FRESHWATER FISH Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum The convict cichlid is a territorial fish which you will often find playing bulldozers in your aquarium! It is best therefore to avoid plants or delicately positioned rockwork. Selective breeding has gradually evolved a xanthochromic (golden) variety, which is just as belligerent. Both strains can interbreed with the redheaded cichlid, but […]
Mesonauta festivus (Old genus name Cichlasoma) Unlike other Cichlids, the flag cichlid - sometimes called the festive cichlid, and not to be confused with the other flag cichlid, Aequidens curviceps - lays its eggs on vertical surfaces, while the larvae are subsequently attached to another support by the parents. A temperamental fish: keep it separate […]
In general these prefer slightly acidic, soft conditions, and sometimes appear sensitive to any change in water quality. The aquarium (300-400 liters minimum for the largest species) must be equipped with hiding places and an efficient filtration system. Feeding is no problem: these fish particularly appreciate live prey and fresh foods. They deposit their […]
Cichlids have acquired a none-too-flattering reputation for trouble - persistently quarreling with other (and their own) species and wrecking the decor. But this is not always the case. There are more than 1,500 species (related to the European perch), which throng the freshwater areas of America, Africa, and, to a lesser extent, Asia. Often quite […]
HEMIRHAMPHIDAE - GOODEIDAE THE POECILIIDAE: CROSSES AND VARIETIES There are very few aquarists who have seen, let alone owned, the wild stock from which captive varieties are descended. These varieties do not exist in Nature, but they are readily obtainable commercially. Some aquarists enter their prize specimens for shows, where they are judged on color, […]
Xiphophorus variatus The variegated platy has fewer varieties than X. maculatus, with which it can be crossed. The female can produce up to 100 fry. Size: 5 cm. Xiphophorus montezumae This is the Montezuma swordtail. Most swordtails - the specimen illustrated here is a feral variety - have shorter “swords” than X. helleri. […]
POECILIIDAE A LIVEBEARER FOR THE BEGINNER: THE PLATY XIPHOPHORUS MACULATUS In addition to the guppy, the platy or Xiphophorus maculatus is an ideal starter fish. There are many varieties available commercially. They produce about 50 fry, and you can cross the platy with the swordtail and Xiphophorus variatus (variegated platy or “variatus”). Common varieties of […]
Poecilia velifera The Yucatan sailfin molly has an overdeveloped dorsal fin. A black variety exists, but it is less common than the “gold”; the latter is rather incongruously named, since it is practically an albino, as its red eyes imply. Breeding is straightforward, and even easier if you raise the temperature a few degrees. The […]
POECILIIDAE The Poeciliidae inhabit considerable areas of the American continent, favoring hard, alkaline, and sometimes even slightly brackish conditions where the water is rich in plant life and normally calm. This is a family of active, energetic fish, ideal for the beginner. They will accept any form of food, including small, live prey, but appreciate […]