Double Full Red Agassizi Cichlid

<p>These fish are slender and only reach 3 inches in length. Males have red and green backs with an underside that can be green, yellow or blue, their face has gold or green marks and has an yellow forehead, also, they have a horizontal dark stripe that goes from the nose to the tail. They have many different color forms like red, blue and gold. Females are mostly yellow and have the same markings in the face as males do. The different color varieties depend on where they originate, different locations have different colored populations. The Double Full Red variety has bright red on the dorsal and tail fins. To keep these fish in captivity, water pH should be between 5.0 and 7.0 and water temperature should range from 73°F to 81°F. The tank should have a sandy substrate with wood roots, floating vegetation, caves and hiding places. They can be kept in community aquariums with other peaceful species, large and aggressive fish should be avoided as tankmates, also, they should be kept in groups of one male and 3 to 4 females.</p>

<p>This species is carnivorous. In the wild it feeds on benthic invertebrates. In an aquarium it can be fed with live and frozen foods or with dried foods.</p>

<p>Males are larger and more colorful than females.</p>

<p>To breed this species in captivity, the breeding tank should have a group of females to just one male, its decoration should include hiding places, caves, bogwood, plants and upturned flowerpots, water pH should be about 6.5 and water temperature should range from 79ºF to 84ºF. The eggs are deposited on the cave’s ceiling while the male guards the territory. The eggs take 3 to 4 days to hatch and the fry take 4 to 6 days to become free swimming.</p>

<p>This species is endemic to the Amazon basin. It inhabits still or slow-moving waters.</p>

<p>The water in which these fish are packaged is different from the water in the tank, since these fish are extremely sensitive to water conditions the acclimation process is very important. This process should never be rushed. Aquarium lights should be off for at least the first 4 hours of the fish in the new tank and it should not be fed in the first 24h. There are two acclimation methods: Floating Method and the Drip Method.</p> <p>Floating method -  the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. The bag should then be cut under the knot and the top edge of the bag should be rolled down one inch, then ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag, this step should be repeated every 4 minutes until the bag is full, then half the water of the bag should be discarded and the bag should be put to float again and ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag every 4 minutes until the bag is full. Afterwards, the Discus can be moved into the aquarium.</p> <p>Drip method – the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. The bag contents should be poured into a 1 gallon bucket that has never been cleaned with any chemicals, the fish should be enterally submerged. A siphon, using airline tubing, should be set up and a drip line should run from the main aquarium to the bucket. Several loose knots should be tied in the airline tubing to regulate flow. Sucking the end of the airline tube that goes to the bucket will begin a siphon, the flow should be regulated to 2 to 4 drips per second. Once the water in the buckets doubles, half should be discarded and the process should be repeated until it doubles again. Afterwards, the fish can be moved to the aquarium.</p>

Venomous (Change Content)