Cichlazoma argentei or cichlazoma silver / vieja argentea description, content, nutrition, photo - 5.0 out of 5 based on 3 votes

Tsichlazoma argentei or cichlazoma silvery

(cichlasoma argentea, vieja argentea)

Cichlazoma argentea is an excellent aquarium fish from American cichlids. Habitat: Southern Mexico and Central America.

The maximum can grow up to 30cm. Color: silvery body with small dark spots, there are also dark blurry spots (striping) - they are clearly visible on the back, caudal peduncle and forehead.

Aquarium- from 150 liters and above. Wooden sticks and stones are needed. But they should be installed so that the cichlazoma does not suffer when it rebuilds the interior for itself. Plants are optional as they can be uprooted.

Water: temperature 26-30°C, pH 7.5-8.5, dH 10-15, powerful and constant filtration.

Nutrition

Food: The main part of the diet is vegetable food (eg algae), with granular food, shrimp and mussels just as an extra.

Photo

Rainbow cichlasoma (Cichlasoma synspilum) is a large, interesting fish. Of course, its advantage is a bright, attractive color. And the disadvantage is sometimes a violent, pugnacious disposition.

I happened to observe an aquarium with a rainbow cichlazoma in which she lived, a black pacu and a couple of labiatums. At the same time, even the pacu, which was twice as large as the rainbow one, huddled forlornly in the corner.

Habitat in nature

Rainbow cichlazoma redhead is an endemic species that lives in the Usumacinta River and in its basin, which stretches through western Mexico and Guatemala. Also found in the Yucatan Peninsula, southern Mexico.

Prefers to live in places with a slow current or in lakes without a current. Rainbow cichlasoma is sometimes found in salt water bodies, but it is not clear if it can live in such conditions for a long time.

Description

rainbow it big fish, which can grow up to 35 cm in length and live up to 10 years. Although in the aquarium they all grow smaller in size. She has a powerful, strong body of an oval shape, a fatty cone develops on the male's head.

It got its name for its bright coloration, from the head to the middle of the body it is bright purple in color, then comes yellow, sometimes black with a variety of interspersed with other colors.

Moreover, as they grow older, the coloring only intensifies, and sometimes it takes up to 4 years to gain the brightest color.

Difficulty in content

In general, unpretentious fish, not very demanding on the conditions.

Feeding

In nature, cichlazoma feeds mainly on vegetable food th. fruits, seeds, aquatic plants and algae, this is the basis of its nutrition. But, in the aquarium they are unpretentious in feeding.

The basis of nutrition may well be food for large cichlids. Additionally, you can feed protein foods: shrimp, mussel meat, fish fillets, worms, crickets, and more. Be sure to feed with plant foods, such as chopped zucchini or cucumbers and.

Since this is a very large fish, the minimum volume for keeping is 400 liters or more. The temperature for keeping rainbow cichlazoma is 24 - 30 ° C, but if you want the fish to be more active, then closer to high values. Acidity in the region of 6.5-7.5, hardness 10 - 15°H.

As for decor and soil, it is better to use fine gravel or sand as soil, as the rainbow loves to rummage in it. Because of this, the choice of plants is limited, it is better to use hard-leaved species or mosses, and plant plants in pots.

In general, the plants in such an aquarium are atypical and can be dispensed with. It is better to add large driftwood, coconuts, pots and other hiding places where the fish like to hide. However, all this must be securely fixed, since rainbow cichlomas may well dig and move objects.

Be sure to use a powerful filter and weekly replacement of part of the water with fresh water.

Compatibility

Pretty aggressive cichlid. It is possible to successfully keep with other large cichlids, such as or, provided a sufficiently large aquarium.

But unfortunately there are no guarantees. Fish can both successfully live and constantly fight. Usually an adult pair lives quite calmly with each other, but with other rainbow cichlazoma they will fight to the death.

For example, it has been observed in mall a rather cramped and unkempt aquarium, which contained one rainbow, and. Despite the tightness, the pacu always occupied one corner, where the rainbow drove them.

As a rule, to create a pair, I buy 6-8 young fish, then one pair is formed, and the rest are disposed of.

Sex differences

The male rainbow cichlazoma is much larger than the female, a fatty bump develops on his head, and the dorsal and anal fins are more elongated.

