Flamingo fish: description, content features and reviews

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

How curious to watch the life of small swimming creatures in aquariums! In small flocks or singly, small fish swim in it. Some of them move very quickly, while others freeze in place for a long time. The aquarium with extraordinary flamingo cichlazoma fish looks original. They are distinguished by a delicate light pink color and small size. With these benthic inhabitants, the landscape of the aquarium takes on a romantic touch.

Attractive appearance

Flamingo cichlazoma is the most attractive and mysterious representative of the water world. Until now, it has not been established how an aquatic inhabitant with such a pale pink color appeared. Is it the result of mutation, selection, or just a manifestation of albinism? Many try to get this mysterious pale beauty in their aquarium. White and slightly pink shadesher body resembles a graceful flamingo, hence the name.

Aquarium pink flamingo fish have a body shape typical of cichlids. These fish are directly related to the perch-like order. They are characterized by a high forehead, set back upper and lower fins, which are slightly pressed.

The tail fin of the flamingo fish is neat and small. The eyes, like black beads, stand out favorably against a slightly pink torso. The fins are more pink in color than the body. Males are slightly larger. But the females are distinguished by a more saturated color of the scales.

Flamingo fish belong to the cichlid family, capable of living not only in aquariums, but also in streams and lakes. Some individuals adapt to life in brackish water. In nature, they are found in the reservoirs of Central America, the African continent, Florida, Indonesia. An adult can reach a length of up to 8 cm. This is a very peaceful cichlid that behaves unpretentiously.

Content Requirements

Caring for these aquarium inhabitants is not difficult at all. Keeping flamingo fish is not very demanding:

• Choose an aquarium with a volume of 50 liters or more. Small containers are not suitable for cichlids because they get dirty quickly.
• Constantly aerate and filter.
• Lighting choose the best: not too bright and dark. Diffused light is best.
• Pink cichlazoma love to dig in the mud, eat roots, young shootsplants, so do not choose sandy soil for them.
• Choose plants with a developed root system. They can be planted in separate pots and placed on the bottom of the aquarium.
• Create a unique atmosphere in the pond, many passages, accumulations of stones, artificial labyrinths. It is possible to use fine gravel, medium-sized pebbles.

Feeding process

Feeding flamingos is no problem. In nature, they feed on small crustaceans, insects, and algae. They can be fed with dry, frozen and live food. Live food is a real delicacy for them. For a piece of delicacy, young animals can arrange a real fight.

What species does it get along with?

Calm and balanced cichlazoma admits most fish of its size to itself. But during spawning, the female shows character. At this time, she does not want to be near small fish that irritate her. Flamingo drives away guppies and neons. A spacious aquarium allows you to settle the following cohabitants with cichlazoma:

• Ancitrus;
• zebrafish;
• small apistograms;
• Akaru Curviceps.

You can watch the behavior of fish in the aquarium in the video above.

Diseases of flamingo aquarium fish

The pinkish fish has no specific specific diseases. Like all cichlids, it can be affected by a hole disease called hexamitosis. It manifests itself as small lesions on the skin.pets. The development of such a disease can be affected by poor-quality food, poor nutrition, the content of parasites in the reservoir. Fish begin to feel bad at a temperature of +29 ° C. In such conditions, their immunity decreases.

The peculiarity of reproduction

Flamingo fish breed in spring and summer. For some time, females lay eggs several times. To stimulate the spawning of these fish, you need to raise the temperature of the water in the aquarium by 2 ° C. It is also important to change it one third for freshness. When the females are ready to breed, they become a richer pink color. Males begin to demonstrate to their partners all their charm, circling around the chosen ones. The resulting couples remain faithful to each other throughout their lives. The male is easy to recognize in the aquarium by a kind of "bump" on his forehead.

We continue to consider the reproduction of female flamingo fish. As soon as a couple is formed, she begins to prepare a secluded place for herself. You can put the fish in a separate container. After mating games, the female lays eggs, about 300 pieces. They are immediately fertilized by the male. The father patrols and guards the territory around the future offspring. He becomes so aggressive that at this moment all the fish, including the mother herself, are afraid of him. Such a "robber" is immediately sent away, shifting all worries about future offspring to the female.

Fry care

After a few days, fry emerge from the eggs. For food in the first two days of their life, ciliates, rotifers, daphnia are suitable, then -Artemia nauplii. If hatched larvae are not fed in time, they may die. You can use liquid branded food, boiled chopped yolk.

The growth of babies is rapid. Soon they are already feeding on larger live food, such as chopped bloodworms. The size of the food should be equal to the fry's eye.

Fish can eventually be transplanted into a convenient age aquarium. For them, it is enough to pick up a capacity of 20-30 liters. Toddlers should be spacious enough. It is desirable to filter the water.

At the age of 8-9 months, young animals reach sexual maturity. Soon they will form pairs themselves.

Feedback on keeping flamingo fish

Many aquarium fish lovers leave positive feedback about flamingos. From them it is clear that these pale pink creatures are unpretentious. They are quite active, constantly moving around in the aquarium. The white-pink body of these fish attracts the eye. Flamingos have no special taste claims. Some owners note that sometimes they prove to be real fighters.

Even non-professionals can handle flamingo fish. Some note that the fish like to build original houses in the corners of the aquarium. Later they lay their eggs in it. There are times when the parents themselves eat their offspring. The fish do not let anyone into their corner.

Owners also note that flamingos are picky eaters. They especially like the food in Tetra granules. In a day, you can fall asleep 1/3 tablespoon twice. Alsoit is advised to feed the cichlazoma with oatmeal, spinach, carrots, algae, cabbage. From live food, it is advised to use tubifex, earthworms, shrimps, small crustaceans.

From the reviews we can conclude that even novice aquarists can start white-pink fish. This is a fairly large and attractive fish that looks good in an aquarium. With its grace, beauty and natural charm, it is not inferior to a bright goldfish. In terms of popularity of all cichlases, the flamingo is in second place after the black-striped representatives of the species.