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.
Dwarf flag cichlid this is one of the easiest
dwarf Cichlids to breed. I had a pair in a 20 gal. community
tank spawn without even realizing it. I noticed all the other fish at the other
end of the tank
with the Dwarf flag cichlid male standing guard, while the female Dwarf flag cichlid swam around with her brood
behind her. I now have a pair in 10 gal. tank and feed them a good diet and
they look as if they are ready to spawn again.
The color change in the Dwarf flag cichlid male is
magnificent. Slightly acidic water,
good diet, plenty of plants and rocks, and success
is pretty much guaranteed.
Food and feeding
Dwarf flag cichlids always does best
on live or frozen foods. Earthworms, chopped finely, blood worms, brine shrimp,
and tubifex will bring out their full coloration.
Compatibility (temperament to other fish
species):peaceful
Preferred swimming area in the aquarium: Bottom levels
How Dwarf flag cichlid species reproduces: Spawning
So Easy to Raise, Easy to
Breed-Peaceful Dwarf Flag Cichlids
Origin Dwarf Flag Cichlids this species originates
from:South America
Dwarf flag cichlids
originate from the Amazon tributaries in South America
Sexing
The
Dwarf flag cichlid male is usually more brightly colored with extended dorsal and anal fins.
Breeding
Laetacara
curviceps will breed at a very young age. The pair should be conditioned on
live foods and the male will then commence to clean a spawning site, flat rocks
or a section of tank glass is the usual places. After a few days of spawning
the eggs should hatch but the fry will not be free swimmers until 5-7 days
later. The parents will share their duties of protecting the fry and sometimes
will move them in their mouths around the tank. The fry should be fed newly
hatched brine shrimp or crushed flake initially.
Laetacara curviceps
Laetacara curviceps, aka the
flag acara or dwarf flag cichlid is a dwarf cichlid lives in habits off
forested area streams or in sluggish tributaries and swamps off the main river
channels or slow-moving rivers and streams as well as ponds and lakes in the
vicinity of the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Flag acaras are commonly kept in
aquariums though they were more popular in the past; nowadays other dwarf
cichlids like apistos and rams have become the predominate favorites.
Laetacara curviceps is one
of several Laetacara species. All are small and make good aquarium inhabitants.
Several different species can be found at times through specialty organizations
like the American
Cichlid Association
This beautiful little
species was previously included in the genus Aequidens and is referred to as
such in older literature. The current genus name Laetacara was erected in 1986,
and is derived from the Latin word 'Laetus', meaning happy. This was settled
upon as the species it contains are often referred to as 'smiling' acaras, in
reference to the distinctive markings around their mouthparts. There are a
handful of undescribed species that have been tentatively placed in the genus.
L. sp. "Buckelkopf" and L. sp. "Orangeflossen", in
particular have achieved a fair degree of popularity in the hobby.
Characteristics of living
in the home aquarium
Step 1:
Selecting the Laetacara curvicepsspecies
is worthy choice; the flag acara very peaceful compared to most cichlids;
Step 2: Flag
acara will not uproot plants and well planted aquarium will be greatly
appreciated and is necessary for this dwarf cichlid;
Step 3: Laetacara
curvicepsadult male and female size
adult male can measure 3.6" (9cm). Females are smaller, approximately
2.8" (7cm).
Step 4: pH water range Flag acara prefers slightly acidic conditions,
recommendation in the range 5.5-7.0.
Step 5: Water hardness 2-10°dH
Step 6: Recommended
water temperature for Flag acara 24 - 29
°C ( 76 °F - 84 °F )
Step 7:
Add a number of broad leaved sword plants as well as a thicket of java moss and
some floating water sprite and they will soon be ready to spawn.
Step 8: Dwarf
flag cichlid require slightly soft and acidic water but are sometimes tolerant
of different conditions however it is important to try to keep water conditions
as close to their natural habitat as they experience in the wild.
Step 9: Flag
acaras are ideal for communities with other peaceful Amazon fish;
Step 10: Flag
acara tank mates could be tetras and apistos. However, you must be
careful in selecting Dwarf flag cichlids tank mates
as they are easily bullied by more
aggressive fish, even those that are much smallerRemember Laetacara curviceps species is shy and easily
intimidated and breeding will be limited if at all.
Step 11: Tank
size should be at least 30 gallon or larger the larger the aquarium the easier
to keep your tanks eco system balanced and clean conversely the smaller the
aquarium the more difficult it is to maintain water
quality, water flow, pH levels, temperature and build-ups of nitrogenous waste;
you will be required to indulged in 1000% more work for a 10 gallon or 38 liter
tank than you will need to do on 100 gallon or 379 liter tank.
Laetacara curviceps Diet and Food
Flag acara do best on live
or frozen foods.
earthworms chopped finely;
blood worms;
brine shrimp live or frozen;
white worms will bring out their full
coloration;
water fleas
Avoid tubifex worms they have been linked to bacteria that kill
cichlids.
Lifespan Dwarf flag cichlids
Anticipated and expected
lifespan is 2-4 years.
Breeding Laetacara curviceps
Step 1: Laetacara
curviceps, flag acaras will pair up
at a very young age as small as one and a half inches.
Step 2: The
dwarf flag cichlid will flare at each other when pairing up and will later swim
together and breed and they usually will stay with their mate for the rest of
their lives.
Step 3: Laetacara
curvicepsit never takes much to
trigger the breeding of flag acaras. Clear-cut beneficial living conditions are
more often enough;
Step 4:
For the flag acaras warm and clean water is mandatory and plentiful live food is
necessary;
Steps to Successful Eggs, Hatching, Wigglers, Free
Swimming Young
Step 1: Laetacara
curviceps prefer their eggs are usually laid on a leaf or upright structure or
on a flat surface but they can also dig a hole and spawn directly on gravel or
sand.
Step 2: Five
to seven days the eggs will hatch and become wiggler; this is when the hatchling
dwarf flag cichlid have hatched out of their eggs but are still attached to the
spawning surface feeding off their yolk sacs which are attached to their
stomachs.
Step 3: Subsequently
when the five to seven days of being wigglers have past the fish have almost
completely consumed their yolk sacs and become free swimming.
Step 4: Laetacara
curviceps free swimming young is very small but they can normally eat newborn
brine shrimp as their first food and crushed flakes. Laetacara curviceps young
can also be fed liquid fry food which is available at most fish or pet stores
with good care and frequent
water changesyou can raise quite a few from a single spawn and
sell the young.
Laetacara curviceps Parenting Skills
Step 1: Both
parents take turns guarding and protecting their eggs, wigglers, and fry.
Step 2: Laetacara
curviceps are dedicated as the parents however they sometimes become confused
and eat their own eggs.
Step 3: Laetacara
curviceps if they become fearful for
their brood's safety, Laetacara curviceps will pick up the fry in their mouth
and move them across the tank and some times the scoop up the eggs for no
apparent reason other than to take the eggs for a swim about.
Step 4: The
flag acaras will take turns moving the fry, one standing guard over the already
moved young.
Step 5: The
fry are protected by their parents until they are moderately large and can fend
for themselves.
