Amatitlania altoflava
Amatitlania altoflava or Cichlazoma altoflava is found in nature only in one place - in the basin of rivers flowing in the Rio Cañaveral area in the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The fish are kept in rivers in fast and medium flow with rocky bottoms. This region is difficult to reach and can only be reached by boat. Because of this, wild-caught fish are very rare in European and American markets.
Amatitlania altoflava will without exaggeration be a valuable acquisition for the aquarist for several reasons. First, this is one of the few representatives of Central America, which can rightly be called a "dwarf cichlid". Males do not grow larger than 10 cm and females usually do not even reach 8 cm. In addition, this fish is also very attractively colored. During the mating season, the fish wear a black mask on their golden body, which creates a beautiful contrast. Not only do the females remain smaller, but they are easily recognized by one or more eye spots on the dorsal fin.
Amatitlania altoflava is a relatively peaceful cichlid. To contain two pairs of fish need an aquarium volume of 150 liters. As a substrate used a mixture of sand with coarse gravel. At the bottom are large stones, grottos and snags, and the stones should be placed so that between them formed splits, which could swim freely of fish. Plants in the aquarium can not plant, because in nature the only plants with which these fish are faced are grasses that hang from the shore above the water. As neighbors, you can pick up small peace-loving fish occupying the upper and middle layers of water.
Water parameters: temperature 24-26° C, hardness dH 3-15°, pH 6,5-7,5. Requires quality filtration, powerful aeration and a weekly substitution of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh.
In nature, they feed on algae, detritus, small crustaceans and invertebrates. They are also omnivores in the aquarium and will eat live and frozen bloodworms, daphnii, Artemia nauplii, dry food. It is also necessary to add plant food, such as spirulina, to the diet of fish. Feed the fish 2 times a day.
Reproduction
Amatitlania altoflava spawns in a shelter. The female hatches up to 200 eggs. Producers heroically defend their clutch. The eggs incubate for 72 hours. Hatch larvae begin to swim freely after 7 days. The parents should not be removed from the fry, as they do not touch their young.
The fry are fed Artemia nauplii 4 times a day.
The life expectancy of Amatitlania altoflava under aquarium conditions is 5-7 years.
