Some Cichlids are mouth brooders and some are egg layers and they can be rather cranky, aggressive however they are the most popular fresh water home hobby fish of all time;further they are worth the effort; with many beautiful species occurring naturally in Asia, Africa, North, Central and South America when you start try to replicate their natural environment; did you know cichlids can be trained to eat out of your hand cichlids are very intelligent.
their aquarium should be aquascaped with plenty of rocks to provide caves and ample hiding places for female electric yellow lab.
Most of the fish contained in this category are mouth brooders and are relatively easy to breed. Appropriate levels of salt and trace elements should be added to the aquarium to promote proper health.
Labidochromis caeruleus is a species of cichlid fish that is endemic to the central western coastal region of Lake Malawi in East Africa. It is also known as lemon yellow lab, the blue streak hap, the electric yellow or yellow prince, depending on the colors morph. A naturally occurring yellow-colored variant from NkhataBay is one of the most popular cichlids amongst aquarium hobbyists.
This species is a maternal mouthbrooder, meaning the eggs are carried, hatch, and develop in the mother’s mouth (buccal cavity), for about 28 days.
These fish are ovophiles and the male will excavate a pit in the sand within his territory, in which the female lays the eggs; the female then takes these eggs into her mouth for fertilization.
Electric yellows inhabit water with a pH between 7.8 and 8.9 and an ideal temperature range of 23–26 °C (73.4–78.8 °F).
Aquarium care
Electric yellows are peaceful compared to most other African cichlids. Despite this, like all cichlids from Lake Malawi, they are best kept in specialist cichlid aquariums with other Mbuna.
As with most cichlids, electric yellows should not be kept with freshwater community aquarium species such as Zebra Danios or Neon Tetras, they may nip the finnage of other species, and are not recommended for freshwater community aquariums because of the differences in the natural habitats between cichlids and other fish species. In an aquarium setting, their natural habitat of rocks and caves should be emulated.
Their diet should consist mostly of prepared cichlid pellets or flakes, supplemented with foods like krill, brine shrimp, and Spirulina flakes. Restrain from feeding these cichlids feeder goldfish, as they are likely carrying diseases that will cause harm to your cichlids
Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallon
Care Level: Easy
Tank Conditions: 72-82°F; pH 7.8-8.5;
KH 10-15
Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 5"
Color Form: Yellow
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility:
Origin: Farm Raised, Thailand
Family: Cichlidae
The Electric Yellow African Cichlid is also known as the Yellow Lab or Electric Yellow Lab and gets its rather unusual name as a result of its brilliant yellow coloration, setting it apart from other cichlids.
Electric yellow
Considered a new species and referred to commercially as Labidochromis caeruleus or (Labidochromis tanganicae}, this cichlid lives in the waters of Lake Malawi between the islands of Charo and Mbowe. First displayed at Burundi in the early 1980's and exported from there, the Electric Yellow was mistakenly believed to come from Lake Tanganyika.
Small immature Electric Yellows will often not show the vivid black striping on the fins until they mature and age. This cichlid is a peaceful and shy cichlid when compared to the temperament of other African Cichlids.
Electric Yellow Cichlids would be considered semi-aggressive in standard fresh water aquarium. The aquarium should include a sandy bottom, robust plants, caves, and rocks.
.
The female Electric Yellow lays her eggs on the surface of rocks and then scoops them into her mouth where they brood for 18 days to 28 days before being released.
The Electric Yellow Lab needs both meaty foods and greens such as brine shrimp, blood worms, and quality flake or pellet food containing vegetable matter.
Approximate purchase size: will be small: 1" to 1-1/2" or medium: 2" to 3".
L. caeruleus is understandably one of the more popular Cichlids in the hobby, always being in demand. This is due to its bright yellow coloring and its more docile temperament.
This latter attribute makes this African Cichlid a compatible tank mate for virtually hundreds of other Lake Malawian Cichlids. Dearest to the hearts of many cichlidophiles, this mbuna gets housed with peacocks, feather fins, lamprologus, and of course other mbuna. Its omnivorous diet also makes it a versatile addition to just about any setup.
The "Electric Yellow" morph is just one of almost a dozen different morphologies seen in this species through out the lake. Labidochromis caeruleus ''Electric yellow'' female these other morphs go unnoticed, ignored, or forgotten by most hobbyists because of the omnipresent availability of the "Electric Yellow".
This color variant, while more rare in the lake, enjoys a distribution in the hobby that would easily out number the wild population by probably several hundred-fold. In fact, the "Electric Yellow" that is so popular today was only recently discovered (about 15 years ago). The discovery and subsequent public offering of this mbuna constitutes a very colorful tale.
L. caeruleusn
L. caeruleus was first identified in 1956 by G. Fryer. He described this fish as normally being white, with a black stripe through the dorsal fin, which would become a pale blue cast in breeding males (probably the morph from Nkhata Bay, Malawi).
