The Escondido Cichlid
- Apr 18, 2021
- Jeffrey Anastacio
- 4424 0 0
(HERICHTHYS CARPINTIS), a remarkably colorful Central American Cichlid.
A very interesting cichlid to keep. This cichlid is found across Texas and northern Mexico. They will thrive in medium-sized to large monster tank sizes. When Escondido's are juveniles, they are best kept in a tank with sand, some rocks, and driftwood to serve as their respective tank design and hiding place. It is best to acquire them in 1.5-2 inches in size and in a group of 8-12 if you are looking to breed them in the future. Having a group of Escondido will increase the chances of having a natural pair.
First, let's discuss how they look in their juvenile stage. At 1.5 - 2 inches you could already see prominent markings on their bodies, which are like pearl scale-like patterns in bluish-green color. At this size, depending on the tank size they don't swim like a school of fish. They are territorial fishes and would defend a particular spot on the tank.
Tank Setup:
50G
3ft (90cm) Trickle Filter with medias
Rio 2100 Water pump
Gravel
Lava Rocks
Pots
Driftwoods
You could see the way that they behave in this tank setup. If you will notice there is a ceramic pot included. The reason behind this is for breeding purposes. They would eventually lay eggs in the ceramic pot.
When breeding times come, the female changes color and suddenly fades and has black underlining on its belly. (Breeding Dress)
They can start breeding when they reach 2-3inches, and this is when they become more territorial to their respective tankmates. Male and Female will start guarding the ceramic pot against other intruders.
When the eggs hatch, it would be best to transfer them to another tank to avoid being eaten by tankmates. The water source should be coming from the same tank they were taken from.
When they reach 5inches up in size, it's best to transfer them to a larger tank and upgrade your filtration as well. When they reach this size, you will have a better appreciation for the Escondido Cichlid. You can already see the nuchal hump on males and you could already see the brighter bluish-green scale pattern on their bodies.
A 150G Tank (L60inches x W24inches x 24Hinches) Set-Up
150G Tank
7 Colors type of Sand
Large Rocks / Driftwoods
5feet (150cm) 3 layers Trickle Filter with Medias
Rio 17HF Water Pump
LED Lighting
Resun Wavemaker
Male:
Female:
Having them in this large biotope will bring out their full potentials. And one would see how beautiful they are swimming in different directions.
What tankmates do they get along with:
Central and South American cichlids would be the best as tankmates for Escondido
Diet:
Pellets, Dried Shrimp, Frozen Bloodworms are some of their source of food.
Waterchaange Routine:
Since you are keeping them in groups, it would be best to have 20% water change twice in a week. To help promote good digestion and excellent water quality.
How to differentiate male from female:
Males are larger and have a nuchal hump, while females are smaller and also fades in color when breeding times come.
Maximum size:
It would reach 12inches+ in the wild, but in-home tanks the largest known to me is 8inches.
Is it related to Super Red Texas:
Breeders have been using Escondido to breed with parrots or flowerhorns to achieve the popular super red texas.
My Fish Loving friends, enjoy this article that I prepared for you so you could see it for yourself and be the judge on how beautiful the Escondido Cichlid is.
***All Photo used in this article are owned by the author: Jeff Anastacio***
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