Orange Blotch
The Aulonocara multicolor is a very interesting fish. According to many aquarists, it is an artificially bred fish that is a cross between a number of different cichlids.
The male Orange Blotch has a vibrant multi-colored body coloration in which there are red, yellow, orange, blue, and black tones. Each colour is in the form of a spot, and each fish has its own unique shape, so it is impossible to find a fish with the same body shape. The females are colored similarly to the males, but their colour palette is much paler. The size of the fish is 12-17 cm.
Male fish tend to be aggressive towards each other if the aquarium is small and their territories small. As such, keeping more than one male in a relatively small aquarium is not recommended. Two males and 4 - 6 females can be kept in a 300 liter aquarium. Given the fact that the cichlids fish are territorial, the aquarium should organize a lot of shelters, so that each of the fish can find a separate shelter.
Possible content Orange Blotch in a common aquarium with other peace-loving fish, with the main thing that the aquarium was not overpopulated.
Water parameters: temperature 25-28° C, hardness dH 10-25°, pH 7,5-8,5. Requires filtration, aeration and a weekly change of ¼ of the aquarium water with fresh.
Coarse river sand or a mixture of coarse sand and fine gravel is used as a substrate. Aquarium plants are not necessary, but if there is still a desire to plant them in the aquarium, you need to select only those of their varieties, which have developed a root system. The fish are constantly digging in the substrate and can pull bushes out of the ground along with the roots by damaging them.
Orange Blotch are omnivorous fish. They can be fed with live and frozen food such as daphnia, Artemia nauplii, chaff, crustaceans, worms and snails. The fish do not refuse dry flake food. Feed fish 1-2 times a day.
Reproduction
Spawning Orange Blotch like other fish family Cichlova. During the spawning period, the male is very active, and to moderate his ardor, in the aquarium with him to be at least 4-6 females. In this case, his attention is dispersed among all the females.
After spawning and fertilization of eggs by the male, the female collects all the eggs to her mouth, where it is incubated for 2-3 weeks. During this time, the female should not be disturbed, because very frequent cases where, as a result of excessive male attention, she spits out or swallows all the eggs.
When breeding fish also need to take into account that the fish are frequently crossed with other fish of his family, which eventually leads to a noticeable deterioration in colour.