Believe it or not, this species was named caeruleus (meaning "blue" in Latin) for this very reason. It wasn't until around 1980 that this xanthic color variant was discovered by Stuart Grant and his divers. Grant et. al supposedly discovered a small colony of "Electric Yellows" at Lion's Cove, Malawi.
Labidochromis caeruleus ''Electric yellow'' male Stuart Grant only collected a few specimens, but refused to mass-collect and export them because of the population's small numbers, fearing that they would be pushed into extinction.
Then two Swedish collectors paying a visit to Stuart Grant noticed these beautiful, bright yellow mbuna in his tanks and requested that he collect and export some for them. The story is that when he declined, these two Swedes bribed some of his divers, who knew right where they were located. They then returned to Sweden with two yellow labs, unbeknownst to Grant
From what I have read, these two yellow labs were then given as a gift to Pierre Brichard, who was very impressed by them. This is where the story gets really interesting: Brichard then took them back to his fishing operation in Burundi, along Lake Tanganyika (of all places!) and bred some 20,000 fish, all related to that pair.
Quite amazing, and he did this in less than six years time. Then, in 1986 he made them available to the public, selling them for a hefty price from what I hear. Brichard ended up making a good dollar off that pair, while Stuart Grant on Lake Malawi, who found the fish in the first place, was left holding the bag.
The story of the yellow lab doesn't end here, my friends. When Brichard put his yellow labs on the market in 1986, he called them "Labidochromis tanganicae", which caused immense confusion among hobbyists; was this a Tanganyikan Labidocrhomis species, or had Brichard collected this "new" Labidochromis from Malawi and raised it in his ponds on Lake Tanganyika? Eventually the issue was settled, but it did cause quite a commotion. And to think, that most yellow labs in the hobby all descended from that single, illicit pair.
Stuart did capture 22 fish later on but had a bit of a spill and only a few were left. These were given to Gary Kratchovil in San Antonio, TX. You'll see him offer F1 stock from time to time. Labidochromis caeruleus ''Electric yellow'' male, a couple of years ago, a friend of a friend bought some F1 yellow labs that had been pond-raised in Africa. Surprisingly, they were no better in quality than other good yellow labs that we have seen!
There are plenty of bad strains out there - some with lots of black on the body and face. There is a morph with a whitish belly that is not as attractive. Don't be mislead into thinking that is a man-made strain. This is a naturally occurring morph that comes from Lion's Cove, along side the yellow lab we all know.
Electric yellow-yellow lab
I mention this because I have heard a lot of people bag on yellow labs and breeders, suggesting that they have been over-bred. True, there are many breeders out there that are not patient or careful and put up for sale anything that hatches. BUT, a fish can be bred for hundreds of generations and still retain is beauty and fitness, as demonstrated by Pierre Brichard.
In fact, some of the most spectacular fish you will ever see - you know, the ones that win all the shows - have been line bred. The best looking progeny from each generation are pulled out and then bred to each other. Sometimes, the best genes aren't those that come from the lake (F0), but from a carefully maintained line. This isn't unethical, in my opinion.
These people are simply selecting the more desirable traits and retaining them. If you find this reprehensible, next time you see a black-barred yellow lab next to a clean one, ask yourself which you'd rather own, or purchase for that matter.
Labidochromis caeruleus ''Electric yellow'' male before concluding, let me say a few words about this fish's behavior in both the wild as well as captivity. L. caeruleus is an omnivore, feeding primarily upon insects, snails, and mollusks; however, in the aquarium, this fish can be fed a wide assortment of foods.
I personally recommend a good Spirulina based flake food with occasional frozen food supplements, or alternatively, The European Shrimp Mix; these insectivores wander through their rocky biotope, never lingering at any particular spot, and it seems they are tolerated in the territories of most other species.
L. caeruleus prefer dark caves, but they are always careful to inspect the ceiling for prey. Likewise, in the aquarium, rock work, and particularly honeycomb limestone (aka holey rock), is appreciated.
L. caeruleus
Notice in the picture above how this female is hiding from the male, anxious to induce her to spawn with him. The hole is too small for him, but not for her! This provides her an opportunity to escape his aggressive entreaties when she is not interested or ready to spawn and as already mentioned, L. caeruleus has a very wide distribution in the lake, with the yellow morph occurring between Charo and Lions Cove on the Malawi side of the lake, at a depth of 20 meters.
Broods usually number between 15 and 20 fry; with incubation periods lasting typically 28 days. Males tend to have much more black on their pelvic and anal fins, and are usually 1/3 larger than females at adulthood. The second picture in this article is of a female and the rest are of a male. For more distinguishing photographs, look here.
References
Kasembe (2005). Labidochromis caeruleus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
“Labidochromis caeruleus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved June 22, 2005.
Aquarium fish, the most popular aquarium fish is Convict Cichlid gets its name from the distinctive 6 to nine stripes that make them easily identifiable from any other tropical fish and Convict cichlid markings resemble 19th century prison uniforms worn by the inmates.
