Cichlid
Breeding
Cichlid breeding is easy with some cichlids and
difficult with others, but this is made easier if you as a cichlid owner
take good care of your cichlids. Keeping the aquarium clean and maintaining
the conditions required by that particular cichlid will keep your cichlids
healthy. This will induce them to mate more readily.
Cichlid
Aquarium
The Angelfish is one
of the most popular aquarium species. These fish have an almost ethereal
quality about them. No wonder they are named 'angels'. However, these angels
do need to be cared for if you do not want them to fall sick. Care for them
well and they will look beautiful for you in their aquarium.
Cichlid Care
Owning cichlids is not a cakewalk. You need to be able to take care of them
properly. Cichlid care comes under a number of heads all of which must be
taken care of effectively. Water quality, tank conditions, and diet,
among other things have to be seen to regularly.
Cichlid Disease
Taking care of cichlids cannot be done blindfolded. Fish too get
sick, and it is your responsibility to observe them regularly to see whether
or not they are in the best of health. Do not neglect your cichlids, and try
to watch out for disease symptoms.
Cichlid Food
As with humans, cichlids too need to be provided with a well-balanced
diet. Only eating meat-based foods will not do. A varied diet that includes
vegetable matter as well is necessary. Fry especially need to be well-fed,
else malnourishment might cause a stunting of their growth.
Oscar Cichlid
Oscar Cichlids are rather large and moderately
aggressive cichlids that are found in Peru, Brazil, and French Guiana, and
also along the Amazon. Intelligent enough to recognize their owners and
silly enough to try to jump out of their aquarium, Oscar Cichlids are great
pets to own.
Flower Horn Cichlid
There has been a great deal of controversy regarding
the Flower Horn Cichlid which many regard as being a mutated species. It is
in fact a cross breed, and breeders try to combine the better qualities of
two different species in this fish. Believed to be lucky, this fish has
become very popular in East and South-East Asia.
Ram Cichlid
The Ram
Cichlid or is a colorful, relatively peace-loving cichlid from South
America. Being one of the smaller cichlids, it is also sometimes referred to
as the Dwarf Cichlid, and its vibrant colors have earned it the name of
Butterfly Cichlid.
Salvini Cichlid
The Salvini Cichlid or
Yellow-Belly Cichlid is a moderately aggressive cichlid that takes on the
most vivid colors during the time of breeding. These mouth brooders are
often mean to smaller fish, but their good looks make one forget their nasty
streak.
Wolf Cichlid
The wolf cichlid is a fiercely aggressive cichlid.
It grows to monstrous sizes, and is known to devour its own tankmates. This
Central American cichlid may
trouble weaker tankmates.
Green Terror Fish
Green
Terror Fish or Aequidens Rivulatus is a moderately large fish that becomes
extremely aggressive at the time of breeding.
Breeding Discus
Breeding discus, like breeding other kinds of fish is an art. It is
difficult to breed discus perfectly at the first go, but it can be done if a
number of rules are followed and if the aquarium is maintained in the best
way possible.
Blue Acara
The Blue Acara, or Aequidens Pulcher is a hardy and attractive
omnivorous fish. Its coloration gives it an iridescent quality. It rates low
on the aggression scale, and in that, is quite different from most cichlids.
These South American fish are quite easy to breed.
Severum
The severum is a very colorful cichlid from the
North Amazon region. Unlike many other cichlid species, the severum is
peaceful, and often shy.
Angel Fish Care
The Angelfish is one of the most popular aquarium species. These fish have
an almost ethereal quality about them. No wonder they are named 'angels'. Care for them well and they will look
beautiful for you in their aquarium.
Geophagus
The Geophagus is also referred to as the Red Hump
Eartheater. A fish that seems hungry all the time, this South American
species is not a very large or colorful cichlid. However it is attractive in
its own way, and in fact, a male geophagus usually has several mates.
Jack Dempsey Cichlids
Jack Dempsey Cichlids are well-known for their
aggressive behavior. After all, that is what led to them being called Jack Dempseys. It is quite a popular fish among fish enthusiasts because it
breeds easily, and because of its aggressive manner.
Managuense Cichlid
Managuenese Cichlids are
from Nicaragua. These are rather boisterous, and monstrous (both in size and
in behavior) cichlids that love to live in rocks. Yet these same, seemingly
bad-tempered fish make wonderful parents to fry that grow up to be equally
beautiful.
Tanganyika Cichlids
The Tanganyika Cichlids are from Lake Tanganyika in Africa. This lake
is one of the oldest in the world, and it contains 200 cichlid species, many
of which are endemic to the lake.
Malawi Cichlid
Malawi Cichlids are from the African Lake Malawi.
This lake is home to nearly 500 species of cichlids. Most of these are
extremely colorful and great eye candy. These fish are territorial and often
get quite aggressive. The two main types are the Mbuna and the Utaka.
Firemouth
The red color on its throat intensifies when this
fish is excited and gives it the name: Firemouth. This medium-sized cichlid
is found in the shallow, stagnant waters of Guatemala, and of the Yucatan
Peninsula in Mexico. This tall and many-colored fish tends to be quite
aggressive.
[All pictures have been reproduced with permission. For
specific attribution notices, see the articles.]
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