You are here: The Cichlids Site » freshwater fish

Blue Acara Cichlids

The Blue Acara cichlid is one of the many breeds of cichlid which hobby aquarists prefer to put in their tanks. They are a hardy breed, who do not easily stress, and are great freshwater fish for beginners. The rest of this article will discuss Blue Acara cichlids in further depth, as well as some of the fish they are often mistaken for.

The Blue Acara can grow to be six inches in length, with a short thick body. It has a big forehead, along with rather long fins. There are many different color variations associated with this breed of fish, which is one of the main reasons this species is commonly mistaken for other species of cichlids.

One of the other species the Blue Acara cichlid is most commonly mistaken for is the Green Terror cichlid. For many years, both species were given the same name because people thought they were the same fish. In more recent years, the Green Terror cichlid has been given its own name, Aequidens rivalatus. The Green Terror cichlid, while similar in appearance, is much more aggressive than the more docile Blue Acara cichlid.

The Blue Acara cichlid is also often confused with younger Jack Dempsey’s breed. However, as time passes, distinct differences are developed by each species. Like the Green Terror, the Jack Dempsey is much more aggressive and violent than the Blue Acara cichlid.

These cichlids can be breed in aquariums without much effort. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is try to figure out which Blue Acara cichlid is the male and which is the female. The males usually have a hump, are larger and have larger fins than the females.

If you have a Blue Acara of each gender the female will be ready to breed after she grows to be 4 inches longer. These fish are open breeders and the female will lay her eggs on a flat rock. The female will tend to the eggs and the male will protect the area around them. The parents may even become quite aggressive towards other fish that come to close.

An insider secret for you: If you remove the eggs right after fertilization, the parents will probably mate again within two weeks. So if your goal is raise as many of these guys as possible then this is a tactic you can use.

The Blue Acara cichlid is a beautiful fish and is a breed that is fairly easy to care for. While often mistaken for other breeds of cichlids, they are the more docile species, and much less violent.

 

 

 

Yes! I Would Really Like To Learn The Secrets That

Most Cichlid Fish Owners Will Never Know !!

Send Me My Free “Cichlid Care Guide”
Email Course Today!

 

You are here: The Cichlids Site » freshwater fish

Peculiar Cichlid Behavior

Their amazing colors and unique mannerisms are why cichlids have become one of the more domesticated and favored fish with aquarium enthusiasts.

Cichlid behavior is one of the most interesting subjects i have studied and here i will share with you some of the things i found out. Cichlids display color schemes that enhance the aesthetics of any ones aquarium and brings life and wonder to one’s humble abode. This being said, it is no wonder Cichlids are by far the most popular freshwater fish for people to start aquariums with.

So you may have made the decision to get your own, it is then up to you to understand cichlid behavior. This will certainly make it easier for both you and the fish for the first few weeks you have them.

Raising cichlids is by no means an easy feat, but if you follow the guidelines i set out for you find on my website, you will get great satisfaction and enjoyment out of raising and breeding them.

Once you have adjusted to your cichlids, you will discover more unique behavior in them. Find pleasure in getting to know your cichlids, and you will find that they will reciprocate your positive behavior.

Once you have added your new fish to your tank , you will find as they settle they will each claim a different area of the environment as their own.Then generally before long you will find one will dominate the whole tank and these are usually the biggest fish. So it is important to start with a small group of the same sort of fish of roughly the same size which will make the settling process not only quicker but literally less painful.

There is several reasons as to why cichlids can get aggressive. It can be jealousy over an enemy trying to steal a potential mate, defending ones food and even defending their little bit of your aquarium.

Cichlid’s will show aggression by flaring their gills and spreading their fins to make itself look as large as possible whilst either standing at the ready or darting about like a crazy fish.

This can progress to tail beating where a cichlid attempts to show off its power by pushing water at its enemy.This can and often does escalate into to a combat situation, which includes mouth locked wrestling and then a lot of chasing one another in attempt to bite.If this behavior persists they may have to be separated for it will surely go on till one dies.

