▷ Black-throated Dwarf Cichlid | All information and details

Data sheet black-throated dwarf cichlid

German name:
Black-throated dwarf cichlid

Scientific name:
Apistogramma viejita

Origin:
South America, Colombia (Rio Meta River Basin)

Size:
Body length 6 cm males, 5 cm females

Aquarium

Length:
Length from 100 cm width

Contents:
from 200 liters

water values

Temperature:
24°C – 30°C

pH:
5 – 6.5

GH:
0° – 5° dH

Behave

Area:
lower area

Lining:
carnivore, live food (wheel animals, small crustaceans, artemia, cyclops, echytraea), dry food, flakes for carnivores, frozen food

Behave:
peaceful, calm, diurnalterritorial during the breeding season

Number:
paired attitudeharem keeping possible

Difficulty level:
Beginner

Freshwater fish belong to the cichlid family. In their homeland they live in small standing or flowing waters in the shallow water zone. They prefer to stay there between the lush aquatic plants.

Look

In the aquarium, the fish are kept with pleasure, they are colorful, calm and have an interesting breeding behavior.

Depending on the area of ​​origin, the animals differ in their colors and the shape of their fins. The proportion of the red color in particular varies greatly. Breeders are working to bring out the colors even more intensely.

The black throat, which gives the species its German name, is only displayed by the females during the breeding season.

There is a similar species, Apistogramma macmasteri, which closely resembles the black-throated dwarf cichlid. Both types are often confused. Experts suspect that these are different variants of the same species from different areas of origin. Genetic testing will bring clarity.

Like all perch, Apistogramma viejita do not have a distinctive high back and flattened sides, their anal fin is relatively large.

attitude

The animals do not make any great demands on the water in the tank. It is important to have a rich dense vegetation and caves made of stone structures, coconuts or roots. There the fish find ways to withdraw. They feel comfortable on dark sand as ground cover.

gender differences

The males are significantly larger and more colorful than the females.

In the male animals, the rear sections of the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the front rays of the pelvic fins are drawn out.

On the light body color males have red scales from head to back. There are also insignia of turquoise on the face. In some animals, the gill cover may be mottled with red. The intensity and size of the red areas varies from person to person. During the spawning season, the colors shine and shine particularly impressively.

The Females are more plainly colored. They have a black stripe along the lateral line and one along the bottom edge of the dorsal fin. A black cheekpiece extends diagonally backwards and downwards from the eye. During the breeding season they turn golden yellow with a black throat.

breed

For a successful breeding it should water sour be. You can achieve this with alder cones or humic preparations. In addition, there must be sufficient caves, which are animals cave breeders.

After the male has found a burrow he deems suitable, he stakes his territory around it. Only his female is allowed in, he drives away all other intruders.

If the mating was successful, the female lays about 60 to 80 eggs. She usually attaches the eggs to the ceiling of the cave. In the early days, the female alone takes care of the eggs and later the hatched young. Meanwhile, the male guards the territory. He only takes part in the care of the brood from the second or third week.

Suitable as food for the offspring Artemia nauplii, paramecia and infusoria.

socialization

The peaceful fish are good at it be socialized with other calm non-predatory fish, a South American tank is ideal. Possible roommates are armored catfish, loricariid catfish, striped pike or the red neon.

Small shrimp, mussels or snails could see the black-throated dwarf cichlid as prey and eat them.

Crabs in the pelvis should also be avoided. Since the fish are mainly on the bottom, the crabs could pinch their fins.

In nature, the fish inhabit the same habitat as the following cichlids: Mesonauta festivus, Aequidens metae and Satanoperca daemon, the tetras Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis, Petitella rhodostomus and Hyphessobrycon sweglesi and Pyrrhulinas. They would also be good company in the community tank.