Chindongo heteropictus

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Chindongo heteropictus
Systematics
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Haplochromini
Genre : Chindongo
Type : Chindongo heteropictus
Scientific name
Chindongo heteropictus
( Staeck , 1980)

Chindongo heteropictus ( Syn .: Maylandia heteropicta ) is an African freshwater fish that is endemic to Lake Malawi . So far it has only been detected at Chisumulu Island. Its first introduction to Europe as an aquarium fish was believed to be in the early 1970s or 1980s.

The males of the 8 to 10 cm large fish are light blue in color, females are yellow-orange. Young animals show the colors of the females.

Chindongo heteropictus are mouthbrooders , the males form territory and remain true to their location. Females and adolescents live individually or in loose groups over rocky ground.

attitude

Housing conditions

With a stone structure modeled on the natural habitat, as is common for most rock cichlids in Lake Malawi. Fine gravel or coarse sand is recommended as a substrate. Hard-leaved plants can be used even if higher plants are not present in the natural habitat. In medium-sized aquariums (up to 1.5 m edge length) males should be kept together with several females. In larger pools, it makes sense to keep them in a smaller group. It is important to keep other rock cichlids together, which is associated with a distribution of the aggressions of the males. Water values ​​as given for other Malawiesee cichlids .

breed

Agamer mouthbrooders in females. The breeding corresponds to that of other Mbuna species. Spawning takes place with rotating movements on the ground in the center of the male territory in front of a stone or in a small cave. After a gestation period of around 3 weeks, the mother animal releases around 20 to 40 young animals, depending on their size, which are then no longer cared for or only for a few days. The young animals are about 10 mm tall and already fully developed. Even at this age it is possible to see the distribution of the sexes in the brood. Rearing them is easy with fine flake food and freshly hatched brine shrimp.

feeding

Typical growth eater in the wild. In the aquarium it is omnivorous and at risk of intestinal diseases if too little high-fiber food is served. Vegetable food is therefore important. Otherwise, this species can easily be fed with the usual types of frozen and dry food.

Special

Due to an incorrect location (Thumbi West Island) in the first description, a different species was mentioned in the literature as Maylandia heteropicta until recently . Another name for Chindongo heteropictus is Pseudotropheus newis .

General

Temperature: 24 to 27 ° C, length of the adult fish: 8 to 10 cm, pool length: from 80 cm

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