Rainbow cichlasoma

synspilum-cichlid

The rainbow cichlasoma is a large aquarium fish. Dwelling for it needs a large. But the original shape and coloring of this fish and even more its behavior level such annoying little things as an aquarium for half a room. A true lover of cichlids will definitely try to get acquainted with this species closer. At least in the fry age, taking care of their transfer to a more spacious fish farm, when the native man-made herd will become cramped.

classification
kingdomAnimals
TypeChordates
ClassRadial fish
SquadPerch
FamilyCichlids
RodCichlasoma
ViewCichlasoma synspilum

Synonyms, names in other languages:, Cichlasoma synspilum, Cichlasoma redhead Paratherpas Synspilum, Red-headed cichlid, Vieja synspila.

Habitat: Central America. Lowland slow-flowing or standing waters of Guatemala. Occurs occasionally in brackish waters.

Rainbow cichlasoma description

It appeared in the Soviet Union around 1980. However, it was not widely spread due to the small volumes of indoor aquariums at that time.

Cichlasoma rainbow is a large fish. In the wild reaches 30 centimeters. Behind the glass aquarium more often has the size of up to 20 centimeters. The body is elongated slightly flattened from the sides. The head is large with the same large eyes and a huge mouth. The male has a well-defined fatty tubercle on the forehead.

Body coloration is variable. It may be golden yellow, greenish-blue or reddish. The head is more often red or crimson in color. The scale plates are black-edged. The tail stem has a dark spot with irregular outlines.

The fins are transparent, often with a turquoise tint. Dorsal and anal fins, as in all cichlids, stretch to the base of the tail and end in a kind of braid. Supposed life expectancy in captivity about 10 years. Sexual maturity reached by the end of the second year of life. Omnivorous. Relatively peaceful. Married couples form in the first year of life, and if fate does not interfere, remain faithful to the chosen one for life.

Rainbow cichlasoma sex differences

As indicated earlier, the male bears a peculiar ornament on the forehead – a fatty outgrowth. The female of this species is deprived of this insignia. In addition, during spawning in the male appears in the area of the anus a small pointed seminal tube. The female has a trapezoidal ovipositor in the same place.

Rainbow cichlasoma content

Content is relatively uncomplicated, as with most cichlids.

Aquarium volume: The vessel for keeping a pair of these fish should be at least 150 liters.

Aquarium soil: You can use small pebbles, gravel or even quartz sand as soil.

Any of the substrates before use should be properly washed so that there will be no turbidity when the cichlasomes will take up their favorite activity – digging the soil. At the bottom should be built from large stones several grottoes sizes, which should exceed the size of the fish.

It is also necessary to divide the bottom with “rocks” into segments with a width of approximately 40 centimeters. These measures will allow neighbors to divide the territory into zones of influence and less conflict in the struggle for a place under the sun. And especially tired of worldly vanities will be able to seclude themselves in a cave carefully provided by you. In addition, caves grottoes gorges will help to hide the weaker individual from the aggression of the male, while you find other ways to solve the problem. Although it may not arise at all, it is better to consider all options in advance.

synspillum
Цихлазома радужная

Plants for aquarium decoration

Well, it’s not an aquarium without plants. It’s like a trough of live fish in a frying pan. Although there is no arguing about taste. To green friends survived in the neighborhood with cichlasomes need to select species with large stiff leaves and well-developed root system. You can also plant plants in flower pots, which are then masked by large stones. So that our underwater architects can not pull them away. You can also use plants that float in the water column, such as elodea Canadian. True it can be eaten, but its rapid growth can compensate for the appetite of our pets. On the surface you can let a few bushes of floating plants. You can also try to use riccia or cassava.

Water parameters: The temperature in the tank for stationary keeping can be between 24° – 27° Celsius. pH= 7°. Hardness between 8 and 20°dH.

Lighting: The cichlasoma is indifferent to light. As long as it is not total darkness and not super bright, as on the sunny side of Venus. Therefore, the lighting should be selected accordingly to the needs of your chosen plants, and so that you were comfortable to observe the inhabitants of your room lake.

Filtration is necessary

For all cichlasmas require mechanical, biological filtration and increased aeration. If the water will be contaminated with protein metabolism products or there will be sharp fluctuations in hardness or acidity of the medium, the fish will start skin inflammation, which will be manifested by brown spots of irregular outlines. Do you need it?

Rainbow cichlasoma Compatibility

Compatibility: A cichlid is a cichlid, no matter how iridescent, no matter how gray-brown and crimson. It seems to be, like, does not touch anyone. But it guards its territory like a kamikaze samurai. “We don’t want anyone else’s, but we won’t give them ours either.” Therefore, if you intend to keep several representatives of the fauna of the American continent, the first thing you need is a capacity of three hundred liters and more. The more, the better. Secondly, all “neighbors” should be approximately the same size. And approximately the same harm.

cichlasoma-synspilum
На этом фото ясно видно почему ее называют красноголовой

For example, acara blue-spotted can be very unfortunate if the rainbow cichlasoma decides that they in this world do not live together… Reduce aggression can be a joint cultivation of fry, territorial division of the reservoir with the help of “rocks”, thickets of plants. Obligatory presence of shelters total number exceeding the number of fish. Grottoes and caves should be larger than the largest fish. These structures must be made well, so that they do not collapse on a living creature, looking for shelter in them.

Nutrition: Rainbow cichlasoma is omnivorous, but 80% of the diet should be animal food. Moths, earthworms, fish fillets, live small fish, clams, shrimp, frozen and dry food. The need for plant food can be satisfied with lettuce leaves, nettles, dandelion.

Rainbow cichlasoma Propagation

Breeding can also be done in a common vessel, but it is better to equip a separate spawning ground. The volume of about 150 liters. At the bottom is necessarily the presence of several grottoes with a wide entrance and a flat wide stone on the bottom. Spawning is stimulated by raising the temperature by 1-2 ° C and changing two volumes of water to fresh water during the week. When the cichlasomes rainbow, finally understand what you want from them they sweep out up to five hundred eggs on a favorite pre-cleaned stone. All cichlasomes are good parents and rainbow cichlasomes are no exception. They will carefully take care of the eggs, and subsequently the fry.

Incubation lasts from 2 to 6 days depending on the ambient temperature. After this period, the larvae will emerge. And after about a week they will take a horizontal position, turning into fry, and swim in search of food under the supervision of mom and dad. Starter food small crustaceans – Artemia nauplii, daphnia, cyclops. As the growth of young fish should be sorted by size and transfer to larger types of food. And also it is time to think about where you will share all this flock.

Rainbow cichlasoma Additional information

All cichlid lovers are convinced that their pets are endowed with intelligence (not to be confused with reason). This is probably true to some extent. Dolphins can, like dogs can be friends with humans. Cichlasomes also get used to their master very quickly. Can distinguish him from other people. They take food from his hands, allow themselves to be stroked and even taken out of the water. What a level of trust in a person! How to dispose of this trust – depends only on him. We hope that he will turn out to be a Man.

The rainbow cichlasoma has another behavioral trait. When stressed, it may mimic helplessness or even death (although this may not be an imitation). It rolls onto its side, swims in circles or spirals. It may lie motionless on its side for a while, as if dead. As the fish calms down it returns to normal behavior.

Whether it is an imitation or she really feels so bad is known only to her. Therefore, I would not intentionally create conditions for such behavior.

Another interesting feature. However, it does not appear in all individuals. Fighting coloration – at a conflict with a neighbor on the frontal outgrowth of the male several transverse stripes appear, which disappear as the conflict is settled.

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