Put a couple of cichlids into a tank and one of them is bound to dominate, while the rest of the bullied population will retreat to their caves. Any way just below are two proven methods to prevent tank aggression amongst your cichlids.

Shelter and “hiding” spots are vital for cichlids to live in any sort of peace. The more areas of cover present, the more chance each fish will have to claim a spot for itself.

If there just isn’t enough rock or wood, your fish will be open game for the aggressive dominant male in the tank. And on the other hand having to much of these materials just makes cleaning your tank a real headache and can lead to possible health problems. You will have to find the equilibrium that’s just right depending on your tank size.

Another very important tip is to know your male to female cichlid ratio. Males tend to chase females when they want to breed, and if there is too many males chasing the one female she stands no chance to rest .

This will certainly lead to the death of your female fish.This can also lead to much more males fighting with each other in turn stressing the whole tank environment out.

The best female to male ratio I have used is about three girls to every one boy!

Breeding behavior among cichlids vary. Some lay their eggs on open surfaces such as rocks, leaves, logs, and substrate—this type of cichlid is an open brooder. Others, on the other hand, need to retreat into caves or crevices to lay their eggs. For this type of cave brooders, it is important that the aquarium has many caves and other hiding places.

Still another form of cichlid breeding is mouth brooding, in which the mother fish carries her eggs in her mouth until they hatch.

Breeding cichlids are a joy to watch. In some open-brooding cichlids, both the male and female parents are involved in caring for their brood, with the male guarding the territory against predators and the female fanning the eggs to increase oxygen supply. There have been some cases of female cichlids eating their young. This is often seen in mouth brooders.

Because mouth-brooding cichlids carry their fry in their mouth, they often go hungry during the entire breeding process and end up eating their fry once hatched. This is why when you suspect that you parent cichlid could be eating its young, it is important to put it in a separate tank to preserve your baby cichlids.

Cichlids are well known for changing their colors to suit the current mood of fish. Most male cichlids will turn much darker in there natural color when breeding time comes around. When some cichlids are stressed or timid, they look pale, but they turn dark or show off brilliant colors when they get angry and aggressive .

Some cichlids simply change color when they are stressed, which can quite often be seen when they have been moved to a new environment. ie. A new aquarium. Not to worry though this will pass as they adjust and get used to their new surroundings. It wont be long before you have adjusted to your cichlids and them to you, will discover more unique behavior in them.

One particular cichlid, the rift lake species, shows shyness and dominance through color.

When rift lake cichlids are stressed or timid, they look pale, but they turn dark or show off vibrant colors when they display their aggressive streak. Some cichlids, like the Maylandia crabro, for example, change coloration when they are stressed, such as when they have recently been moved to a new tank.

 

 

Yes! I Would Really Like To Learn The Secrets That

Most Cichlid Fish Owners Will Never Know !!

Send Me My Free “Cichlid Care Guide”
Email Course Today!

 

You are here: The Cichlids Site » freshwater fish

Cichlid Diseases And Treatments

 Cichlid Diseases

Just like most living creatures cichlid fish can get diseases too. It is just the way Mother Nature tends to run the show. Looking after sick cichlid fish is not that much fun, but it’s an individual’s responsibility as being a cichlid grower to bring about their good health.

If you neglect your cichlids should they be sick and tired it has the potential to cause their symptoms to become worse or worse yet even lead to their demise.

Cichlid fish can get sick for many number of reasons and one must tread carefully and do the proper research in order to avoid potential disaster.

The majority of these problems can generally be noticed pretty easily giving you plenty of time to act, where as others although pretty rare can strike quite suddenly with the need for instant action  to avoid the worst.

A lot of these sorts of problems can be put down to infections from bacteria, fungi or parasites. Then you have environmental factors such as poor water quality or sudden raising or lowering of water temp (these guys tend to like a constant).