Convict cichlid are carnivorous, herbivore this animal needs their greens Convict Cichlid eat a variety of common fish food and plants and have no special dietary needs. Their habitat does not need anything special although they do prefer a natural colored gravel bottom with large rocks and caves like structures, such as clay flower pot with hole in the bottom and use floating aquatic plantvegetation is always necessary to help with dimming lights from your aquarium hood lights and set your hood lights with and inexpensive timer that will automatically shut off the lights after being on for eight hours remember this cichlid thrives in low light.
Plant in substructure Amazon swords,Christmas mossand lie on top of your substructure moss balls further (never ever use plastic flower pot when the female lays her eggs she won’t know the difference between plastic or clay but her eggs will not adhere to the plastic surface) for the convict cichlid remember this fish is a heavy digger and tearing up plants is a given but plants are necessary for the cichlid overall growth and development.
The Convict Cichlid is a tropical fish and prefers warm water that is in the range of 74 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so the aquarium will require a good, reliable aquarium heater. Because the convict cichlid nature to dig in the gravel, under gravel filters do not make the best filters for Convict Cichlids.
You should choose a good canister filter because your convict cichlid will be breeding; I use Aquaripure because it eliminates weekly water changes and keeps my aquariums nitrate balanced so I’m able to maintain and breed all types of tropical fish.
Originally I purchased Aquaripure because it reduced water changes, pH and disease problems that were occurring in my tanks; the breeding of my fish just happen because their water conditions had became so much better the nitrate, pH were in balance; I know this because I test my water routinely.
Convict Cichlid Require Large Amount of Aquarium Real-estate as Their Own.
The biggest concern with these fish is that they are territorial. They will get along well with other fish of the same breed but there must be enough room for them in the aquarium. While these fish do not grow as large as other tropical fish, like Tiger Oscars, they still need their space; convicts will attack other fish if they are not kept in a large enough aquariums. It is not uncommon for them to attack other aggressive tropical fish including much larger fish like Oscars. These fish will fight and can inflict damage to each other if they are provided enough space to allow them to claim their own territories. Providing enough space for convict will also allow them to grow to their full size and they will be much healthier long term.
Convict Cichlids is one of the easiest Cichlids to breed and are a great choice for the first-time breeder; aquarium of at least 60 gallons in size or 227.124707 liters; if you provide convicts with a good diet and they will soon spawn with out any extra special care from the aquarium owner. The pair will chose a flat surface which can be a rock inside your tank or the top of their cave and females will lay hundreds of eggs. Both the male and female will protect the eggs and fry.
Convict Cichlids Are Most Studied Fish World Wide
With a few precautions, this fresh water fish the convict cichlid makes a great fish for anyone who wants to keep tropical fish. Many enthusiasts continue to keep them because their unique appearance and easy care makes them highly desirable. Once the basics of tropical fish care and handling is understood, some may choose to expand their set-up to include larger tropical fish like African Cichlids or Asian Cichlids or even Salt Water Fish.
What is the Best Convict Cichlid Food to Use? – Your Need to Understand Benefits Convict Cichlid Effective Diet
Convict cichlid in their natural habitats, this species feeds on crustaceans, (definition crustaceans: class of mandibulate arthropods including: lobsters; crayfish; crabs; shrimps; woodlice; barnacles; decapods; water fleas;) small fish, insects, various worms, plants and algae; further social status and associated stress can affect digestive function in convict cichlids. Providing the best cichlid food for your convict is one responsibility that an owner makes to his or her cichlids.
Aside from providing the best environment, food is basically one of the most important needs of fish that must be given importance. It is the key to their survival. Most of the time, it is the essential tool for their growth, reproduction and appearances. Nevertheless, large number of cichlid species being sold today in the market has diverse feeding requirement. Thus, it is hard to identify what is the best food to give them. The food that you give them need not only satisfy their hunger. But also provide proper nutrition for them to use in their lives.
Good source of protein are live crickets, they eat insect larvae, so go buy a pack of frozen (not freeze dried) bloodworms. They will enjoy those. Floating cichlid pellets aren't a terribly good staple diet anyway because they tend to cause constipation if used alone. As well as wet frozen bloodworms, you could also try frozen krill, frozen brine shrimps and chopped seafood of various types (prawn, clam, and squid). Some people have success using freeze-dried foods but in over 35 years of fishkeeping I have yet to own a fish that enjoyed them! Hence I recommend the wet frozen foods you store in the freezer. All fishes go wild for these.
So I'd buy a small package and try them out first if I were you I would also feed them live white worms and live brine shrimp. They usually contain multivitamins to promote good health. This has the tendency to boost their immune systems as well as help improve the digestive function. These are manufactured to make feeding these to cichlids easier and less stressful for you. The food supplement it contains make it considerable important nutritional source for your pets. Convict cichlid like salad this will be obtained by them munching on algae and aquatic plants. You need to feed them spirulina in flake form or frozen spirulina.
