herotilapia multispinosa also known as the rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater central american fish of the cichlid family .

it is found in atlantic slope of honduras , nicaragua , and costa rica from patuca river ( honduras ) south to matina river ( costa rica ) , and the pacific slope of nicaragua and costa rica from guasaule river south to tempisque river .

specimens are also reported from the choluteca river in the pacific of honduras .

this species is found in lakes and swamps with muddy bottoms , where it uses its specialized teeth and only 3.5 % jaw protrusion to feed mostly on algae .

it is commercially important as an aquarium fish .

the rainbow cichlid prefers a ph range of 7.0 – 8.0 , water hardness of 9-20 dgh and a temperature range of 21 – 36 °c .

rainbow cichlid

rainbow cichlid <EOT> central america ; rainbow cichlid is to be found in the honduras and nicaragua .

books for sale cichlid books and dvds for sale at the cichlid room companion .

relatively common in the hobby , the rainbow cichlid makes an ideal ca cichlid for those who do not wish to manage the challenge of the more aggressive ca species .

norton , 1975 . the black - trim rainbow cichlid . buntbarsche bull . ( 51 ) : 10 - 12 .

the rainbow cichlid is unique in that it possesses tricuspid teeth , specifically enhancing its ability to eat filamentous algae which is its main source of food . the rainbow cichlid is capable of changing its coloration as its mood changes . the rainbow cichlid is an excellent choice for a chance to experience and observe a unique and wonderful fish species without a lot of special requirements and necessary equipment .

above : one of the two rainbow cichlids i have owned . my avatar , of course .

schwarz , 1977 . archocentrus centrarchus ( gill and bransford 1877 ) . amer . cichlid assoc . cichlid index 2 ( 9 ) : 1 - 2 .

the kribensis ( pelvicachromis pulcher ) , also known as the krib , the rainbow krib and the rainbow cichlid , is a small freshwater fish native to africa . while mainly found in the rivers of nigeria and cameroon , they are also listed as an invasive species in hawaii .

most cichlids have a classical fish - shaped body design and they come in a rainbow of colors .

in the wild rainbow cichlids eat algae of rocks , but in aquaria they will gladly eat any kind of food offered . i fed mine spectrum , tetra cichlid sticks , and hbh graze . the tetra cichlid sticks kept the females in very good breeding condition .

trade section the master list of cichlid offers ordered by area and species name .

pam chin has been replying to cichlid questions for over twenty years . highly respected and experienced aquarist , pam has visited cichlid habitats around the world , and bred in her ' s and her husband gary fish house hundreds of cichlid species . besides her job , she still devotes time to help any person with a cichlid question !

i have rainbow cichlids kept with convicts . both are comfortable at cooler tempretures . article is factually accurate .

the rainbow cichlid is a popular , not - too - large cichlid that is relatively peaceful and full of personality . has unique tricuspid teeth , which it uses to rasp filamentous algae , a major part of its diet in the wild , from rockwork and other aquarium decor .

the rainbow cichlid is an omnivore ; it will accept quality flake and cichlid pellets . blood worms and brine shrimp will also be accepted as treats . the diet should be supplemented with other treats such as spirulina which is classed as vegetable matter and they are often seen to be grazing on any algae present in the aquarium .

e - books for sale pdf copies of popular cichlid books offered for sale at the best price .

h . multispinosa is a territorial , but peaceful , cichlid that is rarely aggressive except during spawning .

rainbow cichlid is a great cichlid to keep , especially for beginners . this easy hardy , relatively small , and peaceful cichlid is not demanding and is colorful . this fish , first typed by günther in 1867 , belonged in its own genus herotilapia . after schmitter - soto ' s 2007 reclassification of the central american fishes this fish was moved to the genus archocentrus . although it may be a representative of this genus , very little is known on rainbow cichlids scientifically and i believe more research should be done before it is considered a representative of this genus . this fish was first brought into the hobby back in 1961 and is a favorite with many cichlid fanatics .

: 4 . a robust cichlid recommended for a community tank with other similarly - sized central american cichlids .

loiselle , p . v . 1982b . cichlid potpouri . fama 5 ( 9 ) : et seq .

baylis , j . r . 1976 . a rainbow in muddy water . tropical fish world 3 ( l ) : 8 - 14 .

algal browsing by this sexually quiescent male los chiles herotilapia multispinissa is facilitated by the distinctive jaw teeth that define the genus . even outside of periods of sexual activity , the rainbow cichlid is a very attractively colored fish . photo by paul v . loiselle .

description : rainbow cichlid have bright orange base color with variable black markings along the length of the body . fins - excluding pectorals - are edged in bright blue . the fish can quickly change colors according to mood . they have orange eyes . debatably the smallest central american cichlid , it is closely related to the genus cichlasoma differing only by its three - pointed teeth . archocentrus multispinosus has tricuspid teeth , which greatly enhances the ability to feed on filamentous algae , making up a large portion of its natural diet . these three specialized teeth have earned multispinosa its own genus , herotilapia . the rainbow cichlid is an ideal fish to keep and breed for the beginner .

dr . phillip lobel recently reviewed the relatively scant literature on this topic ( 2001 . “acoustic behavior of cichlid fishes . ”

ladich f , schulz - mirbach t ( 2013 ) hearing in cichlid fish under noise conditions . plos one 8 : e57588

the rainbow cichlid should be housed in an aquarium of at least 45 gallons and should be provided with plenty of rock structure ( caves ) and / or driftwood for shelter ; they prefer a sand or fine gravel substrate and appreciate live plants , which help them feel more at home .

