Color: Like above Pristella Riddlei but has a black and white line down
the anal fin.
Breeding Habits and Temperament: like Pristella.
JEWEL FISH: HEMICHROMIS BIMACULATUS
(Africa)
[Illustration: average size]
Color: Body bright scarlet blending to rich olive on back. Emerald dots
(jewels) in irregular lines cover body and vertical fins.
Frequently difficult to obtain mated pair.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—eggs are deposited on smooth stone or flower
pot, to which they adhere. During incubation (about 30 hours) one
parent stands guard, constantly fanning to circulate water over
eggs. Fry are unable to swim first three days so parents make
hollow in sand where fry are placed and guarded. After fry can
swim, they form school with parents in center. Remove parents when
fry are about one-fourth grown or sooner. Parents must not be
excited or they will eat spawn or fry.
Temperature: 70° to 90° F. Fry above 75° F. Breed best at 80° F.
Maturity: 10 to 14 months.
Temperament: Very savage—male frequently attacks carefully mated female.
* * * * * * * *
To spawn Cichlids (Jewel, Angel, Orange Chromide, Blue Acara and
Mouthbreeder) purchase several young fish—bring them to maturity
together. When ready for breeding a mated pair will be found associating
together and separated from the others.
Avoid disturbing Cichlids, any disturbance or noise may cause them to
devour their eggs or young.
ANGEL FISH: PTEROPHYLLUM SCALARE
(Amazon River, S. A.)
[Illustration: Reduced]
Color: Bright silver, black bars, body very thin. Black bars disappear
when disturbed or frightened. Difficult to distinguish sex.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—very difficult to breed. Prefer sides of
aquarium or Sagittaria Gigantea for depositing eggs. Eggs are
fanned constantly by parents. Fry appear in about 8 days; guarded,
and transferred from one plant to another or depression in sand,
by parents. Fry swim in about a week and resemble thread like
worms. Remove parents when fry begin to swim. Feed infusoria. Fry
take shape of scalare in 3 to 5 weeks.
Temperature: 70° to 90° F. 85° for spawning.
Maturity: One to one and a half years. Growth depends upon quality and
quantity of food and size of tank. Angel fish should have as much
live food as possible, largest tank available.
Temperament: Peaceful. Easily frightened. Keep in large well planted
aquarium otherwise they may dart against sides and kill
themselves. Should be fed live food frequently. Large specimens
are not recommended for community tank.
BLUE ACARA: AEQUIDENS LATIFRONS
(Central America)
[Illustration: one half size]
Color: Yellowish brown with several dark vertical bands. One of these
bands widens in center of the body into a spot. Lines of shining
blue dots cover the entire body. Dorsal, anal and caudal are wine
red with rows of blue and blue-green spots. Both sexes similar,
female slightly subdued in color.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—Mate fish of approximately the same size.
Provide a clean flower pot for the fish to deposit their spawn.
The adhesive eggs are placed on the inside of the flower pot and
are then fertilized by the male. Eggs are fanned by the parents
and fry appear in 3 or 4 days. Parents prepare a depression in the
sand and taking the newly hatched fry in their mouths deposit them
into these holes where they are carefully guarded by the parents.
Young live in a swarm in this “nest” for several days. Then they
swim freely and must be fed infusoria. Parents may be removed soon
after fry swim freely. The Blue Acara is hardy, prolific, easily
spawned, and the fry are hardy and develop rapidly.
Temperature: 70° to 85° F.
Maturity: Breed in about 8 months.
Temperament: Not peaceful—except with very large fish.
MOUTH BREEDER: HAPLOCHROMIS STRIGIGENA
(Egypt)
[Illustration: one half size]
Color: Body light blue gray—fins yellowish—head very massive.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—deposit spawn in depression in sand. After
spawning is completed female picks up eggs and carries them in her
mouth. Water is circulated over eggs by a chewing movement. Female
refuses food during period she carries eggs. Male should be
removed as soon as female picks up eggs as he may bother her. Fry
appear in about two weeks, but at the slightest sign of danger
rush back into the mother’s mouth. This continues until fry are
too large for the maternal jaw. Female should be removed when fry
are about 5 weeks old. Because of “fast” while carrying eggs,
should be bred but 2 or 3 times a year.
Temperature: 70° to 85° F.
Maturity: 12 to 14 months.
Temperament: Rather vicious.
ORANGE CHROMIDE: (below) ETROPLUS MACULATUS
(India)
Color: Golden orange, 3 blue-black dots on sides crossed by rows of
small reddish dots. Dorsal brown, anal and pectorals dark. Sex
difficult to distinguish.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—Spawn on flower pot or stones placed in the
aquarium. Fry hatch in about 4 days and are moved into pits in
sand. Fry swim freely in about 6 days. Remove parents in about two
weeks.
Temperature: 70° to 80° F.
Maturity: about 6 to 8 months.
Temperament: Usually peaceful in large well planted tank.
THREE-SPOT GOURAMI: TRICHOGASTER TRICHOPTERUS
(India)
[Illustration: average size]
Color: Silvery olive with black spot in center of body, another at
caudal base—the eye making the third spot.
Breeding Habits: Same as Dwarf Gourami.
Temperature: 70° to 85° F.
Maturity: 10 months.
Temperament: Not recommended for community tank.