Breeding

The main problem in breeding rainbow cichlases is finding a pair that will not fight. If this problem is solved, then getting fry is not difficult.

The pair prepares a place for spawning, usually a rock or a wall in a shelter. This place will be well cleaned and rubbish removed.

But, during such cleaning, the male can be aggressive towards the female, this is normal, but if he hits the female hard, then she must be removed or a separating net should be used.

After spawning, after 2-3 days, the eggs will hatch, and after another 4 days, the fry will swim. You need to feed it with brine shrimp nauplii, gradually moving to larger feeds.

Parents continue to care for the fry, but may change their attitude if they are preparing for a new spawning. In this case, the fry is better to plant.

Family: cichlids (Cichlidae)

External Description: cichlazoma maculicauda powerful fish, with a large massive body. The main color is light: from white to light blue / green, the lower part of the head and part of the abdomen are painted red, in the middle of the body there is a noticeably dark spot, the size and intensity of the color varies greatly, often there is a large dark spot at the base of the tail. The fins, with the exception of the tail, correspond to the main color, the caudal fin is red. Males have brighter colors, males develop an occipital hump with age

Natural Habitat: the fish is quite widespread in Central America

Dimensions: maximum size fish 25 cm

Habitat layer: tries to stay in the lower and middle layers

Behavior: the behavior of the fish is very aggressive, so they are kept either with large and similar in temperament cichlids, or formed in pairs in a species aquarium. During spawning and spawning, they become especially aggressive

Arrangement of the aquarium: the minimum volume of the aquarium is 200 liters, suitable for two fish. When arranging an aquarium, it is advisable to use different shelters: caves, grottoes, snags, plants, it is best to place plants in special pots

Water parameters: temperature 22-27ºC, pH 6.0-8.0, the middle between the indicators is "golden", dGH 8-16°

Nutrition: despite the fact that the fish are quite aggressive, their diet in nature is algae, however, it is necessary to introduce protein sources into the diet of the fish

Breeding: fish reach the ability to reproduce only at a size of 15 cm, or when they reach 6-10 months. Water parameters should be near ideal: temperature about 26 °, pH about 7, hardness about the same, but the first two indicators are more important. It is important for spawning to have a formed pair, otherwise most likely nothing will work, for this you need to initially buy a pair or a group of fish from 6 fish. The couple chooses a place for spawning and equips it, the female lays up to 600 eggs, the parents carefully look after the offspring and defend the territory very fiercely. Fry appear in 2-3 days, start swimming in a week, starter food nauplii crustaceans

Note: in general, keeping the fish is not difficult, if the water parameters are strictly maintained, but they are demanding on the volume of the aquarium and are very aggressive towards their neighbors, therefore they are recommended only for experienced aquarists

Video (Cichlasoma maculicauda (Vieja maculicauda, ​​Cichlasoma maculicauda, ​​Blackbelt cichlid):

Rainbow cichlazoma(Cichlasoma synspilum) - aquarium fish of the familycichlids or cichlids (Cichlidae) .

Habitat

Rainbow cichlazoma lives in the waters of Guatemala.

Appearance and gender differences

Rainbow cichlazoma has a moderately elongated body, which is compressed on the sides. Head fish large with large eyes, terminal mouth with thick lips. The fish can be painted in various colors: the color of the head is red or crimson, the color of the body can be brilliant yellow, reddish or green-blue. All scales have a black border. There is a blurry black spot on the caudal peduncle. The fins are transparent, bluish, sometimes dark brown spots can be seen on them. Gender differences rainbow cichlazoma: male has anal and dorsal fins they have a pointed shape, and on the forehead there is a fatty growth, a sharp, small vas deferens is noticeable before spawning; in the female, before spawning, a large cone-shaped ovipositor, blunt at the end, is formed. In nature rainbow cichlazoma grows up to 30 cm, in - much less.