the rainbow cichlid is a brightly colored , monotypic fish commonly found in the lakes and rivers on the atlantic and pacific slopes of central america . it makes an excellent addition to semi - aggressive cichlid aquariums as well as peaceful community setups ; because of this the species is very popular among hobbyists looking for a few larger " community " fish that also fit the bill for the adding some color to their tanks .

the rainbow cichlid is an ideal fish to keep and breed for the beginner , and certainly possesses the traits to earn a place with hobbyists . with its ease of care , wonderful behaviors and coloration , i am confident that anyone who decides to try keeping h . multispinosa will not be disappointed .

such a life history pattern requires of its practitioners a specialized suite of adaptations . the physiological characteristics the rainbow cichlid must possess to prosper in such habitats are obvious enough . tolerance of high concentrations of dissolved metabolites and indifference to short term fluctuations in temperature and water chemistry head the list . experiments ( baylis , 1974 ) have demonstrated this species ' ability to tolerate the sort of hypoxic conditions likely to occur in the presence or large - scale decomposition of organic matter . i have already alluded to the dental modifications that allow herotilapia to collect vegetable foods efficiently . parallel digestive specialization must accompany such dental features as well . there are no data on the digestive physiology of this species , but the rainbow cichlid does possess the same sort of elongate intestine characteristic of such other herbivorous cichlids as sarotherodon , tilapia and many of the mbuna . withal , the rainbow cichlid as well equipped to survive in seasonally flooded habitats .

the rainbow cichlid is not characterized by extreme sexual dimorphism . females such as this one are best recognized by their plumper appearance and somewhat shorter , more rounded dorsal and anal fins . among sibs of the same age , females are also typically slightly smaller than their brothers . photo by paul v . loiselle .

sand subtrate should be used , although this fish would actually prefer a muddy bottom which would pose a challenge to the aquarist . other tank decor is not critical , although the rainbow cichlid will appreciate areas of planting in which it can take cover . water flow should be slow to moderate and lighting not overly strong .

ranging along the atlantic & pacific slopes , the rainbow cichlid can be found from honduras to costa rica where the fish is likely to be found seeking refuge among the submerged logs , tangled roots and overhead cover of muddy lake shores and swampy bogs . it is often found foraging through the muddy substrate in pursuit of anything edible .

a sexually quiescent male archocentrus centrarchus . in the past , this species was confused with h . multispinosa by aquarists . like the rainbow cichlid , this species has elevated dorsal and anal fin spines counts , but differs dramatically in its coloration and uniformity conical jaw teeth . photographed at shedd aquarium . photo by paul v . loiselle .

it can be difficult to determine the sex of a rainbow cichlid , but the male ' s anal and dorsal fins are usually more pointed ; the females are commonly smaller and have a short ovipositor . pairs will form a nuclear family and they will care for the fry and defend them ( in a community tank as well ) .

omnivore . because a good portion of the rainbow cichlid’s diet in the wild is filamentous algae , be sure to provide sufficient plant matter in their diets , including commercial spirulina foods . also provide a variety of commercial foods designed for cichlids , as well as live , frozen and freeze - dried foods , such as brine shrimp or bloodworms .

for those who want to try something big and have a minimum of a 48 - inch aquarium , the jaguar cichlid ( parachromis managuensis ) from central america and tilapia mariae ( west africa ) are possibilities ; in the case of the jaguar cichlid , start with young adults , not full - grown fish .

: captive bred specimen have lost much of their coloration . this fish has the ability to rapidly change colors according to its mood . the rear and lower parts can change from whitish - gold to black . the rainbow cichlid belongs to a monotypic genus , meaning that it is the only fish included . this fish is sexually mature at 3 " ( 8 cm ) .

as mentioned above they are classed as a peaceful species compared to the other cichlid species available so can be housed with other species of fish with a similar disposition .

loiselle , v . 1980a . cichlasoma septemfasciatum  a new color form of a central american cichlid . fama 3 ( 1 ) : 44 - 49 et seq .

all of these cichlid fish will do very well and breed in a well - planted aquarium with a few flowerpot caves . they thrive in virtually any water chemistry .

rainbow cichlid does not usually dig into the substrate or redecorate its environment so live plants and structures should remain unmolested . it ' s a good idea to provide them with adequate water movement although they have no special requirements above standard , efficient water filtration and lighting . they are a peaceful species that rarely show aggression , although they can become territorial and show aggressive behavior when spawning .

most cichlid fish are easy to breed , provided you have a male and a female , offer them suitable conditions and can manage their territorial behaviors . via brad / flickr

moving up a size bracket and to a 36 - inch aquarium minimum , we have the jack dempsey ( “cichlasoma” octofasciatum ) , the rainbow cichlid ( herotilapia multispinosa ) and hypsophrys nicaraguensis , all from central america . then there’s the blue acara ( aequidens pulcher ) and the port acara ( cichlasoma portalegrense ) from south america . all of these will do well in any but acidic conditions .

