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The Manhaguan tsehlazoma is a fish, the second name of which is the cichlid jaguar. This is a fairly large and predatory representative of the cichlid family. Such fish are remembered for their bright color. However, such a bright color appears in the representatives of the family not immediately, but only after reaching the age of puberty. In young individuals, only poorly visible black stripes can be found on the body, but in adult fish spots are already visible, due to which the representatives of this family are called jaguars.
In nature, the Managuan tsikhlazomy reach quite large sizes. There are individuals having a length of up to 60 centimeters, and a weight of a few kilograms. However, in the aquarium such large individuals, as a rule, do not grow and reach a maximum of 40 centimeters in length.Such large sizes and natural aggressiveness give reason to keep these fish apart in the aquarium, which will resemble the reservoirs of Central America in their arrangement. It is necessary to avoid sharing of tsihlaz with other types of fish, smaller in size and less aggressive.
Life in nature
The appearance and behavior of the Managuana tsikhlasoma firstly were described by Günther in 1867. The habitat of these fish is mainly Central America. You can find them by the Ulua River in Honduras to the area of the Matina River in Costa Rica. At home habitat jaguar is a commercial fish, as it grows very decent size.
Under natural conditions, the Managuana cichlasome can exist both in lakes with soft soil and dense vegetation, and in fairly fast rivers and their tributaries. Most of the cichlid jaguar likes to dwell in warm water, which does not contain so many oxygen molecules.
Description of the species
The peculiarity of this species is that throughout their life such tsikhlazomy change their color. Juveniles, and both females and males have a rather pale color, including dark stripes, which occupy half of the body. In the future, as they mature, the males show dark spots. In females, only a few spots are found, which are usually concentrated in the middle of the body, right behind the gill cover. At puberty, the color becomes more like the color of the jaguar. He is a black and white spots, sometimes found with a blue tint.
Since the Managuan tsikhlazomy are predators, they have pharyngeal teeth, which they use for hunting.In order to defend against other predators, fish use special sharp rays on the fins.
What difficulties are found in the maintenance of managuan tsihlazom?
In general, it is quite simple to care for the Managuan cichlasomes. Perhaps the only difficulty is a large aquarium and the need for very powerful filters. Such requirements are explained by the impressive size of individuals of this species. Such fish will not be suitable for a novice breeder of aquarium pets, since the representatives of tsikhlaz are large, aggressive and predatory.
How to feed the Managuana Cichlase?
Feeding of Managuans tsihlaz in principle is not particularly different, their diet is standard for predatory fish. In nature, such individuals feed on invertebrates and small fish. Fish in the aquarium can be fed with all kinds of live food, namely: tadpoles, small fish, earthworms and crickets.
In general, representatives of this family prefer to eat live food, however, they do not refuse from frozen fish fillet, shrimp meat, krill and similar food. To feed the fish need daily, just one meal. Once a week you can take a break.
Many experts do not recommend often feed the fish meat. The fact is that, for example, beef heart contains a large amount of protein and fat. These components are very difficult to digest in the stomach of the Managuan cichlosis. However, this does not mean that they cannot be used at all. Such feeds can be added about once a week to the diet, but do not overdo it and give a lot of meat.
How to keep in an aquarium?
A very large aquarium is required for the maintenance of the Managuan cichlase, the volume will fit a minimum of liters. Since these fish are very aggressive, they need their own territory, which other individuals will not penetrate. Only in this way can you avoid fights and clashes. Decorative items and gravel should also be quite large. Plants as decoration are not recommended, as these healthy people will instantly tear them out with their roots and eventually destroy them.
Under natural conditions, cichlasomes of this species live in muddy water, therefore, in order to bring the aquarium closer to natural conditions, you can add dry leaves to the water, oak or almond leaves will do.
It is very important that there is always clean water in the aquarium, however, it is rather difficult to achieve this, as individuals leave a considerable amount of waste in the process of their vital activity. To clear water from them you need to use very powerful filters, as well as regularly change the water.
Although tsikhlazomy and can live in completely different conditions, the best for them are the temperature from 24 to 28 degrees, and ph from 7 to 8.7. Experts have noticed that the higher the temperature of the water in the aquarium, the more aggressive the pets become. For this reason, it is best to keep the water temperature at the bottom, that is, 24 degrees.
Neighborhood with other individuals
If you plan to engage in breeding mtsihlazom, you should not put them in a single aquarium catfish of the type of plexostomy. At night, these individuals eat the spawn of Managuans.In general, for more efficient and comfortable breeding, it is better to place them while they are spawning in a separate aquarium, where there are no other individuals.
In one aquarium, you can have a pair of individuals of the species of the Managuana Cichlase. So that the pets do not behave aggressively towards each other, they must be raised together from a very early age.
Video: aquarium fish cihlasoma managuana
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