Purple perch

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Purple perch
Purple perch (Pelvicachromis pulcher), adult male

Purple perch ( Pelvicachromis pulcher ), adult male

Systematics
Order : Cichliformes
Family : Cichlids (Cichlidae)
Subfamily : Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe : Chromidotilapiini
Genre : Pelvicachromis
Type : Purple perch
Scientific name
Pelvicachromis pulcher
( Boulenger , 1901)
adult female
one to two week old pups
four to six week old young

The purple perch ( Pelvicachromis pulcher , syn .: Pelmatochromis pulcher ), also called royal cichlid , is a cichlid from western Africa.

It is a type of the genus Pelvicachromis and, as a popular aquarium fish, probably its best-known representative. The specimens available on the market today come mainly from offspring.

distribution and habitat

The purple perch is native to southern Nigeria , eastern Benin and western Cameroon . Its habitat are standing and flowing waters with weak, sometimes strongly acidic ( pH value below 5) and soft water.

features

As is typical of the species, the purple perch is very variable in color. Common to all color forms is a dark spot on the gill covers of the males. Female animals have a yellow ribbon in their dorsal fin. There is almost always a noticeable, blurred belly spot from pale pink to blood red in color. In the males, the dorsal and anal fins are pointed. On the upper, often red edge of the lanceolate tail and in the rear, soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin, yellow-lined spots can appear. The pelvic fins of the males are drawn out and reach up to the anal fin. Their front edge is usually lined with dark and light blue. The females' anal and caudal fins are rounded and their belly, which is curved downwards, supports a squat appearance compared to the males. The pelvic fins are short and rounded. With a total length of ten centimeters, male purple perches are significantly larger than their female counterparts, who can only reach a length of about 7.5 centimeters.

Fin formula :

  • Dorsal XVI / 9-11
  • Anal III / 7-8

behavior

Like all Pelvicachromis , the purple perch is a monogamous cave breeder . The brood is looked after and guarded jointly by the parents. The own territory is defended against foreign conspecifics, while the brood also against foreign fish. Also typical of the species is courtship behavior, in which the female takes on a much more active role. Prancing in front of the male, it bends the body in an S-shape and takes on an intense red-purple color. After laying the 200 to 300 eggs, the female tends to the clutch until the larvae hatch, while the male continues to defend the territory. The school of young fish is led through the area by both parents. After three to four weeks, the boys are independent.

attitude

The purple perch is relatively undemanding and easy to breed in the aquarium. The socialization of several pairs is only possible in very large aquariums because of the intraspecific aggressiveness. Hiding places are necessary for the well-being of the animals. In particular, old aquarium strains are relatively tolerant of water conditions that differ from those of the original habitat.

literature

  • Günther Sterba : Freshwater fish in the world. Weltbild Verlag, Augsburg 1998, ISBN 3-89350-991-7 .
  • Hans A. Baensch , Rüdiger Riel: Aquariums Atlas. Volume 1, Mergus Verlag, Melle 2002, ISBN 3-88244-065-1 .
  • Wolfgang Kochsiek: Pelvicachromis jewels from West Africa. In: Aquaristik aktuell. Dähne Verlag, 03/2005, ISSN  0947-6512
  • Anton Lamboj: Pelvicachromis pulcher. In: Claus Schaefer, Torster Schröer (Hrsg.): The large lexicon of aquaristics. 2 volumes. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8001-7497-9 , Volume 2, p. 758.

Web links

Commons : Purpurprachtbarsch ( Pelvicachromis pulcher )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files