herotilapia multispinosa ( some - times referred to as the " rainbow " cichlid in the pet trade ) is a hardy and colorful central american cichlid . it makes a great addition to community tanks , but is also worthy of a showy species - only tank , even safely placed in tanks containing certain livebearers , tetras , and other fish usually not easily placed in the cichlid aquarium . debatably the smallest central american cichlid , h . multispinosa is also unique in that it possesses tricuspid teeth , which greatly enhances the ability to feed on filamentous algae , making up a large portion of its natural diet . these three specialized teeth have earned multispinosa its own genus , herotilapia . its characteristic golden coloration along with the orange eyes , black markings , and subtle blue hues make it a truly stunning aquarium occupant . it can mature at a size of just 3 " , and is often not noted to grow much larger .

loiselle , p . v . 1982a . our national cichlid  cichlasoma cyanoqunatum ( baird and girard 1854 ) . fama 5 ( 5 ) : 6 - 11 et seq .

these cichlid fish are best kept in a species aquarium of their own , with just one pair of the chosen species . they are likely to fight constantly with other cichlid fish , whether their own kind or different species . this behavior is tied to their need to occupy a safe , private territory for raising a family . fish intruding into their territory are seen as a threat to the brood ( usually with justification ) , and other cichlid fish in particular are seen as competitors for resources ( breeding sites and food supply ) .

many would - be cichlid fish breeders have a typical community of fish and want to try their hand at adding cichlids to this environment . as it turns out , there are a number of small substrate - spawning cichlid fish that will fit well into such a setup , and they will not destroy a pleasant underwater scene by digging excessively and / or eating plants .

due in large measure to the efforts of dr . jeffrey r . baylis , a great deal more is known about the natural history - of the h . multispinosa than is typically the case for a neotropical cichlid . during his graduate program at berkeley , jeff had an opportunity to supplement laboratory work on this species ' behavior with field studies . the knowledge he gained about the ecology of the rainbow cichlid allowed him to meaningfully interpret much of the behavioral data derived from his laboratory observations . though this species has attracted the attention of subsequent workers ( smith - grayron and keenleyside , 1978 ) , the results of his research ( baylis , 1974 ) remain a model of the successful integration of field observation and laboratory studies to which any aspiring student of cichlid behavior can profitably turn for inspiration .

some species grow to only 4 cm ( 2 in . ) , but the largest cichlid , boulengerochromis microlepis , can reach a size up to 90 cm ( 3 ft . ) .

however , it is important to remember that these cichlid fish look after their eggs and fry , and thus will inevitably occupy an area of territory — a “nursery . ” these cichlid fish should be kept only if the aquarium is large enough to accommodate this territory need and still leave plenty of living space for the other occupants to go about their business without constant harassment .

in 1970 , a color mutant of the rainbow cichlid characterized by a novel distribution of black pigment on the body and fins was first discovered . this new color form made its appearance in an aquarium shop in waterloo , iowa , among a population of tank - reared herotilapia being held for sale . this heteromelanic color variety is generally known as the norton black - trim rainbow cichlid , in honor of dr . joanne norton , who worked out the genetics of this phenotype and was largely responsible for distributing it among interested cichlid keepers . according to norton ( 1975 ) , the mutant gene behaves as a simple mendelian recessive . it would be interesting to know if the black trim phenotype exists in nature . given the degree to which the normal color pattern of this species is adapted to its optical environment , one would predict with a fair degree of confidence that the mutant form would be at a considerable disadvantage in all pre - reproductive and reproductive interactions relative to the normal form . the black trim rainbow is as easily maintained in captivity as the wild , or as norton ( 1975 ) refers to it , the " drab " form . from the perspective of one who has kept both , i find myself in disagreement with norton ' s assessment of the relative attractiveness of the two fish . i find the normal form a much more colorful cichlid . fortunately , in such matters one can be guided by one ' s personal taste . trahit sua quemque voluptas !

that the ideal result of completely eliminating this source of mortality goes unattained is evinced by the steady attrition of the swarm of fry when rainbow cichlids spawn in a community situation in captivity . no less than by the simple observation that the inhabitants of nicaragua and costa rica are not up to their armpits in herotilapia ! i have no idea what percentage of a successful spawning survives to independence in nature . in captivity , however , given a tank of 200 1 capacity or larger , it is not unusual for ten to fifteen percent of a brood to attain this point under community conditions . given the fecundity of the rainbow cichlid , this is a most impressive performance .

( editor note : the present article , written in 1982 , lacks all the recent modifications in central american cichlid taxonomy . in an attempt to make it current i have updated dr . loiselle ' s article to include all the curently accepted cichlid genus . i have followed kullander paper ( kullander 1996 ) on heroines with comments for cichlasomines systematics for this end . may - 1997 . )

food is also no problem in captivity . any of the usual live and prepared foods will satisfy the rainbow cichlid ' s healthy appetite . the intense golden base coloration is at its best when their keeper sees fit to offer his fish a fair amount of plant matter in their diet . herotilapia will take any of the usual leafy vegetables enthusiastically , provided they are presoftened by a quick dip into boiling water . if one fails to provide them with supplementary plant matter , the fish are capable of making up for this deficiency by nibbling any rooted plants in their aquarium . duckweed is also likely to come in for such attention , though floating fern ( ceratopteris ) is effectively immune . assuming their appetite for vegetable food is otherwise satisfied , h . multispinosa is no danger to rooted plants . unlike many heroine species , the rainbow cichlid confines its digging strictly to periods of reproductive activity .

