Data sheet spotted cichlids
German name:
spotted cichlids
Scientific name:
Laetacara curviceps
Origin:
South America
Size:
Body length up to 8 cm
Aquarium
Length:
Length from 100 cm width and from 40 cm width
Contents:
from 80 liters
water values
Temperature:
23°-27° C
pH:
6 – 7.5
GH:
2° – 19° dH
Behave
Area:
lower and middle range
Lining:
Live food, vegetable dry food, frozen food
Behave:
Peaceful, shy, likes to hide, aggressive when offspring
Number:
in pairs, from 2 animals
Difficulty level:
Beginner
General information about spotted cichlids
Spotted cichlids, Laetacara curviceps, are beautiful, interesting, and peace-loving cichlids. They are rarely offered commercially. When they are uncomfortable, they look colorless. This should e.g. B. in the shop do not discourage the purchase.
Because they are relatively small, they can also be socialized with other fish during the brood care period. They grow to about 7 centimeters in the aquarium and about 10 centimeters in the wild. They should only be socialized with other peaceful fish, otherwise they will die from stress.
Spotted cichlids pair well with butterfly cichlids and similar species. In contrast to many other small species of cichlids, they not only stay close to the bottom, but swim throughout the aquarium.
The animals like to hide in thickets of plants, bog pine wood, etc. Because they react anxiously to footsteps like gouramis, there should be enough hiding places. But if there are enough places to retreat, they are not shy and constantly beg for food at the main feeding place. As real cichlids, they regularly need live food, at least as additional food.
Instructions for rearing
Courtship can last several days and ends with the ritual cleaning of the spawning substrate chosen by the female. Flattened stones, plant leaves, e.g. B. used by Amazon sword plants.
During courtship, the animals darken. Females in particular are almost velvety black with blue-metallic spots. Unlike many dwarf cichlids, the females of spotted cichlids are more beautiful than the males.
The first breeding attempts often fail. The parents are then overwhelmed and eat the eggs.
Newly hatched young are very small. In order for the young to find food, the rearing tank should be well run in and offer numerous microorganisms as food. Artemia with small larvae can sometimes be bought in good specialist shops or from hobby breeders.