones suits African cichlids, while discus, rams and apistogramma prefer soft water and often need reverse osmosis water where tap water is hard.

All cichlids are tropical, so most US keepers need an aquarium heater, especially in colder zones during winter. Large cichlids cost more to ship because they need bigger boxes and more water. Sellers ship overnight by courier in insulated boxes, and remote areas, such as the Alaska, Hawaii & territories zone, generally cost more to reach.

Local fish stores reliably stock common African cichlids, convicts, angelfish and juvenile oscar. Buying online widens the choice for specific lake variants, discus strains and flowerhorn.

Methodology

This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in the US over the 2026-2027 period. We looked at active cichlid listings by species group, including flowerhorn and oscar, listed prices, price spread, new listings over time and search terms. FishyHub reports price tiers and directions rather than averages or figures, so this page answers "average prices" with typical price tiers.

The US marketplace is new and has no order history in this data, so purchases and demand are not reported. Groups such as tilapia had too few US listings to tier. Search terms combine the US and Singapore markets. Notes on water, heating, farming and shipping are general hobby knowledge, not FishyHub data, and the data does not cover local fish stores.

Frequently Asked Questions