the seasonality of reproduction in nature also places a premium on the ability to respawn promptly should anything disrupt a previous spawning effort . according to baylis ( 1974 ) , a female rainbow cichlid can respawn from 10 to 14 days after the loss of a clutch of eggs . this reduced recycling time , combined with the extreme fecundity of h . multispinosa has led some killifish and betta fanciers to reverse the usual polarity of trophic interactions in their fish rooms . many breeders of these fish like to keep a single large cichlid around as a sort of biological garbage disposal for the numerous culls any program of selective breeding is likely to engender . however , in situations where winter scarcity of live food is a real problem , astute breeders have discovered that a pair of rainbow cichlids constitutes a convenient and highly reliable means of upgrading dried food into an abundant supply of high quality live food for the main objects of their attentions !

rainbow cichlids are great . i highly recommend them to the cichlid lover who has never tried them , but also to anyone who wants to try cichlids as they are a very nice and peaceful species to start with . this fish is occasionally found in shops and hobbyists . although it is generally cheap , it tends to disappear from time to time . if you don ' t have much room and want a nice central american , give these guys a try .

my fish have laid eggs twice now , but they ate them . i have three adult rainbow cichlids and two bala sharks , should i remove the fish once the eggs have been laid ? the mother protects them , but the male tries to eat them !

anton lamboj ( 2004 ) : pelvicachromis signatus and pelvicachromis rubrolabiatus , two new cichlid species ( teleostei , perciformes ) from guinea , west africa . zootaxa 454 , 1 - 12 : 12 - 12 , urltoken

loiselle , paul v . ( may 16 , 1997 ) . " those other central american cichlids - part one : herotilapia multispinossa " . cichlid room companion . retrieved on july 09 , 2018 , from : urltoken

compared to other central american cichlids , rainbow cichlids are fairly peaceful and generally easy to keep in the home aquarium . this makes them a great choice for beginners or for those who simply want a central american cichlid without the typical aggressiveness . this species is not demanding when it comes to tank conditions and generally a very hardy fish , but they do prefer hard , slightly alkaline water . rainbow cichlids are also smaller than some central american cichlids , so they do not require as much tank space . in the wild , they are found in vegetated areas of still or slow - moving waters . mimic this in the aquarium by providing plants for hiding places and gentle filtration to minimize water flow . floating plants would be a good idea to help diffuse the light .

i commented on the blue acara page about the introduction of a pair of rainbow cichlids . i did take one of two male blue acaras back to a shop and brought home two more rainbow cichlids , making the cichlid population in my tank = 4 rainbow cichlids and 1 blue acara ( male ) . they all seem to get along fine , no fighting or indeed , no sexual activity what - so - ever . i know one of the rainbows is definitely male as he has a slight nuchal bump on his head . he also happens to have red eyes and is much more orange than the other three ? as for the remaining three , i have no idea what sex they are , it seems impossible to tell but they don’t seem interested in the male at all . i have researched that these cichlids are really easy to breed so i wonder if they are either all male , the acara is putting them off or they are too young still . they are approx 6cm ( excluding tail fin ) and the acara about 7cm .

a peaceful cichlid , especially by central american standards , which will appreciate tankmates of a similar disposition . tetras barbs and other smaller peaceful cichlids can all be considered . small plecs and doradids make suitable bottom - dwellers .

for this reason , the novice cichlid breeder — or perhaps i should say cichlid keeper ( because keeping them successfully usually results in breeding , planned or not ) — will do well to stick to species that have been in captivity for some time and are hardy . such fish will do well in the water conditions you are able to provide and do not have any other specialized environmental conditions . plus , they are reasonably well behaved .

this parental female archocentrus centrarchus displays the same sort of reverse countershading that can be seen in comparably motivated rainbow cichlids . reverse countershading is characteristic of the breeding dress of all representatives of the genus archocentrus and of many other heroine species as well . photo by paul v . loiselle .

lowe - mcconnell , r . h . 1969 . the cichlid fishes of guyana , south america , with notes on their ecology and breeding behavior . zool . j . linn . soc . 48 : 255 - 302 .

i would not advise trying to keep even these small cichlid fish in any community aquarium with a length less than 36 inches , and then keep only one pair of a single species . when breeding , a pair will occupy about half the aquarium , leaving the other half for the other fish . in a community smaller than noted , even peaceful dwarf cichlid fish are best kept by themselves in a species aquarium ( more on this later ) .

in a more recent article by amorim and associates ( amorim , m . , m . knight , y . stratoudakis , and g . turner , 2004 . “differences in sounds made by courting males of three closely related lake malawi cichlid species . ” journal of fish biology 65 : 1358 - 1371 ) sounds from three malawi mbuna are recorded and analyzed , and the results suggest that sound may play a larger role in cichlid species recognition than we thought .

