Cichlazoma Eliot: photo, spawning, disease

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Eliot cichlazoma is a bright exotic fish with a catchy iridescent coloration and curious behavior. This cichlid has a small body size and is quite accommodating for a predator. Thanks to three virtues - beauty, small size and calm temperament - this inhabitant of aquariums has gained wide popularity among fish lovers.

In nature

Cichlazoma's natural habitats are in Central America, in the slow waters of Mexico's Rio Papaloapan. The fish live in flocks near the sandy shores, they prefer shallows with a lot of fallen leaves. The water in the river is muddy, with sand suspension. Plants are scarce.

Appearance

Cichlazoma eliot is a medium-sized fish. It is often confused with another member of the cichlid family, the meek cichlid. Indeed, they resemble the shape of the body and have a similar color. However, Eliot's cichlomas are brighter and more elegant. They look equally gorgeous both against the background of light and against the background of dark natural soil. Eliot cichlazoma, the photo of which you will see in this article, can decorate any aquarium.

Colorthe body of the fish is gray-brown. There are darker stripes on the sides. Black spots are located on the sides and gills, the abdomen is bright scarlet, and the tail is blue. The entire body, from head to tail, is strewn with iridescent blue dots.

The fins are large, anal and dorsal are strongly pointed. Against the background of other representatives of the cichlid family, the size of the cichlid is small, no more than 12 cm. The fish lives long enough, 10-15 years.

Content advantage

Compared to its other relatives, cichlazoma eliot is considered a fairly unpretentious species that is suitable for beginner aquarists. These fish quickly adapt to new conditions and are undemanding in keeping. Also, lovers of cichlids note that they are practically omnivorous and picky in their diet. Another obvious plus of this type of cichlazoma is its calm character. This is one of the most peaceful cichlids that can live in a community aquarium. True, the good nature of the fish disappears instantly when they begin to prepare for spawning.

Food

Cichlomas have a good appetite. They are happy to eat artificial feed: various granules, flakes, tablets. They love live and frozen food: bloodworms, coretra, tubifex, daphnia, brine shrimp, cyclops, gammarus. However, you should be careful with live food, as cichlomas are prone to overeating and suffer from various diseases of the digestive system. Without restriction, you can offer vegetables, fruits and herbs: green salad, dandelion, cucumber, zucchini, carrot, apple.

Gender differences

Mature cichlazoma do not have obvious differences between female and male. However, in a group it is not difficult to distinguish them. Males are brighter in color, larger than females, and have longer fins.

Maintenance and Care

Cichlazoma eliot is undemanding to the conditions of detention, but the aquarium will need a large one - from 100 liters per couple. Water temperature - 24-28 degrees, acidity - 7, 5-8 pH, hardness - 8-25 dH.

Sand or other fine, soft soil is ideal as a substrate, as fish like to dig in it in search of food. In this case, the particles of the soil of the fish are released through the gills, so there should be no pieces with sharp edges.

Stones, grottoes, driftwood are used as decor. The aquarium should have a lot of hiding places, but also enough space for swimming. If the natural habitat is simulated, then fallen oak leaves should be placed on the bottom.

Plants are acceptable in the aquarium, but fish do just fine without them. Since cichlazomas like to dig in the ground, the plants need to be well strengthened or planted in pots.

The purity of water is of great importance. Filtration and aeration, weekly soil siphoning and water changes are required.

Compatibility

Eliot cichlids become aggressive during spawning. The rest of the time, small skirmishes are possible in order to show superiority. Can be kept with cichlazomes similar in character to meeka, severum and Nicaraguan and with bluish-spotted acara. Get along well withswordtails, ancistrus and tarakatums.

Breeding

How does cichlazoma eliot reproduce? Spawning can take place both in a separate and in a common aquarium. You should know that cichlomas choose their own mate on their own. You can't put any female and any male together and expect them to breed. As a rule, they buy a small flock of 6-10 teenagers and keep them together until pairs are formed.

Breeding is not difficult. The fish become sexually mature when they reach a body length of 6-7 cm. The formed pair occupies the territory (in the general aquarium, the area for each pair should be somewhat isolated with the help of stones and plants). The spawning area should have a smooth, flat rock or piece of clay pot.

The female lays from 100 to 500 eggs on a pebble, and the male fertilizes them. After three days, the larvae appear. The new parents take them to the nest, where they will stay until they consume the contents of their yolk sacs.

At the age of 6-8 days, the larvae begin to swim. How does cichlazoma eliot care for offspring? The fry are under the protection of their parents, who violently drive away any other fish. Cichlomas take care of their offspring until the cubs grow to a size of 1-2 cm.

You need to feed the fry with live dust, brine shrimp nauplii, as they grow - with daphnia and cyclops. You can use fry food or grated flakes, but in this case, the young growth will be slower. If you're afraidthat the fry will be eaten, you can transfer them to another aquarium.

Diseases

Does Eliot cichlazoma often get sick? Diseases are most often associated with overeating and malnutrition. The fish cannot be fed with only one type of food, variety is needed. Be sure to arrange fasting days every week and avoid obesity.

Another threat to fish he alth is dirty water. Because of it, skin diseases, for example, dermatomycosis, can occur. In addition, an excess of nitrates and ammonia in aquarium water poisons the fish. If this threatens adults with illness and deterioration of well-being, then the fry die very quickly.

The walls and bottom of the aquarium must be cleaned of decaying organic matter every week, otherwise the water will increase the content of hydrogen sulfide, which is also dangerous to he alth. In general, Eliot's cichlazoma is in good he alth and, with proper care, is extremely rarely sick.

Eliot cichlids are unpretentious, look good in an aquarium and are distinguished by interesting behavior. Thanks to their accommodating nature and unpretentiousness, these fish are perfect for beginners.