paul-discus
Fish Fanatic
Has anyone kept these fish and if so could they tell me a little about them...Thanks.
Chequerboard Cichlids
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Castellop123
Fish Herder
Do you mean " Chessboard Cichlid " Crenicara filamentosa ...
If so, heres come info...
To tell the sexes apart, the male is much larger with a longer, folked caudal fin; all fins are red, blue and black. The females fins are transparent...
Territorial and peacful though quite aggressive during spawning... The species will not burrow or harm plants... One male should be kept with several females. A 60cm tank is larger enough for a species tank ( one male, 2 - 3 females ), Needs a heavily planted tank with a bottom of fine sand. Add flat stones and places to hide. The fish is shy when kept alone and should be combined with several live-bearers or characins.
If so, heres come info...
To tell the sexes apart, the male is much larger with a longer, folked caudal fin; all fins are red, blue and black. The females fins are transparent...
Territorial and peacful though quite aggressive during spawning... The species will not burrow or harm plants... One male should be kept with several females. A 60cm tank is larger enough for a species tank ( one male, 2 - 3 females ), Needs a heavily planted tank with a bottom of fine sand. Add flat stones and places to hide. The fish is shy when kept alone and should be combined with several live-bearers or characins.
Castellop123
Fish Herder
For breeding, use acid, soft water with a Ph of around 5.5 and 0.1 - 2' dGH ( I know, it is extremely low ), a temperature of 26 - 27'C. It is wise to filter with the use of peat... The fish are open-breeders and will lay 60 - 120 eggs on plants or rocks. The female guards the larvae and fry...
The fishonly eat live foods; keep them well supplied with brine shrimp. Feed flakes rarely, if at all... Its a delicate species, and requires cautious care. The fish is very susceptible to deteriorating water conditions. Fungus will develop on the eggs if the water is not sufficiently soft...
Hopes this helps...
The fishonly eat live foods; keep them well supplied with brine shrimp. Feed flakes rarely, if at all... Its a delicate species, and requires cautious care. The fish is very susceptible to deteriorating water conditions. Fungus will develop on the eggs if the water is not sufficiently soft...
Hopes this helps...
a.d.wood
Fish Crazy
OK, let's relate some personal experience instead (posted a while back on this site):
Here's my experience:
Started with 6 juveniles, eventually selected 1 pair and put them into 1 of my breeding tanks (18"L x 18"W x 15"T). Tank decorated with silica sand, bog wood, 2 amazon sword plants (in clay pots) and floating amazon frogbit. The only other inhabitants are 2 whiptail cats (I have them in with all of my spawning Apisto's, they have never shown any interest in any of the fry).
Standard feeding regime for adult dwarves, fresh baby brine shrimp in the morning with an evening feed of frozen food (cycling through bloodworm, daphnia, artemia, white worm, black worm, mysis)
All of my water is 100% RO filtered through Irish moss peat, pH ~5.6, GH ~1, KH 0. Thanks to the planting NO3 etc not detectable. Tank temperature is maintained at 26 degrees C. Weekly 10% water change with water warmed up to ~20 degrees C (I have a 200L water drum in the fish house, this is not heated but left circulating for at least 24 hours to equilibrate to the ambient temperature of the fish house).
I would say that the key for these guy's is water quality, if you can match my stats then you should be in luck.
I had heard that they spawn in pits that they dig in the sand, however this female spawned on the topside of an amazon sword leaf. The female moved the eggs from 1 leaf to another about once per day over 4 to 5 days (she only used 2 leaves). Eggs become wigglers at about 3 days and free swimming at about 7 days.
Once we had free swimming fry, continue with the baby brine shrimp but also supplement with frozen cyclops (a small portion of the other frozen foods is still added for the parents).
It appears the female is solely responsible for the fry raising, the males job is to defend the territory.
And just to show these guys off!! (they're hatched mid September and now about 15mm SL)
And to tidy up some of the previous info:
Males will develop lyreate tail and colour bands (horizontal and vertical), the exact layout of the bands apears to be related to the collecting location. Females may develop red in the trailing ventrals, but this appears to be mood and breeding condition dependant.
No, these fish are not resticted to live foods, they will readily adapt to frozen foods along with bbs and the occasional use of live daphnia as a treat.
Regards
Andrew
Here's my experience:
Started with 6 juveniles, eventually selected 1 pair and put them into 1 of my breeding tanks (18"L x 18"W x 15"T). Tank decorated with silica sand, bog wood, 2 amazon sword plants (in clay pots) and floating amazon frogbit. The only other inhabitants are 2 whiptail cats (I have them in with all of my spawning Apisto's, they have never shown any interest in any of the fry).
Standard feeding regime for adult dwarves, fresh baby brine shrimp in the morning with an evening feed of frozen food (cycling through bloodworm, daphnia, artemia, white worm, black worm, mysis)
All of my water is 100% RO filtered through Irish moss peat, pH ~5.6, GH ~1, KH 0. Thanks to the planting NO3 etc not detectable. Tank temperature is maintained at 26 degrees C. Weekly 10% water change with water warmed up to ~20 degrees C (I have a 200L water drum in the fish house, this is not heated but left circulating for at least 24 hours to equilibrate to the ambient temperature of the fish house).
I would say that the key for these guy's is water quality, if you can match my stats then you should be in luck.
I had heard that they spawn in pits that they dig in the sand, however this female spawned on the topside of an amazon sword leaf. The female moved the eggs from 1 leaf to another about once per day over 4 to 5 days (she only used 2 leaves). Eggs become wigglers at about 3 days and free swimming at about 7 days.
Once we had free swimming fry, continue with the baby brine shrimp but also supplement with frozen cyclops (a small portion of the other frozen foods is still added for the parents).
It appears the female is solely responsible for the fry raising, the males job is to defend the territory.
And just to show these guys off!! (they're hatched mid September and now about 15mm SL)
And to tidy up some of the previous info:
Common names include chessboard and checkerboard, correct latin name is Dicrossus filamentosus. Careful also not to confuse with Dicrossus maculatus as juveniles of each species are extremely difficult to tell apart. Ideally get large enough fish where the males tail extensions or banding has developed so at least you have a head start on pairs forming.
Males will develop lyreate tail and colour bands (horizontal and vertical), the exact layout of the bands apears to be related to the collecting location. Females may develop red in the trailing ventrals, but this appears to be mood and breeding condition dependant.
No, these fish are not resticted to live foods, they will readily adapt to frozen foods along with bbs and the occasional use of live daphnia as a treat.
Regards
Andrew
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