Lifalilis cichlid
Lifalilis cichlid | ||||||||||||
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Hemichromis lifalili |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Hemichromis lifalili | ||||||||||||
Loiselle , 1979 |
Lifalilis cichlid ( Hemichromis lifalili ), also known as jewel cichlid , is a species of the genus Hemichromis , which belongs to the cichlids . The fish, popular with aquarists, are almost twelve centimeters long.
It mainly feeds on worms , crustaceans , insects , small fish but also parts of plants.
distribution
Its main distribution area is rocky rivers with temperatures between 20 and 26 ° C in central Africa in the Zaire lowlands ( Congo , Ruki , Tumbasee , Lake Yandja) and in Central Africa (upper reaches of the Ubangi ). The species is absent in oxygen-poor waters.
Gender differences and behavior
Outside the spawning season, adult males and females can be distinguished primarily by their body shape. The females are on the whole much slimmer and show a lighter red. The males are much stronger and have a larger head than the females. Pair formation is difficult, if it is successful, males and females often stay together for years. During the spawning season the substrate spawners are aggressive and defend their territory and the brood against any intruder. A flat place (stone, plant, etc.) is used for spawning, where up to 500 eggs are placed. The larvae that hatch after three days are reburied in previously dug pits by the parent animals and guarded for another two weeks.
Systematics
Until the seventies of the twentieth century, all red cichlids were assigned to the species Hemichromis bimaculatus . After that, a wide variety of names were used, mostly without taking into account the knowledge gained in the meantime about the genus. From today's perspective, the entire complex consists of more than 10 species, which the layman can hardly distinguish and which will probably be removed from the genus Hemichromis in a future revision .
Aquaristics
For all red cichlids the following applies more or less: It is difficult to keep them together with smaller fish or fish that have free-standing fins , as these are mostly attacked or even eaten. In aquariums that do not offer enough space for two areas , keeping more than one pair leads to fights. A 200 liter aquarium is often mentioned as the minimum capacity for a couple.
literature
- Hans A. Baensch , Rüdiger Riehl : Aquariums Atlas. 15th edition. Volume 1, Mergus Verlag, Melle 2006, ISBN 3-88244-227-1 .
Web links
- Hemichromis lifalili inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Moelants, T., 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- Lifalilis cichlid on Fishbase.org (English)