9 : 167 - 186 ) . lobel believes the mechanism of sound production in cichlids involves the jaw apparatus , with sounds amplified by the swimbladder . indeed , a variety of sounds have been recorded from a number of cichlid species including

bottom dwelling species run a considerably greater risk of injury . herotilapia will systematically persecute individuals of the lurking eleotrid predator gobiomorus dormitor , attacking individuals even beyond the boundaries of its territory . according to baylis ( 1974 ) , such predators will not survive such attentions unless furnished with shelter such as a length of pvc pipe which the cichlids cannot penetrate . such behavior is understandable enough , given that dormitor is a major source of danger to sympatrically occurring cichlid fry in central america . however , the average aquarist is usually less than forgiving when this sort of selective obliteration is directed at the catfishes and loaches sharing a tank with a reproductively inclined pair of rainbow cichlids . heavily armored loricariid catfishes are effectively immune to the consequences of herotilapia harassment , but prudence dictates removing any other bottom dwellers as soon as a pair of rainbow cichlids begins defending a breeding site .

when not engaged in courtship or spawning , herotilapia is an excellent community resident . while it will eat fish up to the size of a male guppy , such an eventuality is unlikely to occur in large aquaria . the rainbow cichlid is a most inept predator , lacking both the morphological and behavorial characteristics of a successful piscivore . the response of sexually active herotilapia towards other fish varies with the species concerned and the size of the breeding tank . other cichlids and mid - water living fishes are simply interdicted from the pair ' s territory . in a tank of 100 1 capacity or larger , they run little danger of serious injury . as mentioned earlier , rainbow cichlids can , and typically will , make do with a restricted breeding territory , while in a spacious tank , the other residents have adequate space to move into when the prospective parents begin feeling their oats .

i have a little rainbow cichlid a little over 2 inches , housed with a blue acara , firemouth and ( 2 ) jaguar catfish . this fish fits in well with my little community tank . its a nice curious , feisty little fish and i like it alot . occasionally it will charge or give a short chase to my firemouth , but nothing serious . the colors of this fish are nice , mostly yellow and black , sometimes the colors alternate with mood . i believe mine is a female , its chubby and has short dorsal and anal fins .

novel object ( no ) test in cichlid fish . time spent freezing and exploring the no in the three social contexts ; different letters represent significant differences between treatments ( wilcoxon matched - pairs test with bonferroni correction , p < 0 . 0167 ) .

the rainbow cichlid is omnivorous and commonly feeds on filamentous algae , small invertebrates , and various insects within its native habitat . in the aquarium , they will consume algae , but should also be provided with meaty foods as well as vitamin - enriched , frozen and prepared food items ; live , frozen or freeze - dried brine shrimp , small insects , bloodworms , chopped earthworms , and a variety of small pellet and flake foods would make for a well balanced and healthy menu . feed once or twice a day and only what they will consume in a few minutes .

in my opinion , most cichlid fish are easy to breed , provided you have a male and a female , offer them suitable conditions and can manage their territorial behaviors . after all , given that cichlid fish look after their young , they do most of the work for you . the reason some appear to be difficult to breed is because they have more or less specialized environmental requirements that not everyone can meet , or because serious problems develop between male and female unless you are an expert at behavioral management .

kribensis are a relatively short lived cichlid , and usually only live for five years in an aquarium . there are reports of some living longer , but five years seems to be about the maximum age – even for ones that are well taken care of .

it should be fairly obvious from the foregoing why h . multispinosa is such a superb beginner ' s cichlid . the same abilities that allow this species to prosper in highly eutrophic habitats in nature also allow it to shrug off a good deal of accidental mismanagement in captivity . this is not to say that the basic principles of good cichlid keeping should not be applied to this species . like other abuse - resistant species , the rainbow cichlid does much better and certainly shows up more satisfactorily when housed under suitable conditions . a temperature range of 21° - 25°c . suffices for ordinary maintenance , with a rise to 30°c . advisable for breeding . dropping the temperature gradually down to 23°c . once the fry are mobile will reduce the likelihood of precocious respawning and its attendant complications , a contingency to which this species is otherwise quite susceptible in captivity ( baylis , 1974 ; loiselle , 1982b ) . so long as obvious extremes in either direction are avoided , herotilapia is indifferent to ph and hardness . while resistant to mismanagement of the nitrogen cycle , it does appreciate regular partial water changes , to which it responds with enhanced coloration .

in the wild , rainbow cichlids feed on algae that grows on the rocks and substrate in their native environment . in the home aquarium , these fish will feed on algae growths , but can also be offered a variety of foods including algae wafers , pellets and flake foods . feed a regular varied diet for best health and coloration .

central america is extremely rich in cichlid species but remarkably poor in cichlid genera . a single representative of the genus geophagus , g . crassilabrus , occurs as far north as central panama , while the genus aequidens , widespread in south america , is represented here only by ae . caerulopunctatus , which barely manages to squeak into southern costa rica . the remaining mesoamerican cichlids are either representatives of the heroine group or of genera derived from it . one of these heroine derivatives , the large piscivore petenia splendida , i have discussed in a previous article ( loiselle , 1980b ) . i intend to devote this essay to the remaining cichlid genera endemic to this region , herotilapia and neetroplus . both are attractive cichlids of modest dimensions , whose behavior makes them as interesting to scientists as they are to aquarists .

finally , to make a success of such a life history pattern , its practitioners must be highly fecund . entry into a suitable breeding habitat during the dispersal phase is essentially a matter of chance . thus the more offspring a pair produces per spawning effort , the greater the likelihood that a few of them will penetrate suitable habitats and in turn spawn successfully in the future . the need to channel as much of its available energy to spawning as possible is another reason why selection has favored adaptations that reduce intraspecific in the rainbow cichlid . herotilapia rises to this challenge by producing the largest spawns of any cichlid in its size range to date studied . baylis ( 1974 ) reports spawns of up to 1500 eggs from a female 10 . 0 cm sl . in my experience , clutches of up to 2500 eggs are not at all unusual from females in that size range .

