Salvini cichlazoma: content, compatibility, reproduction, photo

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

Cichlazoma salvini at a young age seems to be a nondescript gray fish that does not attract attention. However, upon reaching adulthood, she becomes bright, beautiful and simply catches the eye.

In nature

Cichlazoma Salvini was first described in the distant 1862 by German-born zoologist Albert Günther. These exotic fish live in the waters of Central America. They are met in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala. They were also introduced to the US and spread to Texas and Florida.

Cichlomas prefer rivers with strong and medium currents. They are predators and feed on small fish, invertebrates and insects. Unlike other cichlases, Salvini do not hide near snags and stones, but actively hunt in open spaces.

Description

What does cichlazoma salvini look like? Photos show that this is a brightly colored medium-sized fish. Cichlazoma can grow to a considerable size - up to 22 cm, but usually in an aquarium it does not reach such a length and stops at 15-18 cm. Like all relatives,Salvini is territorial and aggressive. With good care can live up to 13 years.

The body of Salvini is elongated, oval, the muzzle is sharp. Young fish that have not reached puberty have an inconspicuous grayish-yellow color. Adult cichlazoma is brightly colored. The main color is yellow, but along the body there are longitudinal black stripes. One continuous black stripe runs straight along the central line of the body, the second is interrupted, breaking up into separate spots on the back and upper fin. Abdomen and anal fin are red.

Features in content

For beginner aquarists, Salvini cichlazoma will be difficult to maintain, even though it is not demanding on water parameters. To keep one pair of Salvini, you will need an aquarium of 200 liters or more. And if you plan to keep them in company with other types of fish, then the volume will have to be increased by 2 times. Also, cichlases have an explosive temperament, they become especially aggressive during spawning.

Feeding

In nature, salvini cichlazoma is a predator. Representatives of this species feed on live food - fish, invertebrates, insects. When artificially kept, salvini are classified as omnivores, as they willingly eat all types of artificial, ice cream and live food.

The main food is usually special food for cichlids. However, in addition, you need to give frozen or live food - bloodworms, coretra, tubifex, brine shrimp, earthworms and cricket larvae. You also need to pamper the fish with green food -spinach, lettuce, dandelion, cucumber, zucchini and other chopped vegetables. Some hobbyists feed their pets frozen seafood, live fish and shrimp.

Contents

How to care for a fish like cichlazoma salvini? The content of these beauties, although not particularly difficult, is beyond the power of beginners. The main problems are brought by the quarrelsome nature of the fish.

Experts say that for a comfortable existence, one pair of cichlases will need a capacity of 200 liters or more. In a large aquarium, you can keep several individuals, adding 30-40 liters of water to each. Any soil can be used, but it is better to take small pebbles or granite chips. To plant plants with powerful roots, you will need a thick layer of soil from 8 cm.

At the bottom of the aquarium it is necessary to place shelters and grottoes made of stones and snags. These decorations will become a refuge for a fish that wants to hide from the aggressor. Usually cichlids destroy plants, but salvinis treat them more carefully.

Plants must have a strong root system. For example, cryptocorynes, echinodorus, pinnate, vallisneria, elodea are suitable. Cichlids are not demanding on the composition of water. Temperature - 24-26 degrees, acidity - 7-8, 5 pH, hardness - from 5 to 20 °dH.

Cichlazoma Salvini does not like too bright lighting and prefers shelters protected from the intense light of overhead lamps. If installed in the lid toopowerful lamps, then the fish will spend almost all the time in shelters and will not let you admire their bright colors. It will be enough power of fluorescent lamps 0.3 watts per liter of water.

Requires filtration and aeration, water must be clean and oxygenated. Every week you need to do a 20% water change and siphon the soil.

Compatibility

Who will cichlazoma salvini get along with? The compatibility of this species of fish is limited, as with other cichlids. Salvini is not very suitable for living in a community aquarium. Their neighbors cannot be small fish - guppies, neons, parsing or shrimps. Cichlids are predators that will perceive all small animals exclusively as food.

Cichlids are also territorial, which means they choose their site and fiercely guard it from other fish. However, they will not be perceived as competitors of sac-gill catfish and tarakatums. Salvini will be able to coexist with his relatives - cichlids of black stripe, managuan, meeka.

You need to understand that the larger the fish, the more spacious the aquarium should be. This becomes especially important during spawning, when the couple guards their site especially carefully. Plenty of hiding places, swimming space and plenty of feeding will help reduce aggression.

Gender differences

The male Salvini is much larger than the female. Its fins are long and pointed. The female is small and has a small dark spot on the underside of the operculum.

Breeding

How to spawncichlazoma salvini? Reproduction begins when the fish reach the age of 10-12 months. Even in adolescence, permanent couples are formed. Spawning can take place in both the spawning tank and the community tank if the tank is large enough.

During spawning, the pair becomes aggressive and at the same time shy. Excessive stress can lead to the death of offspring and parents. For spawning, an aquarium of 100 liters is enough. At the bottom there should be many shelters, grottoes. Spawning is stimulated by water changes and a temperature rise of 2-4 degrees.

A female will mark 500 eggs on a smooth stone, from which larvae will appear in 3 days. The fry are fed live dust, brine shrimp nauplii, crushed tubifex. In the nursery aquarium, the temperature should be exactly 26 degrees. Parents can be removed. If spawning takes place in a common aquarium, then the parents will take care of the offspring.

Tsihlazoma Salvini is a beautiful fish with interesting behavior and bright colors. She needs a spacious aquarium with plenty of hiding places and clean water. The motley cichlazoma looks especially good against the background of stone grottoes and green vegetation.