Zebra cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum

cichlasoma nigrofasciatum
this fish is a member of family of Cichlids (Cichlidae).
It lives in crowd warm waters of central America, in aquaria's achieves 10 cm of length,, usually smaller, female grows to 8 cm. Male has elongated considerably and sharpened fins dorsal and anal, female however shorter and lightly rounded. Colouration usually white - grey, from seven black, irregular, perpendicular belts.
Zebra's require from many hideouts which construct from suitably arranged stones or special caves enough large aquaria's. Plants in aquarium have to be strongly fastened to base with the help of stones, or planted in flower-pots because fish these before spawning likes it to tear out and to destroy. We on bottom of aquarium place the fat layer of gravel as well as the smooth, well cleaned stones which will to be of service to composition of spawn.
Water in tank should be verry clean, about hardness 10-12 ° n, pH - 7 and temperature 24-28 ° C. best accepted food is animal (enough large sizes mosquitoes', plankton, and warms ). Zebra's do not despise with foods of vegetable origin also, and even dried plankton though they eat him less willingly. Passed to aquarium food be taken in characteristic for this species way. After they observations fish's food they take him, moving quick jumps very violently. If lively food is sale large to swallowing, they kill trophy and really when it drops on bottom of reservoir, they tear to pieces him and devour.
Unusually interesting reproduction these fish is. It be holds usually in separate, similarly prepared aquarium, or in reservoir in which spended so far: it it was one should was however remove every different fish then because beating would threaten them strong, and even to death.
They before approaching \"zebra\"'s spawning alter colouration considerably, enlarged aggressiveness near what marks it then. In spawing period the male has the darkened skin considerably until to atrophy of black belts, visible it is the ruffling the fins as well as black tinge of muzzle also.
It it with female was it been possible was to observe the orange - tinge of stomach, the glittering blue belt, covering it borders the dorsal fin and anal, as well as, similarly how with male, the black tinge of muzzle. Female's stomach is then considerably enlarged obviously.
The temperature of water in brading aquarium should have carried out since 28 to 30 ° C, however we leave without changes reaction and hardness. In so prepared reservoir female begins the building of nest, diging up gravel muzzle, transferring unnecessary pebbles in different place as well as removing with vicinity of plant's nest, for what exactly stone cleans, being near at hand near nest. After long-lasting courtships and it lures the \" spawing dances\" the female, which on previously the cleaned up stone folds ok. 100-200 grains of spawn. Female looks after with spawn, fanning over her, fins.
Young fish usually hatches after 3-4 days and transferred in female's muzzle to nest immediately. After outflow 4-6 days young cichlids begin swimming. It can look after with offspring both female and male. With rule yet before hatching young male be attacked by female and when young fish begins executing to repel first movements, old female male. It was it been possible in this period to remove from reservoir male, to avoid fights to right about care over offspring. It pretended me it was observed that I will grill over nest male can take over also. After some next spawning and hatching young female was driven out from nest by male which in the face of her so large aggressiveness that I had be forced to remove her to different tank. In this situation male looks after from the same with offspring result as female had acted this. After three - four weeks adult fish stop to be to interest with offspring and one should it to shut oneself off from young. We feed the fry the protozoan initially, and then the change the plankton with addition of with the added vitamins foods, on example \"Mikrovit\".
Suitably fed fry grows enough quickly, but very irregular. Therefore also, more quickly growing specimens can eat smaller fish, selection be indicated according to growth from here. Do not command from young to leave both parents because it in small space comes between them to fights about care over offspring often and weaker side has not where to run away.
I last of all would desire to warn before breeding zebra's cichlids with different species together because it is then very aggressive fish (particularly during spawning); it be able to rout about many enemies larger from me.
I about aggressiveness these fish had opportunity to convince alone when I in their spawing period tried to take out from aquarium and to clean up filter. Male attacked my hand sharply. It in period of the fish's care over offspring was not one should carry out in.

Whats upB) I have a breeding pair a the moment in 1 tank.And have about 30 1\" fry in another tank..very interesting spices not a social fish shows big time aggression towards other fish when they r in the loving mood:P .Not everybody's cup of tea but i find them a nice fish with a big ego watch them all dayB)

can i get or buy few from you ? i verry like those fish

Hi thereB) listen the fry i have at the mo..There going to good homes .But i will keep u in mind in the next batch..

ok no problem, i love this fish even if they use to destroy me plants, :D:D i will be wery haappy i can you give me or sell me few of them

Convicts make excellent parents, probably the best of all the
centrals I have kept. Along with Jaguars I have never had any
eat their first brood.
Salvinis/Firemouths/Trimacs all have eaten the first brood, the
Salvini took 4 broods before she decided to look after the fry.

I would never remove any of the parents. I removed a male once for about 8 hours. The female started to pine for him.
I put him back in to the brooding tank and he never ate any of the fry.
Convict fry are also canibalistic (I suppose most adult cichlids are) but I noticed the larger fry(which were probably male)attack and eat their smaller siblings. Aggression does
start from as little as 4 weeks old.

Feeding is easy as the parents will chew up any Flake/Prima/Brineshrimp and feed it to the young.

Convicts do not take very kindly to dirty water. 28c s way too
hot IMO. 24c Is excellent. I had a faulty/broken heater in my
growing on tank and it was a constant 20c. The fish were a little pale but ate and grew very well until I sold them.
I think the oxygen level at 28c would be too low for Convicts
to survive.

Just my two cents worth.