Conditions of detention

Rainbow cichlazoma is territorial fish. Pairs are formed from a group of fish in youth. These fish can be placed in aquarium together with others cichlids and even others types of aquarium fish as long as there is enough space for everyone. Rainbow cichlazoma prefers to stay in the lower and middle layers of water. For content required aquarium with a volume of 200 liters or more, it should contain all kinds of shelters - stones with a horizontal and inclined arrangement, caves, and vertical stones to separate territories. IN aquarium should be placed aquarium plants in pots, preferably hard-leaved, as well as floating plants. Optimal water parameters for contents of rainbow cichlazoma: acidity - 6.5-8.5, temperature - 24-30 ° C, and hardness - 8-20 °. Water should always be kept clean, in dirty fish, inflammation on the skin begins - brown growths. Therefore, it is necessary to have powerful filtration and good aeration in the aquarium, as well as weekly water changes up to 30% of the aquarium volume. Rainbow cichlazoma can eat as live food (tubifex, sea ​​fish, bloodworm, shrimp and cortera), and vegetable and substitutes. Live food should make up 80% of the diet.

Breeding

Rainbow cichlazoma becomes sexually mature at 1.5-2 years. Breeding it is possible both in general and in a separate spawning ground. To stimulate spawning, you need to change 2 volumes of water per week and raise normal temperature by 1-2 degrees. The female prefers to spawn on covered top, inclined surfaces. She usually throws no more than 500 eggs. The incubation period lasts, as a rule, from 2 to 6 days. When the larvae hatch, the fish transfer them to holes previously dug in the ground, after 3-7 days the fry begin to swim and feed on their own. Parents constantly protect them. The fry need special food. It can be nematodes, living dust or cyclops napulia. If you change the water too often, scare the fish or transplant them from one aquarium to another, then they begin to stress. In this case, they depict the dying - they swim in a spiral, jerkily, they can fall on their side, but then it passes.

Rainbow cichlazoma large aquarium fish. She needs a big house. But the original shape and color of this fish, and even more its behavior, level out such annoying little things as an aquarium for half a room. A true cichlid lover will definitely try to get to know this species better. At least at a young age, taking care of their transfer to a more spacious fish farm, when the native man-made rates become cramped.

Synonyms, names in other languages:, Cichlasoma synspilum, Red-headed cichlid Paratherpas Synspilum, Red cichlid, Vieja synspila.
Range: Central America. Low-lying slow-flowing or stagnant waters of Guatemala. Rarely found in brackish waters.

Rainbow cichlazoma description

Appeared in the Soviet Union around 1980. However, it was not widely used due to the small volumes of indoor aquariums of that time.

Tsikhlazoma iridescent large fish. In the wild it reaches 30 centimeters. Behind the glass of the aquarium, it often measures up to 20 centimeters. The body is elongated and slightly flattened laterally. The head is big with the same big eyes and a huge mouth. The male has a well-defined fat bump on the forehead.

Body color is variable. It may have a golden yellow, greenish blue or reddish hue. The head is often red or crimson. The scale plates have a black edging. On the caudal peduncle there is a dark spot with irregular outlines.

The fins are transparent, often with a turquoise tint. The dorsal and anal fins, like all cichlids, stretch to the base of the tail and end in a kind of pigtail. Estimated lifespan in captivity is about 10 years. Sexual maturity is reached by the end of the second year of life. Omnivorous. Relatively peaceful. Married couples form in the first year of life, and if fate does not interfere, remain faithful to the chosen one all their lives.

Cichlazoma iridescent sex differences

As mentioned earlier, the male wears a kind of decoration on his forehead - a fatty growth. The female of this species is devoid of such a distinction. In addition, during spawning, the male develops a small pointed vas deferens in the region of the anus. The female has a trapezoidal ovipositor in the same place.

Cichlazoma rainbow content

Before use, any of the substrates must be properly washed so that there is no turbidity when the cichlomas take up their favorite pastime - digging the soil. At the bottom, it is necessary to build several grottoes from large stones, the dimensions of which should exceed the size of the fish.

The bottom should also be divided by “rocks” into segments approximately 40 centimeters wide. These measures will allow the neighbors to divide the territory into zones of influence and less conflict in the struggle for a place under the sun. And those who are especially tired of worldly bustle will be able to retire in a cave carefully provided by you. In addition, the caves of the grottoes of the gorge will help the weaker individual to hide from the aggression of the male, while you find other ways to solve the problem. Although it may not arise at all, it is better to foresee all options in advance.

