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| T-bar Cichlid; *cichlid | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 15 2006, 02:54 PM (726 Views) | |
Morrigan
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Feb 15 2006, 02:54 PM Post #1 |
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T-bar Cichlid Quick Stats Scientific Name: Archocentrus sajica, Cryptoheros sajica, Cichlasoma sajica Distribution: Central American – Pacific coast of Costa Rica Size: 5 to 6" Common Names: T-Bar Cichlid, Sajica Temperature: 74 to 82 degrees pH: 6.5 to 8 General Characteristics A close cousin of the infamous Convict Cichlid, Sajica's are often overlooked as juveniles as they don't have the dramatic black-on-gray coloration of their more common cousins. However, the persistent fishkeeper will be rewarded as these lovely little fish develop their adult coloration. Their juvenile drab brown base color will develop shades of yellow and blue, with intense blue and red sparkles on fins for males and more yellow sparkles on the fins of females. Males will also develop a nuchal hump with age, much the same as Convicts do. Although related to Convicts, Sajica's don't have the extremely aggressive nature of the Convict, making them more suitable for tanks containing similar sized fish with similar temperaments Aquarium Set-up A single pair of Sajicas will require a tank of around 40 gallons, although it is possible to keep two pairs on a 55-gallon tank, as long as decorating is done carefully. The natural habitat of Sajica's is the rivers and larger streams of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where they inhabit moderate to fast flowing waters. Their tank should be set up with this in mind. Substrate should be either very fine gravel or sand, as these fish like to dig. Gravel should be well rounded to prevent any injuries to the mouth or gills. The tank decorations should be set up to provide plenty of area's for the fish to establish territories, especially when keeping more than one pair. Large rocks, plants and pieces of driftwood are the best forms of decor to use as they simulate what these fish would find in nature. Sajica's are tolerant of a wide range of water parameters as long as adequate filtration is provided and regular water changes and tank cleaning is done. They are after all cichlids, with all the typical messy cichlid habits. Feeding Sajica's are omnivorous, with a tendency towards the meatier side of life if they can. Their natural diet consists of a variety of items, such as algae, small insects and their larvae and whatever small crustaceans they can find. Their diet in an aquarium should be well rounded, including vegetable matter, and the beefheart recipe is an excellent staple food for these fish. Supplemented by the occasional treat of frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and a good quality small pellet food, it will keep your Sajica's healthy and in their best possible coloration. Live insects can also be fed as a treat, but make sure to keep them on the smaller side. Compatibility Sajica's are a little more peaceful than their cousins, the Convicts are, but that is not to mean that they are a placid fish. They still pack a fair amount of punch for their size. They are not suitable for community tanks, but do well as the only cichlid species in a biotype style environment. They also do well with similar sized cichlids such as Firemouths and are a nice, smaller sized fish to round out a tank where Convicts might be too aggressive. They are also an option in large tanks containing some of the medium to larger sized cichlids that are not overly aggressive, such as Severums, Oscars and Jack Dempseys. As long as there is enough room for each species to define a territory, there should not be any real problems. Breeding Sajica's are cave-spawners, much like many other Central American cichlids. The typical cichlid flirting takes place, lip locking, gill flaring and tail slapping, then eggs are laid in caves, in hollows of pieces of driftwood or under slabs of rock. They prefer to have an enclosed, easily defendable space to lay their eggs in and can sometimes panic and eat their eggs if they are forced to lay in an open environment. The fertilized eggs will hatch in around 3 to 4 days and the fry will become free swimming in another 5 days. The fry will often feed on the parent's slimecoat for the first month or so, but care should be taken to make sure this doesn't get out of hand and cause injury to the parents. Sajica fry are slower growing than a lot of other cichlids, usually taking around 3 months to reach an inch in size. The parents can get quite aggressive when spawning and raising fry, but usually it is restricted to defending their territory and they don't usually go out of their way to harass tankmates once they retreat past that boundary. I'm not usually a fan of smaller cichlids, but these guys are just so cute, I'd love to be able to try raising and breeding Sajica's one day. They are a great beginner alternative to the Convict, allowing newcomers to cichlids to experience an easy to keep, easy to breed cichlid without the major aggression problems that cone with the usual beginner fish, the Convict. |
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12:35 AM Jul 12