according to guy jordan ( pers . comm . ) , the successful introduction of the rainbow cichlid , as h . multispinosa came to be called , was due not to bussing ' s efforts but rather the result of an importation of this species sometime afterwards by a private party in dallas , texas . the sporadic export of wild amphilophus . labiatum from nicaragua at that time suggests the rio san juan basin as the focus of the original aquarium strain of this species . marie mccann , a correspondent who was aware of his interest in unusual cichlids , sent guy a pair of these fish in 1964 . he had no difficulty in inducing the fish to spawn and distributed fry among his extensive network of contacts . his success was apparently far from unique , for by 1970 h . multispinosa had become so generally available in the united states that it was widely regarded as the quintessential beginner ' s cichlid !

although many medium and large cichlid fish are best kept in species aquariums , not all are suitable for beginners . in some species , there can be serious aggression problems between the male and female even after they have paired and spawned , and these require specialized management to prevent one partner , usually the female , from being badly injured or even killed . some require very large aquariums that a beginner is unlikely to want to devote to just two cichlid fish . some must have very specific water chemistry ( very soft and acid , or in the case of a species like the green chromide , etroplus suratensis , a brackish aquarium ) or a diet of live fish , which may be difficult or distasteful for the novice to provide . some cichlid fish simply appear reluctant to breed in the limited amount of space we can offer .

kullander , sven 1996 , " heroina isonycterina , a new genus and species of cichlid fish from western amazonia , with comments on cichlasomine systematics . " ichthyological explorations of freshwaters , vol 7 , no . 2 , pp 149 - 172 , 13 figs . , 5 tabs .

all animals were housed in stock aquaria of 240 l in groups of eight animals each ( three males and five females ) at 26 ± 2°c , with a photoperiod of 12 l : 12 d . fish were daily fed ad libitum with commercial cichlid sticks ( astra ) .

this article is intended only as a basic guide to what the novice should consider , and i would advise that you make a preliminary choice of species and then read up on it before actually buying any fish . you’ll want some of the finer details before making a commitment . remember that the trick is to set up the aquarium to suit the cichlid fish , feed them a suitable diet and be patient . avoid tinkering with the setup . as long as you have provided the right conditions , it should be simply a matter of time before your cichlid fish are breeding .

feeds mainly on detritus in nature , including a great deal of algae and other plant matter . not a fussy eater in captivity . feed a high quality cichlid pellet as staple and vary often with frozen and livefoods . will especially appreciate brineshrimp . vegetable / spirulina flakes or similar will also be accepted .

suitable small cichlid fish for breeding in the general community ( whatever its water chemistry ) include a number of south american and west african dwarfs . from south america there are the “dwarf acaras” laetacara ( formerly part of aequidens ) and nannacara . there is also the keyhole cichlid ( cleithracara maronii ) and the bolivian ram ( mikrogeophagus altispinosa ) . from west africa are the krib ( pelvicachromis pulcher ) and the blockhead ( steatocranus casuarius ) . the latter nominally comes from a specialized biotope ( rapids ) and is rather larger than the rest , but is peaceful and will do very well in a typical aquarium .

however , a successful life history pattern based on the use of peripheral habitats as breeding sites requires that its practitioners be capable of more than mere survival under extreme environmental conditions . they must be able to reproduce successfully under such circumstances as well . the foregoing adaptations are obviously necessary preconditions to any reproductive effort . however , they do not directly address the reproductive process itself . survival assured , the essential difficulty herotilapia must surmount is that of breeding successfully under crowded conditions . according to baylis ( l974 ) , space in isolated pools is limited , while rainbow cichlid populations are often dense . to breed successfully under these conditions requires a special set of behavioral adaptations to complement the physiological specializations considered above .

breeding rainbow cichlids is considered to be fairly easy . these fish are substrate spawners and when they are ready for breeding , they often turn completely black . the average brood size for this species is between 150 and 500 eggs and the parent fish will guard the nest until the eggs hatch . these cichlids display a great deal of parental care in guarding the nest but also in caring for the fry after they have hatched .

common name ( s ) : blue neon goby , rainbow goby , cobalt blue goby scientific name : stiphodon semoni family : gobiidae origin : new caledonia , indonesia , papua new guinea , philippines , and solomon islands temperament / behavior : peaceful conspecific behavior : males are territorial towards there own species , they can be kept together only in larger tanks max size : 2 inches min tank size : 20 gallons tank . . .

according to jeff , h . multispinosa is essentially a fish of seasonally inundated marshes and potholes . juveniles and sexually inactive adults can be found in the shallow , usually vegetated peripheral waters of large lakes and rivers or in the small creeks flowing into them . sexually active adults and very small fry , however , are to be found only in seasonally flooded habitats . at los chiles , costa rica , jeff ' s main study site , the only other fishes regularly found sharing such habitats with rainbow cichlids were the ubiquitous characin astyanax mexicanus , a member of the poecilia mexicana complex of short - finned mollies , and juvenile parachromis managuense . no other cichlid breeds in such habitats . indeed , aside from the molly , no other representative of the local ichthyofauna reproduces therein .

rainbow cichlids are very peaceful and will rarely go after tank mates . the only aggression i saw from mine was during spawning . the pair bond for this fish is usually strong , so you could keep a pair in a 20 gallon tank , although a 40 breeder would be better . as far as tank mates go , use rainbows or giant danios as these fish can be shy . they also mix well with milder new world cichlids and docile malawians .