Well, not an aquarium without plants ... so a trough with live fish in a frying pan. Although there is no dispute about tastes. To

green friends survived in the vicinity of cichlazoma, it is necessary to select species with large hard leaves and a well-developed root system. You can also plant plants in flower pots, which are then masked with large stones. Such that our underwater architects could not drag them away. So

you can also use plants floating in the water column, for example, Canadian elodea. True, she can

be eaten, but its rapid growth can compensate for the appetite of our pets. On the surface, you can put a few bushes of floating plants. You can also try to use riccia or duckweed.
Water parameters: The temperature in the tank for stationary keeping can be in the range of 24 - 27°C. pH= 7°. Hardness from 8 to 20°dH.
Lighting: Cichlazoma is indifferent to lighting. If only it were not pitch dark and not overly bright, as on the sunny side of Venus. Therefore, choose the lighting according to the needs of the plants you have chosen, and so that you feel comfortable watching the inhabitants of your indoor lake.
All cichlases require mechanical, biological filtration and enhanced aeration. If the water is contaminated with protein metabolism products or there are sharp fluctuations in the hardness or acidity of the medium, then the fish will begin skin inflammation, which will appear as brown spots of irregular outlines. Do you need it?
Compatibility: A cichlid is a cichlid, even rainbow, even gray-brown-crimson. She doesn't seem to care about anyone. But he guards his territory like a kamikaze samurai. “We don’t need someone else’s, but we won’t give up our own.” Therefore, if you intend to keep several representatives of the fauna of the American continent, then firstly you need a capacity of three hundred liters or more. The bigger, the better. Secondly, all "neighbors" should be approximately the same size. And about the same value.

For example, the bluish-spotted akara may not be very good if the rainbow cichlazoma decides that they cannot live together in this world ... The joint cultivation of fry can reduce aggressiveness, territorial division reservoir with the help of "rocks", thickets of plants. Be sure to have shelters with a total number exceeding the number of fish. Grottoes and caves should be larger than the largest fish. These structures must be made soundly so that they do not collapse on Living being who sought shelter in them.

: Rainbow cichlazoma omnivorous, but 80% of the diet should be animal food. , earthworms, fish fillet, live small fish, shellfish, shrimp, frozen and dry food. The need for plant foods can be satisfied with lettuce, nettle, dandelion.
Breeding: You can also breed in a common vessel, but it is better to equip a separate spawning ground. The volume is about 150 liters. At the bottom, there must be several grottoes with a wide entrance and a flat, wide stone at the bottom. Spawning is stimulated by raising the temperature by 1-2°C and changing two volumes of water to fresh water in

during the week. When the rainbow cichlomas finally understand what you want from them, they sweep up to five hundred eggs on the pre-cleaned stone they like. All cichlomas - good parents and rainbows are no exception. They will carefully care for the eggs, and subsequently for the fry. Incubation lasts from 2 to 6 days depending on temperature. environment. After this period, larvae appear. And in about a week they will take a horizontal

position, turning into fry, and will swim in search of food under the supervision of mother and father. Starter food is small crustaceans - nauplii, daphnia, cyclops. As they grow, juveniles should be sorted by size and transferred to more large species stern. And it’s also time to think about where you will put this whole flock ...

Additional information: All cichlid lovers are convinced that their pets are endowed with intelligence (do not confuse with intelligence). This is probably true to some extent. Dolphins can, like dogs, be friends with humans. Cichlomas also get used to their owner very quickly. They can distinguish him from other people. They take food from their hands, allow themselves to be stroked and even taken out of the water. What level of trust in a person! How to dispose of this trust a person depends only on him. I hope he turns out to be human...
Rainbow cichlazoma has another feature of behavior. When stressed, she can imitate helplessness or even death (although this is not an imitation). It falls on its side, swims in circles or in a spiral. May lie for some time on its side motionless, as if dead. As the fish calms down, it returns to normal behavior. Is it an imitation or is it really so bad for her - she alone knows. Therefore, I would not specifically create conditions for the manifestation of such behavior.
Another one interesting feature. The truth does not appear in all individuals. War paint - in case of a conflict with a neighbor, several transverse stripes appear on the frontal growth of the male, which disappear as the conflict is resolved.