Below are a few typical Cichlid sicknesses that you need to be cautious about:

Also known as hexamita, this disease is typical among Cichlids and other freshwater fish. The fungus that causes cotton wool disease is found in many aquariums feeding on leftover food and fish carcass.

1. Its symptoms are appetite and weight loss and small depressions on the head (thus the name “hole in the head”). There are many reasons for this disease, among them poor water quality and poor diet.

2. Some studies have indicated that there could be a link between hole-in-the-head disease and the lack of vitamins C and D as well as phosphorous and calcium.

Most Cichlid diseases are caused by poor water quality and diet, so clean your aquarium regularly and feed your cichlids right. It’s always good to be ready for cichlid diseases. Keep yourself well informed by reading books, researching, and networking with others so you know how to raise your cichlids happy and healthy.

This sort of Cichlid problem is common amongst African Cichlid fish along with fish that are utilizing a generally organic eating routine. Signs and symptoms consist of lack of appetite, inflammation in the abdomen, whitened fecal material, super fast inhaling and exhaling, as well as sulking towards the bottom of the aquarium. In its advanced period,  Malawi bloat can harm the fish’s hard working liver,  kidney as well as swim bladder,  and also the afflicted Cichlid may possibly die anywhere from  24 to 72 hours depending on severity.

**Treatment for Malawi bloat entails either one or all of the following suggestions:

1. Slowly adding Metronidazole and Clout to the water, make sure you obtain these from a reputable dealer or from a pet store u are familiar with and trust. Dont be afraid to ask them questions about your problem ….the chances are that they may have had to deal with the same thing before.

2. Changing about 50 percent of the water, and detaching the filtration systems. There seems to be of disagreement amongst experts as to the true causes of Malawi bloat, but the majority tend to believe that it is caused by a protozoan that naturally resides in fish intestines, proliferating when the cichlid is not fed properly or when the water is dirty(NEGLECT).

An very dangerous Cichlid disease, fish tuberculosis is extremely infectious and may kill a whole fish tank populace in a short time. If you ever find yourself dealing with this  then get in touch with an expert or where good rubber gloves as humans are susceptible through cracks in the skin or cuts when they are fixing Cichlid cleaning the tank. Among the symptoms of this cichlid disease are loss of appetite, sunken stomach, white exterior blotches, and frayed fins.

1. If you suspect that one of your cichlids may have this disease, remove your entire aquarium population and place them in a hospital tank, making sure to separate the sick cichlid.

2. Treat any of your new tanks by means of antibiotics like Melafix or Pimafix and make sure your old tanks are disinfected and the substrate bleached thoroughly or thrown out.

The fungus that causes cotton wool disease is found in many aquariums. Feeding on leftover food and fish carcass , being  a whitish gray coating on the skin, ulcer, damaged fins, patches on the gills, and erosion of head tissue on fish. It is extremely contagious.

1. Maintaining aquarium hygiene and preventing chilling, injury, and other forms of stress are some things you can do to prevent your cichlids from catching this disease.

2. The best way to treat cotton wool disease is by salt bath immersion, gentian violet application, or fungicidal medication.

Whenever a Cichlid suffers from this ailment it effects the swim bladder, an epithelium-lined abdominal sac responsibility for fish buoyancy. You wil find  that Cichlid fish  affected by swim bladder disease float at the top of the water or find it difficult to stay on the bottom of the tank. If the pressure within the bladder gets to extreme the fish will end up belly up!

**Poor diet is one of the major causes of swim bladed disease. When a cichlid is not fed right, it can have intestinal gas or blockage, or parasites the chance to wreak havoc on the swim bladder.

1. You can minimize swim bladder disease by not feeding your cichlids too much protein or dried food.

2. Introducing lots of fiber-rich food such as zucchini, squash, peas, spinach, carrots, and lettuce.

 

 

Yes! I Would Really Like To Learn The Secrets That

Most Cichlid Fish Owners Will Never Know !!

Send Me My Free “Cichlid Care Guide”
Email Course Today!