as the authors point out , while their current results are tantalizing , it remains to be demonstrated whether cichlids—females of these cichlids in particular—can actually differentiate among males based on these courtship calls , as is the case for frogs and insects . though amorim et al . wisely choose to interpret their results conservatively , they suggest that courtship signals involving sensory modalities other than vision , including acoustic ( sound ) and possibly olfactory ( smell ) may well be involved in cichlid species recognition and mate choice , and may have contributed to cichlid speciation . these suggestions await experimental confirmation , but i won’t be surprised when it is demonstrated that female cichlids can and do choose mates on the basis not just of color , but also sound and smell .

for those who want a larger mouthbrooder , there are various sarotherodon and oreochromis , mouthbrooding tilapiines from africa , the best known being the mozambique mouthbrooder or mozzie ( o . mossambicus ) . these cichlid fish seem nearly indestructible , are great characters , eat anything ( including plants ) and are very easy to breed , but they will re - arrange gravel with gusto .

rainbow cichlids are central american cichlids , native to a variety of lakes and swamps in costa rica , nicaragua and honduras . this species tends to inhabit bodies of water with muddy bottoms where it feeds primarily on algae . these fish are named for their vibrant coloration - they typically have an overall gold or orange coloration that is often iridescent in appearance . many specimens exhibit a dark band running along the lateral line and the fins are often colored to match the body .

rainbow cichlids are super easy to breed . the fish are substrate spawners and will lay eggs on any solid surface in the tank . i like to use rocks and flower pots as breeding sites . when rainbow cichlids breed the fish turn jet black with a little bit of orange dorsally . this is awesome to see and as they start to change , exciting because you know they are going to breed . the fish lay 150 - 500 eggs on a flat surface . the nest is usually well guarded by the parents . if you have these fish spawn in a community tank , i recommend pulling the eggs and artificially hatching them . these fish have trouble defending against larger , more aggressive fish . the fry hatch in about 5 days , and are free swimming by 8 - 9 . the fry are small but will gladly eat brine shrimp . growth is relatively well paced . the fry grow up to about 1 inch in 2 months .

h . multispinosa seems to be capable of holding a territory without over aggression and may be kept with other similar sized cichlids as well as larger livebearers . some aquarists have noted their ability to survive in a cichlid aquarium along with larger and more aggressive fish due to their non - competitive status . as with any fish , carefully observe aquarium occupants and remove as necessary .

the rainbow cichlid keeps the cost of aggression at a minimum by combining an extremely complex but highly unambiguous visual signaling system with a marked tendency to habituate to the presence of territorial neighbors . the color patterns of herotilapia allows an individual to communicate its motivational state with great precision . this reduces the likelihood of accidental conflict by minimizing the ambiguity in any exchange of information between two potential combatants . should physical conflict arise , however , ritualization of the resulting interaction keeps risk of injury minimal . attacks are directed not at vulnerable targets such as the eyes , but rather towards specific elements in the color pattern located well away from such sensitive areas ( baylis , 1974 ) . combat between two neighboring males of this species is , to paraphrase shakespeare , an affair of sound and fury , whose level of significance is quite disproportionate to its relative lack of substance .

will change colouration according to its moods . a peaceful species compared to other american cichlids , it is also tolerant of water conditions . the rainbow cichlid inhabits muddy waters in the wild but this would be very hard to re - create in the aquarium . the best a keeper could do in reality is to keep the lighting dim and add plenty of plants to diffuse the light even further . these fish like to dig do use sand for the substrate and as they occupy inland waters in their natural habitat , it is best to keep the water flow low . they will require some swimming space in the aquarium so make sure that the minimum size for the aquarium is at least 36 inches ( 91 . 44 cm ) , the depth is not critical but obviously the larger the water volume , the easier it is to control the water quality and parameters .

spawn defense is also made easier if the parents can signal their motivational state unambiguously to potential predators . fry predators that learn to associate the physical abuse they receive from parental cichlids with a specific color pattern are likely to avoid their vicinity in the future . by so doing , they also avoid the vicinity of the pair ' s mobile fry . many cichlids practice this sort of aversive conditioning of potential fry predators , but few of them are faced with the problem herotilapia must overcome in transmitting the necessary signal . the intense golden ochre and black spawning colors that aquarists find so attractive is the rainbow cichlid ' s solution to the challenge of visual signaling in an extremely turbid environment . research on underwater optics ( luria and kinney , 1970 ; lythgoe , 1979 ) has shown that this combination of colors is maximally visible in such environments , and thus best suited for transmitting a signal unambiguously and over a considerable distance .

maybe you’d like to try a mouthbrooding species as your first cichlid fish . if so , the egyptian mouthbrooder ( pseudocrenilabrus multicolor ) is suitable for any community aquarium of 30 inches or more , and you can also try the slightly larger p . philander from southern africa in larger communities . it is best to have two or more females per male . these species are not fussy about water conditions and diet .