Algae are food that most herbivorous fish feed on. They can be fed, in the forms of wafers, balls or discs, to provide vegetable-enriched nutrients to your pets. Look for those that are infused with spirulina which is a food supplement widely known for as blue-green algae. They also have excellent nutritional and healing qualities. It is rich in protein, vitamin B-12, Beta Carotene, essential fatty acids and minerals. Herbivorous cichlids need this algae food for strength, stamina and longevity. These are fairly inexpensive, making it a practical food choice.
Processed dry fish flakes, pellets, granules or balls are common food for the fish. They are also the cheapest. In selecting the food to buy, you need to look for those that are packed with meat and vegetables. Select those that are with various nutrients needed by your pets. These nutrients include omega-3 fatty acids for additional energy and fast growth as well as vitamin C for good health. Color enhancers are also added to bring about better coloration to your fish. Others contain different nutrients that add to the needed nourishments.
Organic foods that are fresh and live are important to the health of your fish they are great sources of protein. However do not feed your convicts live feeder fish in addition, be cautious over the live food you buy because they are not always clean or disease free. I use to feed my sale water ells live feeders and my ells would die in a year or two, when I stopped feeding live feeders my ells are now nine years old.
The best cichlid food should not only diminish the cichlid’s cravings; it needs to provide the proper nutrients that are necessary for them to prolong their health and life. Most of the time, feeding is treated as an obligation; but since this is an integral part of the living thing’s existence, it is best to be given utmost consideration and thought; after all, that is a call to responsible ownership of pets.
Monogamous Convict Cichlids Spanning Male and Female Cichlid
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae
Genus: Archocentrus
Archocentrus is a small genus of cichlid fishes from Central America. The genus currently contains 3 species It formerly included 7 of the species now included in the genus Cryptoheros, as well as the convict cichlid, now included in the genus Amatitlania. The Rainbow Cichlid, Archocentrus multispinosus, was formerly included in the genus Herotilapia. A 2008 study led by Oldrich Rican suggested that the Rainbow Cichlid is actually more closely related to the Jack Dempsey (genus Rocio) and the cichlids of the genus Astatheros than to the other Archocentrus cichlids, and thus under consideration to be moved back to the genus Herotilapia
Albert Günther originally described the species in 1867 after Frederick DuCane Godman and Osbert Salvin collected specimens in Central America.[4] In 2007, the species was moved from the genus Archocentrus to a new genus, Amatitlania based on Juan Schmitter-Soto's study of Archocentus species. However, a 2008 study led by Oldrich Rican proposed moving the species in Cryptoheros and Amatitlania, including Amatitlania nigrofasciata into the genus Hypsophrys.
Female Convict Cichlid
The convict cichlid displays significant color variation across its range. Some of these regional variants are now considered different species In the cichlid-keeping hobby, Rusty Wessel collected one such fish Amatitlania siquia "Honduran Red Point" from a stream in Honduras. The Honduran Red Point Convict ranges from Atlantic Honduras south to Costa Rica. Other new species formerly included in A. nigrofasciata are:
Amatitlania coatepeque, from LakeCoatepeque in El Salvador, and
Amatitlania kanna, from Panama's Atlantic coast
The type species, A. nigrofasciata, which used to cover all these species, is restricted to the northern population ranging from El Salvador to Guatemala on the Pacific coast and from Honduras to Guatemala on the Atlantic coast
A number of synonyms exist for this species including: Archocentrus nigrofasciatus, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum, Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus and Heros nigrofasciatus.
Etymology
The common name convict cichlid is, like the species name, derived from the vertical black stripes on the fishes body and their similarity to the striped prison uniforms of British convicts. Similarly, the species epithet nigrofasciatus literally means black-striped.
Description
The wild-type of the species has 8–9 black vertical bars on a blue-grey body, along with a dark blotch on the operculum. Juvenile convict cichlids are monomorphic until they reach sexual maturity. Unusually for fish, the female is more highly colored.
Convict Cichlid
The male is mostly gray with light black stripes along the body. Males are larger than females, and they have more pointed ventral, dorsal and anal fins which often extend into filaments. In addition, older males frequently develop vestigial fatty lumps on their foreheads.
She has more intense black bands across the body, and pink to orange colouration in the ventral region and on the dorsal fin. The average standard length of mature males in the wild ranged from 6.3–6.6 centimeters, while breeding–sized females ranged from 4.2–5.5 centimeters.
The maximum standard length has been reported to be 10 centimeters, with total length near 12 centimeters (4.7 in). Body weight has been reported to range from 34–36 grams (1.2–1.3 oz).
Selective breeding has resulted in a leucistic strain of convict cichlids, in which the dark barring of the wild type is absent. These are also known as white convicts, pink convicts, gold convicts and A. nigrofasciata "Kongo",. The leucistic colouration is caused by a mutation in an autosomal gene and is recessively inherited
Range and habitat
A female convict cichlid caught on a hook and line in the heated outflow of a coal power plant in Victoria, Australia.
