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This brown acara fish is one of the kindlier Cichlids. It grows to a length of 5-6 inches, and is comparable to the blue acara in colouring, but is far much more subdued. It is fairly simple to breed, even in smallish aquaria.
Sexing isn’t simple. An indication of the male is that he has much more spangles, which are most noticeable on the tail.
An additional distinctive feature of this species is the big, blunt head.
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One of the very best recognized Cichlids, the blue acara is a prolific breeder and of peaceful disposition. A fully grown blue acara will average 6 inches long and so lots of space should be allowed.
The body colouring is mainly of a greenish hue, with darker bands running vertically along the body. Under the eye, and in the centre of the body, are two dark spots. Irregular lines on the head, mostly in a horizontal direction, are blue with a phosphorescent high quality. Scales on the upper component of the body are blue with brownish edges, and also the lower half is the reverse. The fins are mostly dull orange with a sprinkling of blue-green markings. Both sexes are coloured alike, but the males have the typical long filament to the dorsal fin.
The temperature of the water should be 70°-85°F, and blue acaras could be bred in the regular manner at a temperature of 78°F.
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Cichlids have spiny-rayed fins. In general they’re larger and much more quarrelsome than the other fish in this web site, and consequently they can hardly be regarded as great citizens for a community aquarium, even though numerous big specimens in a tank seem to be compatible sufficient. The following breeding description will fit most species, but where there is any distinction it’ll be noted under the species heading.
The Cichlids are great parents, looking after their young with infinite care and also the entire breeding cycle is most interesting to observe. Selection of mates is of considerable significance for, like humans, fish have a natural affinity towards every other. Should you put a pair into the breeding tank and they turn out to be ‘bad friends’, it’ll most likely result in the death of one of them.
A tank no smaller than 24 inch x 12 inch x 12 inch is the most suitable size. You should spread clean sand on the bottom to a depth of 2 inch, and use well-seasoned water, but don’t plant, for the plants will soon be uprooted. Two slots cut in the centre of the top aquarium frame permit a glass partition to be inserted making two separate compartments. Put the male in one side, and also the female in die other. If they’re obviously prepared to mate, the partition could be removed. Readiness for courtship might be recognised by a wagging of the body, spreading of fins, and general changing of colour. Either fish might make the initial advance, or when the other responds in like manner it is safe to remove the partition. If numerous the exact same species are kept in one tank, some will naturally pair. These should then be removed to the breeding tank, and it’ll then not be essential to put in a partition.
If the courtship goes to plan, the next stage will consist of ‘kissing’. They hold every other by the lips and begin a lively tug of war. They might repeat this action a number of times. Should both of the Cichlids stand the trial and neither weaken, it is safe to assume they’ll mate, but should one panic or lose its nerve, it is liable to be killed by its mate. Removal of one is then advised, but a later try might prove effective. It’ll be seen that it is an benefit to mate fish as near as feasible of like size.
All being well the fish will probably be observed during the next two or 3 days digging holes in the sand and cleaning a suitable place to lay their eggs. They seem to have a preference for light-coloured surfaces, so a flat lightish-coloured stone should be placed on the bottom. Some aquarists use marble, or a flower pot laid on its side.
Cleanliness is the byword, the spot selected to obtain the adhesive eggs is thoroughly cleaned with the mouth. A couple of days prior to the actual spawning, both sexes develop an ovipositor, or breeding tube, which initial appears as a small protrusion on the underside of the belly and increases in length shortly prior to actual breeding.
The female hovers over the stone, or spot selected, touching it with the breeding tube, and at the exact same time deposits one or two eggs. The male instantly follows and with a similar action fertilises the eggs by spraying them with milt. This action is repeated until 100 to 1,000 eggs are deposited. The fish now take turns fanning the eggs with the breast fins and tail, relieving every other every few minutes. The accepted concept of fanning is that it keeps the eggs clean and supplies oxygen to the embryos. Eggs hatch in four days at a temperature of 80° F.
Just prior to or soon after the eggs hatch, they’re transferred in the mouths of the parents to a hollow in the sand. The young aren’t simple to see, and look like a moving jelly-like mass.
During the next few days, the infant Cichlids will find themselves gently transferred from one depression to an additional. It takes between four to ten days for the yolk-saes to turn out to be absorbed, after which you are able to see the young swimming freely in a school. Recalcitrant youngsters are rapidly gathered up in the mouths of the parents and put back in the school.
The fry, after absorbing the yolk-sac, are big sufficient to eat brine shrimps, micro-worms, or sifted daphnia.
Whilst it is a fairly sight to see the parents and babies swimming around the tank together, their parents should not be allowed to remain too long lest they misinterpret some action of their owner as a danger signal, and eat the fry.
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Effortlessly the most typical of the gouramis, the three spot gourami is an unbelievable powder blue in colour, overlaid with a wavy pattern like a water mark. Two black dots on the body, one about centre, the other near the tail, together with the eye, form the 3 spots from which it gets the well-liked name. The ventral fins are long and hairlike, and are generally stretched forward as if utilized as feelers.
The three spot is 5 inches long when fully grown, and tends to bully smaller fish.
Sexing is by the dorsal fin, as for other gouramis, and breeding follows the standard description.
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Aquarists might be surprised to discover that the snakeskin gourami grows to about 12 inches long in its house waters, and offers a well-liked fish dish in Ceylon. Nevertheless, aquarium specimens rarely grow longer than 6 inches.
The body colour is a greenish brown, overlaid with pale yellow-gold wavy bars. It is marked with a dark brown to black broken line along the sides.
The fins are varying tints of yellow. The iris of the eye is outstandingly yellow. Sexes could be recognised by the a lot higher dorsal fin of the male. These fish are hardy and very great natured, and are among the simpler bubble nesters to breed. Spawning are generally big, and neither the eggs nor the fry are eaten by the parents. They breed at a temperature of 78° – 82°F.
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One of the comparatively larger aquarium fish, the pearl gourami grows to about 4 inch. It is the most attractive of the gouramis, with a body colouring of turquoise suffused with mosaic pearly dots, not unlike exquisitely fine lace. A jagged, dark brown line runs from the mouth via the eye, and fades away as it approaches the tail. The ventral fins are long and slender, and are frequently carried pointing forward.
The pearl gouramis are timid and they tend to hide behind plants and rocks. This is their only drawback.
During the breeding period, the throat and breast of the male will turn a rich golden rust colour. They make exceedingly great parents, as neither the female nor the male is very inclined to eat the eggs or young and rarely, if ever, do the males attack the females during courtship; this is unusual for this kind of breeder. Breeding follows the standard description and also the temperature should be approximately 80°F. The number of eggs which are laid is generally fairly considerable.