the rainbow cichlid exploits these difficult but rewarding habitats with a two - phase life history . reproduction occurs in seasonally flooded habitats during their dry season isolation from their parent bodies . while physical conditions are extreme at this time , their isolation assures the breeding herotilapia of a greatly reduced complement of fry predators with which to contend . an abundance of food and a dearth of competitors promote rapid growth of their progeny in the bargain . when the rains come , the rising water level of the adjacent rivers brings them into contact with previously isolated pools and marshes . this triggers the dispersal phase of the life cycle , in which the previously impounded rainbow cichlids can move into new habitats . a certain proportion of the fish will enter suitable breeding habitat prior to its isolation by receding waters at the end of the rainy season . these fish will compromise the coming dry season ' s reproductive population . those not fortunate enough to colonize such habitats will remain behind in the river shallows , their chance at reproduction lost for another year . such a life history pattern can be likened to an evolutionary lottery . to succeed , players must disperse into a peripheral habitat suitable for spawning that will persist through the dry season . losers , defined as fish that either fail to colonize a suitable breeding habitat or else colonize one that proves a fatal trap are penalized a year ' s reproductive output , or in the extreme case , their lives . the payoff for winners is a disproportionate contribution to the next year class of juveniles .


the brown-throated wattle-eye ( platysteira cyanea ) , also known as the common wattle-eye or scarlet-spectacled wattle-eye , is a small , insectivorous passerine bird .

the wattle-eyes were previously classed as a subfamily of the old world flycatcher family muscicapidae , but are now usually separated from that group .

this species breeds in west , central and northeast tropical africa .

this common species is found in secondary forest and other woodland areas , including gardens .

the eggs are laid in a small neat lichen and cobweb cup low in a tree or bush .

the adult brown-throated wattle-eye is a stout bird about 14 cm ( 5.5 in ) long .

the breeding male has glossy black upperparts , and white underparts with a neat black breast band .

there is a strong white wingbar , and fleshy red wattles above the eye .

the females are grey-black above , and also have the white wing bar and red wattles .

there is a small patch of white below the bill , and the throat and breast are maroon , separated from the white belly by the black breast band .

young males are washed-out , greyer versions of the female .

these active insect-eating birds are found in pairs or small groups .

the ringing call of the brown-throated wattle-eye is a very characteristic six note doo-dd-dum-di-do-do .

brown - throated wattle - eye

brown - throated wattle - eye <EOT> this birds call bears some resemblance to black - throated wattle - eye , though they are not known to intergrade .

few birds are named after the plumage of the female , but brown - throated wattle - eye ( platysteira castanea ) is one of them . the following photo is of a male .

louette , m . ( 2018 ) . brown - throated wattle - eye ( platysteira cyanea ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

13 cm ; 12–17 g . black and white flycatcher - like bird with fleshy red eye wattle and white wingstripe . male nominate has top of head and mantle glossy bluish - black , . . .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . , fishpool , l . d . c . , boesman , p . and kirwan , g . m . 2016 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 2 : passerines . lynx edicions and birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .

justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is reported to be uncommon to common ( urban et al . 1997 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .

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( statius müller , 1776 ) – senegal e to w central african republic , s to nw angola and nw drcongo ( s approximately to r congo ) .

neumann , 1905 – e central african republic and c & e drcongo ( from lower and middle r congo ) e to s south sudan , w kenya , and nw tanzania including islands in l victoria ( kome , ukerewe ) .

very extensive repertoire . song a series of plaintive ( sometimes descibed as “melodious . . .

array of wooded habitats , including forest clearings ; avoids primary forest , but occurs in sahel . . .

arthropods . many orders of insects recorded , lepidopterans , hymenopterans , termites ( isoptera ) , orthopterans , flies ( diptera ) , bugs ( . . .

seems to nest for much of year in equatorial areas ; adults feeding young and fledglings in jan , mar and jul–aug in cameroon ; . . .

resident , but probably some local seasonal movement in w africa ; more common in gambia during rains . . .

not globally threatened . generally common . in liberia , locally 3–5 singing males / 10 ha . in cameroon , very common across the forest , the adamawa and the benue plain . in . . .

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five males changing perch frequently , flicking their wings , singing and calling around a female hidden inside a bush ( see xc247571 ) . habitat : secondary evergreen forest , garden .

sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .

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myavibase allows you to create and manage your own lifelists , and produce useful reports to help you plan your next birding excursion .

there are more than 12 , 000 regional checklists in avibase , offered in 9 different taxonomies , including synonyms more than 175 languages . each checklist can be viewed with photos shared by the birding community , and also printed as pdf checklists for field use .

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howard and moore 4th edition ( incl . corrigenda vol . 1 - 2 ) :

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recommended citation birdlife international ( 2018 ) species factsheet : platysteira cyanea . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 . recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species : birdlife international ( 2018 ) iucn red list for birds . downloaded from urltoken on 09 / 07 / 2018 .

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all ranks domain kingdom subkingdom phylum subphylum superclass class subclass infraclass superorder order suborder infraorder superfamily family subfamily tribe subtribe genus subgenus species subspecies variety group ( polytypic ) group ( monotypic ) species split life sp . ssp . intra - specific hybrid interspecific hybrid intergeneric hybrid species pair

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coleophora eremosparti is a moth of the coleophoridae family .

it is found in turkmenistan and southern russia .

the larvae feed on eremosparton flaccidum .

they create a silky case , with oblique sinuous wrinkles and without distinct longitudinal grooves .

the valve is two-sided .

the length of the case is 18 – 23 mm and it is dull or yellowish-white in color .

larvae can be found from may to june .

coleophora eremosparti

coleophora eremosparti <EOT> coleophora laricella hübner , 1817 = protocryptis laricella ( hubner , [ 1817 ] ) = tinea laricella hübner , [ 1817 ] = phalaena tortix ( ornix ) laricinella ratzeburg , 1840 = coleophora nigricornis heinemann & wocke , 1877 .

confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .

to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .

disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .

this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .

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