Tsikhlazoma eliota: photo, spawning, diseases

Tsikhlazoma eliota - a bright exotic fish with a memorable rainbow color and curious behavior. This cichlid has a small body size and is quite livable for a predator character. Thanks to three advantages - beauty, small size and calm temper - this inhabitant of aquariums has gained wide popularity among fish lovers.

In nature

The natural habitats of cichlasma are found in Central America, in the slow waters of the Mexican river Rio Papaloapan. Fish live in flocks near sandy beaches, prefer shoals with a large number of fallen leaves. The water in the river is cloudy, with a sandy suspension. There are not many plants.

Appearance

Tsikhlazoma eliota is a medium sized fish. She is often confused with another representative of the family of cichlids, cichlazoma meeka. Indeed, they resemble a body and have a similar color. However, the cichlazomas of Eliot are more vivid and elegant. They look equally gorgeous both against the background of light, and against the background of the dark natural soil. Tsikhlazoma eliota, the photo of which you will see in this article, can decorate any aquarium.

The body color of the fish is gray-brown. On the sides are more dark stripes. On the sides and gills are black spots, the abdomen - bright scarlet, and the tail is blue. The whole body, from head to tail, is strewn with iridescent blue dots.

Fins large, anal and dorsal strongly pointed. Against the background of other representatives of the family of cichlids, the size of the cichlasma is small, not more than 12 cm. The fish lives quite a long time, 10-15 years.

Advantages in content

In comparison with other of its relatives, the cichlazoma eliot is considered a rather unpretentious species, which is suitable for beginners aquarists. These fish adapt quickly to new conditions and are undemanding in content. Also, cichlid lovers say that they are practically omnivorous and unproductive in their diet. Another obvious plus of cichlazoma of this species is a calm character. This is one of the most peaceful cichlids that can live in a common aquarium. True, the good nature of the fish instantly disappears when they begin to prepare for spawning.

Food

Tsikhlazomi have a good appetite. They gladly eat artificial feeds: various granules, flakes, tablets. They love live and frozen food: bloodworms, coratra, tubule, daphnia, artemia, cyclops, gammarus. However, with live food, you should be careful, since cichlases are prone to overeating and suffer from various diseases of the digestive system. Without limitation, you can offer vegetables, fruits and herbs: green salad, dandelion, cucumber, zucchini, carrots, apple.

Sexual differences

Sexually mature cichlazomas do not have any obvious differences between the female and the male. However, it is not difficult to distinguish them in a group. In males, the color is brighter, they are larger than females and have longer fins.

Maintenance and care

Tsiklazoma eliota is undemanding to the conditions of detention, but the aquarium will need a large - from 100 liters per pair. The water temperature is 24-28 degrees, the acidity is 7.5-8 pH, the hardness is 8-25 dH.

As a primer, sand or other fine soft soil is ideal, as fish like to rummage in it in search of food. Thus particles of a ground of a fish release through gills, therefore there should not be pieces with sharp edges.

As decor, stones, grottoes, driftwood are used. There should be many shelters in the aquarium, but there is enough space for swimming. If the natural habitat is imitated, then the fallen oak leaves should be placed on the bottom .

In the aquarium, plants are permissible, but fish do well without them. Since cichlases love to dig in the ground, plants need to be well strengthened or planted in pots.

Of great importance is the purity of water. Required filtration and aeration, a weekly siphon of soil and water changes.

Compatibility

Elioth cilicosomes become aggressive during spawning. In the rest of the time, small skirmishes are possible in order to show superiority. You can keep with a similar cichlasma character, meek, north and Nicaraguan and with a bluish-spotted akara. Not bad get along with swordsmen, ancistrus and tarakatumami.

Breeding

How does the cichlazoma eliota multiply? Spawning can occur both in a separate and in a common aquarium. You should know that the cichlazomas choose their own pair. You can not put any female and any male together and expect them to multiply. As a rule, they buy a small flock of 6-10 teenagers and keep them together until pairs are formed.

Breeding is not particularly difficult. Fishes become sexually mature after reaching body length of 6-7 cm. The formed pair occupies the territory (in a common aquarium, it is necessary to separate the area for each couple with the help of stones and plants). On the site for spawning should be located smooth flat stone or a piece of clay pot.

On a pebble the female lays from 100 to 500 eggs, and the male fertilizes them. After three days, larvae appear. Newly-born parents carry them to the nest where they will stay until they take the contents of their yolk sacs.

At the age of 6-8 days, the larvae begin to swim. How does he care for the offspring of the cichlazoma eliot? Fry are under the protection of parents who furiously drive away any other fish. Tsikhlazomy care for the offspring until the cubs grow to a size of 1-2 cm.

Fodder must be fed with live dust, nauplii artemia, as it grows - daphnia and cyclops. You can use fry food or grated flakes, but in this case the young will grow slower. If you are afraid that the fry will be eaten, you can transfer them to another aquarium.

Diseases

How often does the cichlasmosis eliota suffer? Diseases are most often associated with overeating and malnutrition. Fish can not be fed with only one type of food, diversity is necessary. It is necessary to arrange unloading days every week and not to admit obesity.

Another threat to the health of fish is dirty water. Because of it, skin diseases such as dermatomycosis may occur. In addition, an overabundance of nitrates and ammonia in aquarium water poisons fish. If adult individuals are at risk of illness and deterioration of well-being, the fry dies very quickly.

Walls and the bottom of the aquarium must be cleaned of decomposing organic matter every week, otherwise the water content will increase the content of hydrogen sulphide, which is also dangerous for health. In general, cichlazoma eliota has strong health and, with proper care, is extremely ill.

Tsiklazomy eliota unpretentious, look good in the aquarium and differ interesting behavior. Thanks to the livable nature and unpretentiousness these fish are perfect for beginners.