Convict cichlids are endemic to the lakes and streams of Central America. In particular, the species occurs along the eastern coast of Central America from Guatemala to Costa Rica, and on the western coast from Honduras to Panama. Convict cichlids prefer moving water nd are most frequently found in habitats with cover in the form of rocks or sunken branches. Convict cichlids are relatively tolerant of cool water, an ability which has allowed the species to colonies volcanic lakes at elevations of 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). At four natural habitats of the convict cichlid in Costa Rica, the pH was found to range from 6.6–7.8, while GH ranged from 63 to 77 ppm CaCO3. The daily water temperature ranged from 26–29 °C (79–84 °F).
Feral populations
The species also occurs outside its natural range in Australia: in the warm effluent of power stations in Victoria, and in tropical Queensland.[21] In addition to Australia, the species has been introduced to Réunion, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and the USA.
Feeding
Close up of a male convict cichlid showing teeth
In natural habitats, the species feeds on crustaceans, small fish, insects, various worms, plants and algae. Social status and associated stress can affect digestive function in convict cichlids.
Reproduction
The species can reach sexual maturity at as young as 16 weeks, though sexual maturity more commonly occurs at 6 months. Sexually mature convicts form monogamous pairs and spawn in caves or crevices. In the wild, the fish excavate caves by moving earth from underneath large stones. Females lay the eggs on the upper or side surfaces of the cave to which they adhere.
Breeding
Like most cichlids, convicts brood (exhibit parental care of) both eggs and free-swimming fry.
After fertilization the eggs hatch after approximately 72 hours. During that time, the parents expel intruders and potential egg predators from around the nest. They also fan the eggs, moving water with their fins over the clutch to bring oxygen to the eggs. They fan the eggs both day and night, using their sense of smell to recognize the presence of the eggs in the dark, and keeping their pelvic fins in contact with the eggs to remain at the right distance for fanning. The parents also recognize each other via their sense of smell, and sniff out and react to the presence of potential predators.
Wild Caught Female Convict Cichlid w/Fry
After hatching, a further 72 hours is required for the larvae to absorb their yolk sacs and develop their fins prior to becoming free-swimming fry. While in this free swimming stage, fry forage during daylight in a dense school and return to the cave or crevice for the night. Like other cichlids, the parents also retrieve their young just before dark, sucking up three or four fry at a time into their mouth, swimming back to the nest, and spitting the young into it. The parents do this in anticipation of night arrival, using an internal time sense to know that night is approaching, as shown by laboratory experiments in which convict cichlids continued to retrieve even before nights that were not preceded by any signal such as dim light. During the night, the fry bunch up at the bottom of the cave or nest, where the parents fan them.
Both parents remain involved in guarding the fry from brood predators and engage in behaviors to assist feeding such as moving leaves or fin digging. Brood care of eggs, larvae and free-swimming juveniles in the wild can last 4–6 weeks and occurs only once per season for the majority of females. In contrast, females in aquariums are known to breed many times per year with short intervals of 12–13 days between broods, as long as suitable rocks or similar surfaces are available for them to lay their eggs on,
In captivity, breeding pairs of convict cichlids have been demonstrated to adopt similarly aged fry from other parents. In other cichlids it has been suggested this behavior may reduce predation on the fry belonging to the adoptive parents, through a dilution effect.
Aquarium care
Convict cichlids are easily maintained and bred in aquaria. Decorate the aquarium to mimic the natural environment and include rocks and artificial caves for breeding. The species is an unfussy omnivore and most types of prepared fish foods are readily accepted. The species also consumes aquatic plants. Convict cichlids are aggressively territorial during breeding and pairs are best kept alone. Brood care is reduced in aquarium strains. Due to the species' tendency to dig, external filtration is superior to undergravel filter systems. Its relatively small size, along with ease of keeping and breeding, make the convict an ideal cichlid for beginners and advanced aquarists alike interested in observing pair bonds and brood care.
References
^ "Convict and Jack Dempsey placed in new genera". Archived from the original on 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
^ "Archocentrus - Fish Base". Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^ Schmitter-Soto, J. (2007). Zootaxa: A systematic revision of the genus Archocentrus (Perciformes:Cichlidae), with a description of two new Genera and six new species. Magnolia Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-86977-160-7.
^ Heijns, W. (July 2009). "Central American heroine cichlids, a phylogenetic approach". Cichlid News. pp. 14–22.
^ "Archocentrus centrarchus - Fish Base". Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^ "Archocentrus multispinosus - Fish Base". Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^ "Archocentrus spinosissimus - Fish Base". Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^ a b c d e f g h Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Archocentrus nigrofasciatus" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
^ Robins CR, Bailey RM, Bond CE, Brooker JR, Lachner EA, Lea RN, Scott WB (1991) World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 21: p. 243.
^ Günther A (1866) On the fishes of the states of Central America, founded upon specimens collected in fresh and marine waters of various parts of that country by Messrs. Salvin and Godman and Capt. J. M. Dow. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 600–604.
^ a b c d "Convict and Jack Dempsey placed in new genera". Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
^ Heijns, W. (July 2009). "Central American heroine cichlids, a phylogenetic approach". Cichlid News. pp. 14–22.
^ Heijns W (2001) A convict from the Volcano Cichlid Room Companion Ed. Juan Miguel Artigas Azas.
^ Azas JMA (2002) Cryptoheros, The Small Central American Cichlids Cichlid Room Companion Ed. Juan Miguel Artigas Azas.
^ Wessel R (2006) The Honduran Red Point: A beautiful blue convict-type species from Honduras Tropical Fish Hobbyist 54: 104–106.
^ Borstein R (2005) Archocentrus sp. "Honduran Red Point" Greater Chicago Cichlid Association
^ Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors.. "Archocentrus nigrofasciatus, synonyms". FishBase. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
^ a b Juan Miguel Artigas Azas. "Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus (Günther, 1867)". The Cichlid Room Companion. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
^ Innes, William (1966). Exotic Aquarium Fishes. p. 395.
^ a b c d e f g Wisenden BD (1995) Reproductive behavior of free-ranging convict cichlids, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum Environmental Biology of Fishes 43: 121–134.
^ a b c d e f Riehl, Rüdiger. Editor.; Baensch, HA (1996. 5th Edn.). Aquarium Atlas. Germany: Tetra Press. ISBN 3-88244-050-3.
^ a b c d e Sands D (1994) A fishkeepers guide to Central American cichlids. Tetra Press. Belgium pg 59–60.
^ Kullander, S.O., 2003. Cichlidae (Cichlids). p. 605-654. In: R.E. Reis, S.O. Kullander and C.J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds.) Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of South and Central America. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS, Brasil.
^ Itzkovich J, Rothbard S, Hulata G (1981) Inheritance of pink body colouration in cichlasoma nigrofasciatum Günther (Pisces, Cichlidae). Genetica 55: 15–16.
^ Conkel, D (1993) Cichlids of North and Central America T.F.H. Publications, Inc., USA.
^ a b c d Loiselle, Paul V. (1995). The Cichlid Aquarium. Germany: Tetra Press. ISBN 1-56465-146-0.
^ Koehn JD, MacKenzie RF (2004) Priority management actions for alien freshwater fish species in Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 457–472.
^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named http:.2F.2Ftw.news.yahoo.com.2F.25E4.25B9.259D.25E9.2596.2593.25E9.25AD.259A.25E5.25A3.2593.25E5.25A2.2583-.25E6.2581.2590.25E6.2588.2590.25E6.2597.25A5.25E6.259C.2588.25E6.25BD.25AD.25E6.259C.2580.25E5.25BC.25B7.25E5.258B.25A2.25E5.25A4.2596.25E4.25BE.2586.25E7.25A8.25AE-203525543.html; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text
^ Yamamoto MN, Tagawa AW (2000) Hawai'i's native and exotic freshwater animals. Mutual Publishing, Honolulu, Hawaii. p. 200
^ Page LM, Burr BM (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. p. 432
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^ Reebs, S.G., and Colgan, P.W., 1991, Nocturnal care of eggs and circadian rhythms of fanning activity in two normally diurnal cichlid fishes, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum and Herotilapia multispinosa, Animal Behavior 41: 303–311
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Wolf Cichlid a fish by any other name this fish is called parachromis dovii, Dovii, Parachromis, Guapote, Leopard Cichlid or sport fishermen refer to this cichlid as Rainbow Bass or the Gold Bass. The name Dovii is paradoxical regarding this fish as it name implies means peace dove the Wolf Cichlid is not peaceful fish. The Wolf is playful, curious, and intelligent; this is one of the few cichlids that can be trained to be hand fed. In the areas where this cichlid is naturally occurring they are usually referred to as guapote (guapote blanco) or lagunero in Spanish and as rainbow or gold bass in English speaking regions all these names are describing just one fish and that is the wolf cichlid or in the US they are usually refereed to as dovii.
The wolf cichlid is one of the largest growing of the cichlidae family; The dovii is somewhat similar in appearance to the jaguar cichlid (Parachromis managuensis), however the dovii is larger and stockier, and a dark, solid, unbroken band runs horizontally thought the flank of the fish; in contrast jaguar cichlid possesses a series of large spots along the flank. Base color of the Wolf cichlid is gold, and well-kept specimens will take on a beautiful lavender color. They have random black spots all over their body and the young juveniles are gold with a black horizontal stripe.
Big and mean best describes this wolf cichlid. Dovii are known for their aggression, so tank mates need to compete with their temperament and size. It is recommended that these fish are kept in a large species tank with no tank mates to avoid issues. They will eat anything small enough to fit in their mouth, and will not hesitate to beat or kill more docile tank mates.
