Blue-eye Cichlid (Cryptoheros spilurus)

Blue-eye Cichlid Cryptoheros spilurus
Name	Blue-eye Cichlid
Name Lat.	Cryptoheros spilurus
Family	Cichlids
Family lat.	Cichlidae
Order	Cichlids
Order lat.	Cichliformes
Origin	Central America
Habitat	Rivers, lakes
Diet	Omnivore
pH	6.0-7.5
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Pair
Care Level	Moderate
Reproduction	Substrate spawner
Breeding	Moderately difficult
Life Span	5-8 years
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	8-12 cm
Temperature	22-25 °C
Hardness	10-20 °dH
Aquarium	~ 200 l
US Units
Size	3"-5"
Temperature	72-75 °F
Hardness	178-356 ppm
Aquarium	~ 50 gal

Distribution and habitat

The distribution area of the blue-eyed cichlids is in Central America, where they occur on the Atlantic side from Belize to Nicaragua. There they live in clear streams and small rivers with weak to medium currents, where they find numerous shelter and hiding places, such as stones, roots and branches, as well as a sandy-muddy bottom with fallen leaves.

Maintenance

The aquarium should have dense planting that provides both shelter and swimming space, with plenty of roots and rocks for hiding. A dark, sandy substrate covered with some foliage (sea almond tree, oak), subdued light (floating plants) and slightly alkaline water is ideal.

No ammonia, ammonium and nitrite should be detectable, the nitrate value should not exceed 100 mg/l. To ensure the water quality and oxygen content, a filter and heater adapted to the aquarium size is required, as well as lighting for the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals.

Diet

The food supply consists of live, frozen and dry food. For a balanced diet, feed once a day with a high-quality sinking dry food (granules, pellets) for cichlids, as well as cyclops, daphnia or mosquito larvae (live or frozen). In addition, they need some vegetable food, such as algae leaves or dry food with vegetable ingredients (e.g. spirulina)

Only feed as much as will be eaten within a few minutes. Regular and varied feeding promotes health and increases resistance.

Behaviour and compatibility

These calm and relatively peaceful fish should be kept in pairs. Due to their intraspecies aggressiveness, keeping multiple pairs is only recommended in much larger tanks. They can be socialized with larger, peaceful fish such as barbs and catfish. Fish that are too small are considered prey. Basically, only compatible fish species with similar demands on water condition and water temperature may be socialized.

Sex dimorphism

The larger males have extended dorsal and anal fins, and adult males have a pronounced frontal hump.

Reproduction and breeding

They prefer to spawn in a cave or other hiding place. The female performs brood care, while the male defends the territory (parental family). After 2-3 days, the fry hatch and are then housed and guarded in a bottom pit prepared outside the cave until they swim free after 5-7 days. Often the school of fry is guarded by the parents for a few more days before brood care ends.

Fry must be fed several times a day with special rearing food (e.g. Artemia nauplii). in community tanks breeding is hardly possible, because the fry are easy prey.

Important

They hardly dig and plants are not damaged.

The well-being of the fish should be checked regularly. The temperature should be checked daily, pH, hardness and nitrate value at least every 14 days. A regular partial water change is recommended, even if the pollutant load has not yet reached the upper limit. Sudden changes in water quality should be avoided. Newly introduced fish must be accustomed slowly to the water in the aquarium.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: petdata

Source: BMELV (1998): Tierschutzgutachten - Haltung von Zierfischen (Süßwasser); RIEHL & BAENSCH (2006): Aquarien Atlas Bd. 1, Mergus Verlag ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische, Verlag Harri Deutsch

• Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF