Datasheet Aulonocara Firefish

German name:
Aulonocara Firefish

Scientific name:
Aulonocara spec. Firefish

Origin:
Hybrids, parent species from Lake Malawi in East Africa

Size:
Body length up to 19 cm

Aquarium

Length:
Length from 60 cm width

Contents:
from 400 liters

water values

Temperature:
24°-26° C

pH:
7.5 – 8.5

GH:
5° – 15° dGH

Behave

Area:
middle area

Lining:
Dry food, live food, flakes, cichlid granules

Behave:
harem postureinitially peaceful, becoming aggressive with increasing age, territorial in the spawning season

Number:
1 male with 2 to 3 femalesseveral males with a corresponding number of females also possible

Difficulty level:
Beginner

Posture recommendation

Firefish are offered in the trade under many sonorous names (Coral-red). The animals are bred hybrids of various cichlids from Lake Malawi. The Aulonocara Firefish does not occur in nature.

There are many theories and speculation as to how the species originated. What is certain is that Aulonocara species (Non-Mbuna), such as Aulonocara Red Flush or Aulonocara Red Ruby, were involved in the formation. A Mbuna species is probably also one of the forefathers. That would explain the not inconsiderable aggressiveness of some Firefish males.

In the offspring exclusively selected by color, the body shape was not considered. The intense red glowing fish. In body size, the animals surpass all other cichlids of Lake Malawi.

Breeders like to give the animals so-called colored food with a high carotene content. This makes the red even stronger.

Stones and stone structures should be present in the aquarium. Subordinate males or females then have retreats.

gender differences

The Males are significantly larger than females and more intensely colored.

In the females, the red fades or turns orange.

breed

Crossing hybrids with each other splits the traits. In the case of the Aulonocara Firefish, this means not all offspring have the desired red color. Practice shows that in a brood approx. 10% of the young fish are red become. The other 90% become bright red, orange, yellow or show mixed colors.

In the In the incubation period, the male establishes his territory, in which he only tolerates his female. All other tank residents are aggressively driven away.

Aulonocara are among the mouthbrooders. The females take the eggs in their mouths. She then snaps at the male for his egg spots. He then releases his sperm, which the female also takes into her mouth. The fertilized eggs remain 21 to 25 days in the female’s mouth. So that she can release the hatched young animals in peace, she should at the end of the gestation period in a separate tank be implemented. In the first three days, the female occasionally takes the young in her mouth again, especially when danger is imminent. If she no longer does this, she can be put back in her tank. The young remain in the rearing tank. In the next few weeks and months, the color must be read out here. Dust lining is ideal as lining.

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