Feed pellets, frozen foods like silversides and krill, and earthworms on occasion. This fish is a substrate spawners. Wolf Cichlids are widely regarded as one of the most vicious cichlids available to aquarists; though many specimens may not live up to this reputation they are still considered wolf cichlid as extremely, strong and powerful cichlid with winning personality.
Breeding can be achieved with very little effort and no specific requirements are needed for breeding purposes. As long as water conditions are maintained at a desirable high quality, I use nitrates denitrator freshwater filtering systems in my opinion this type of filter is worth every penny what we as hobbyists fail to mention is the nitrate filter will greatly reduce the need for water changes in your fish tanks, saving you time, money, and reducing the stress on your Wolf Cichlids a breeding pair of such fish will readily spawn. The aquarium must be large 250 minimum to 500 gallon for a breeding pair of wolf cichlids. As with all members of its genus, these fish are large and heavily built cichlids that produce large amounts of body waste.
dovii Breeding/Reproduction
The Wolf Cichlid or Dovii Cichlid has been bred in captivity. They are substrate spawners and both parents will care for the young. When a pair is formed out of a group, the male should not be too hard on the female. Often times a male will excessively beat up on the female. In this case a divider with the bottom open just large enough to let the eggs be fertilized would be needed.
The female will lay over 1,000 of eggs that hatch in 5 days. The fry are free swimming in a few more days. The young can eat baby brine and other meaty preparations, and offer larger sized foods as they grow. Sort the fry by size as they grow as well, or the larger siblings will eat the smaller ones. The Wolf Cichlid is sexually mature at 10 to 14 months and will spawn about every 4 weeks.
To enhance the likelihood of acquiring a breeding pair, purchase several healthy very young and active juveniles at a young age (between 1” -2”) and grow these specimens until sexual maturity. Generally, you should have at least two breeding pairs. These fish will noticeably become more aggressive and territorial, Remove all other fish at this point and keep the newly formed breeding pair separate.
When a breeding pair had been successfully established, the male will begin to court the female by displaying his erect finnage to the female as he tries to impress her in an attempt for her to accept his mating invitation. The pair will begin to clean a flat surface if the female is responsive of the male's previous courting behavior. The female will then lay approximately 1000 - 2000 orange colored eggs which will then be fertilized by the male wolf cichlid.
The eggs will be vigorously guarded by both Dovii, parents and the amount of parental care is always shown to the eggs as well as the fry. When the eggs 'hatch' after approximately 5 -7 days as you can see in the video, both parents fan the eggs, the eggs should hatch after about 4 days into what we call "wrigglers"; the offspring (known as wrigglers in this stage in development) wrigglers cannot swim, consequently the name, and the wigglers do not need to be fed, because each wriggler has a yolk sac attached to their stomach and the wigglers feed off their yolk sack.
The wriggler stage lasts approximately 5 days, after which the fry become free swimming. Further it is not uncommon for one or both wolf parents will often transport the young into pre dug pits and are guarded the pit and again dig another pit and move the young again. Once the fry only become free swimming you will need to start feeding the fry; the best thing to feed the fry is frozen baby brine shrimp and quality high protein pellets ground to fine powder.
The fry will begin to swim in approximately 7 days and should be fed with baby brine shrimp or alike. If you would like to rear these fry, they should be removed at this point as they will later be consumed by both parents as the female becomes due to spawn once more. Feed the fry baby brine shrimp until the stage where they are large enough to consume white worm, daphnia and other live foods.
When you purchase your young wolf fish in an attempt to acquire a breeding pair, try to buy fish from different sources. There is a high probability that when buying fish from the same source, fish will be from the same parents (siblings). Breeding fish in this manner may form offspring with genetic disorders usually associated with interbreeding; always buy your young wolf fish are of a similar size.
dovii Aquarium
The aquarium should be large (250 gallons or 947.35295 liters or 500 gallons or 1892.7059 liters) for a breeding pair of wolf cichlids. As with all members of this genus, these fish are large and heavily built cichlids that are aggressive and highly territorial. Decor could be kept to a minimum in such an aquarium and sand or fine gravel should be used as the main substrate. If you desire some landscaping either glue rock together or use a very large flower pots placed on it side if you want to include caves for female Dovii; for the substrate use many pieces of flat slate or rock should also be included for the female to lay her eggs upon; remember this fish is a digger and prefers to rearrange their habit. Include large moss balls or ping pond balls this is highly intelligent fish and suffer from extreme curiosity and boredom always leads to aggression.
wolf cichlid Care and Feeding
The wolf cichlid or dovii is a carnivore, a predator that feeds on primarily other smaller fish, along with crustaceans and insects in the wild. In the aquarium they can have a pellet base foods but must be supplemented with fish, shrimp, earthworms, and other meaty foods; they prefer floating foods according to one fish keeper. Consider only feeding them frozen, since live fish can carry disease, unless you are willing to grow a ton of feeders on your own.
Keep in mind that giving them live foods makes them much more aggressive naturally. Fed them no more than 3 times a day and feed them only enough food they can eat in 5 minutes. Then do not feed them for 1.5 to 2 days once every other week this is the same as in the wild. Further this will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish require vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
Remember this is a big cichlid that requires a lot of free swimming space, a tank of over 120 gallons is suggested for their long term care. Ideally 150 gallons for a female and 200 gallons for a male should be provided and over 300 gallons if you attempt to breed them. They need good water movement along with strong and efficient filtration. The female wolf cichlid requires and needs many hiding places to protect herself from the male wolf cichlid.
Provide lots of rocks, bog wood and tunnels to dig under with sandy or fine gravel substrate. Put large heavy rocks on the glass, not on the substrate because they dig under everything and falling rocks can crack your glass aquarium and scratch your acrylic tank. Glue desired rock formations together or your Wolf Cichlid will have other plans for your perfectly placed rock tower, just leave some rocks and stuff for them to move that where the large moss ball and ping pong balls come in; Decorating with tough plants is also possible, though strong light levels can cause algae growth. Do water changes of Water changes of 20 - 40% up to twice a week, give or take depending on your water quality.
dovii Diet
The Parachromis are not fussy eaters and will readily accept most food substances offered. Cichlid pellets are a good daily food. Diet should be varied however. Offer a variety of insect, including white worms, crickets (for larger specimens). Chopped meat can also be offered along with frozen finely chopped chicken no bones, frozen halibut, frozen salmon, frozen krill, small/medium silkworms are for medium and large aquarium fish of all types of cichlids excellent for Oscars, Cichlids, Large Angelfish, Barbs and many more; according to many animal experts, Silkworms are one of the healthiest insects you can feed your fish and other pets. Silkworms are low in fat content, are a high source of Calcium, Protein, Iron, Magnesium, Sodium and Vitamins B1, B2, and B3. Silkworms; do provide the essential variety required to maintain healthy cichlids. but never beef heart (due to its high fat content) along with prawn, wheat germ, Hikari Tropical Food Sticks and high quality pellet carnivore food.
Supplement your meat-eating fish's diet with this complete nutritional package. Carnivore diets generally lack a lot of necessary elements. Food Sticks fill in the remaining gaps by providing a full assortment of essential vitamins and minerals to promote health and enhance coloration and (/frozen) Silversides frozen fish. Frozen fish is a much preferred method of feeding fish as many "feeder fish" carry the risk of the introducing disease into your aquarium, possibly harming your breeding wolf cichlid. I can speak to this I feed my Moray Ells and my Ribbon Ells feeder fish and approximately year they would die when I stopped feeding (feeder fish) to my ells and only frozen fish I’m happy to say they are doing fine and are now approximately eight year old.
Sexing
Females tend to be smaller than males but in some cases can grow just as big or as bigger than their spawn mates. The gold/yellow coloration is more prominent in the females, especially during courtship, breeding and raising fry. The male's dorsal and ventral fins are also much more elongated than the female's. Males tend to have more spots and will take on a beautiful lavender color comport varies on individual females or males and situations but aggression is usually to be expected during courtship and spawning periods.
Water chemistry
pH of 7.0 - 8.0 preferably;
Temperature of 23.9-27.8°C (75 -82 °F)
Water Hardness 15-20 °d
Stocking Ratio
1:1 M:F
Size of Wolf Cichlid
65-72 cm (25.6-30.") This fish grows to a length of 30" (72 cm).
Diet
Carnivore
Pellet Foods
Flake Foods
Live Food
Life Span Wolf Cichlid
8-12 years
Wild Wolf Cichlid Habitat
Central America
Family
Cichlidae
Parachromis dovii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Parachromis dovii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae
Genus: Parachromis
Species: P. dovii
Binomial name
Parachromis dovii
(Günther, 1864)
Infection/Diseases
The dovii cichlids are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish. One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions. A copper test can be used to keep the proper levels. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication treatment. Intestinal disease can be treated with metronidazol.
Wolf Cichlid Water Region: Top, Middle or Bottom: These fish will swim in the middle areas of the aquarium.
Social Behaviors: This is not a community fish, it is a predator that is territorial and aggressive and even more aggressive when spawning. The Wolf Cichlid can be kept alone, or as a mated pair. Other Wolf Cichlids in the tank will be killed by the dominant male.
This fish can only be kept with larger fish that have the same temperament and cannot be swallowed. The Wolf Cichlid will even try to consume a larger fish that is mellower than it by ripping it to pieces if it cannot swallow it whole. The mixed aquarium must be hundreds of gallons with rocks used to form natural territory borders and lots of hiding places for the other fish. It is not suggested to house them with any other fish and they are best served in a species specific tank. If you live in a warm area, they can be kept in a pond.
Sexual Differences: Males are larger, and the females are mostly yellow.
Availability: The Wolf Cichlid or Dovii Cichlid are sometimes available online and sometimes in fish stores. They will run about $10.00 USD for 2” very young dovii juveniles and if you raise dovii you too should sell at 1.5" to 2".
