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Today we want to offer an acquaintance with the cichlid Labiatum, but it is more known as the Red Devil, and all thanks to its color and very aggressive character. If the first point about fish, to put it mildly, is not entirely fair, the fact is that the red color belongs mainly to individuals raised in captivity, for those who are born in the wild, red color is rare, but with the character of the fish everything is for sure, the fish are really very aggressive.
The nature of the fish is actually aggressive and it can even attack a person, once we already wrote about one such cichlid - Jack Dempsey, but the character of Dempsey is simply angelic compared to the Red Devil. On the other hand, some experts say that these fish are very attached to their owner and can even take food from his hands, however, in the case of another person, they will not hesitate to try to “chop off” part of the hand. What is the reason for such a different behavior and description of these fish?
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Meet - in the image above, a rather well-known fish - Cichlazoma labiatum, if you still do not quite understand, then here is its unofficial name, which will immediately make a lot of things clear - Red Devil, due to its coloration and rather aggressive character, this name is perhaps much more consistent fish than its scientific and rather silent name.
For the first time, the red devil was identified in 1864 by the famous researcher Gunther, then the fish was named Cichlasoma labiatum, this type of cichlid was discovered in Central America near the slopes of the Atlantic in Nicaragua. According to the first data, fish lived in several lakes in Nicaragua, Managua and other small lakes and their tributaries, today some sources indicate that fish populations have survived in the wild only in Lake Managua.
In the 1980s, the fish received new names, at that moment the Cichlasoma family included a huge number of fish, but after revising the data, many were assigned to other groups, so the Red Devil received a new scientific name - Amphilophus labiatum, today to Cichlasoma, belongs to only 12 species of fish.
To a large extent, the aggressive nature of fish is determined by their habitat, they live in quite dangerous lake, where they themselves often become someone's prey, they are in natural environment are the middle link in the food chain. Reaching almost 40 cm in length, the fish feed on other smaller inhabitants of the lake, but they themselves are forced to seek refuge among stones, snags and other shelters, which are often in short supply and have yet to be recaptured from other "settlers", possibly from their fellows.
Gradually, the Red Devil began to become more and more popular in aquaristics, especially in the nature of the fish, people were carried away by their anger, the fish rushed with force into the glass without fear of people, tore pieces of scenery to pieces. Today, despite the huge number of generations born in captivity, these fish remain aggressive unlike many other cichlid species, and they often bring a lot of financial problems to their owners, the size of the teeth and physical strength allows fish to easily deal with not only other fish, but also expensive equipment.
Fish reach their full size of 33-40 cm in three years, they grow rather slowly, and as they grow, their level of aggression will only increase, so do not flatter yourself if your 10 cm labiatums are relatively quiet, they are still fry, but as they grow, they will increasingly feel the need for personal possessions. These fish live in captivity for up to 15 years, with proper care and content.
By the way, a very interesting situation has developed with the coloring of fish, the fact is that in the wild, as we have already said, fish are forced to fight for their lives, and the red color is too noticeable, so in nature these fish are much more often brown, gray or orange . Captivity is another matter, here mainly other fish are forced to seek salvation and the red saturated color of these fish is not uncommon. By the way, another external attribute that distinguishes wild fish from those grown in captivity is the size of the lips. Captive-bred fish have noticeably smaller lips, and there is currently no answer to the question why this happens, apparently, this is also somehow related to the survival of fish.
The red devil is a very hardy fish if kept in right conditions she is not threatened with disease, the fish have a very strong immunity, thanks to which their distribution in the aquarium hobby has greatly accelerated. Fish are able to adapt to themselves a wide range water temperature and its chemical composition. But at the same time, these fish emit a lot of harmful substances, like all predators, and due to their size they do this very efficiently, so the volume of your work on their maintenance will be huge.
Before we proceed to the practical part of our article, we want to warn you that this type of fish is very difficult to keep, you will have to show a lot of patience in caring for, spend a lot of time and money on keeping fish, and be extremely careful when handling fish.
First and foremost is character. In fact, the aggressiveness of fish can be controlled, you can reduce the ardor of the behavior of these fish. To do this, it is important to understand that 300 liters for ONE fish is normal, only for one in principle. The rest of its neighbors Labiatum will plague as it grows, as it will require a very large area, which it will consider its own territory. And if you plan to keep the fish in a 200 liter aquarium, don't be surprised that it will have special feelings for you.
If you have a suitable aquarium, you should be mentally prepared for the fact that at least 25 percent of its contents you should change on a weekly basis, while cleaning the gravel. Decaying organic matter is not at all what is needed to keep these fish, they are extremely sensitive to this moment. It is possible that you will have to clean more than once a week, you need to inspect the aquarium and clean it in time, naturally, the smaller the aquarium, the more often you will take care of it.
For fish, the condition of the water is very important; it is recommended to use both an external and an internal filter when keeping them, good aeration is required, fish prefer water saturated with oxygen. It is recommended to use sand, so your aquarium will be less affected by fish activity. In the aquarium, you need to equip a large number of shelters from stones and snags, but it is important to keep free space in the center. You can, of course, use plants, but the chances of saving them are practically nil.
Carefully consider the location of the equipment, the fish will try to break it, you need to arrange the devices in such a way that the devil cannot bite the wires and tear off and then break the equipment. It is best to place devices behind strong shelters that the fish cannot tear off. Such actions are usually due to improper management and most often due to the fact that there is not enough space for the fish. Adult fish occupy a very large area in the aquarium, if there is not enough space, they will show aggression towards all types of fish, including bottom ones, besides, the cichlid prefers the bottom layer. But keeping in a large and spacious aquarium does not guarantee that the Red Devil will ignore other fish, it is quite possible that she will also pursue them.
Breeding Labiatum is quite possible if you have a pair and a fairly spacious aquarium, if the pair begins to prepare for spawning, be sure to remove the rest of the fish, no matter how large the aquarium would be, and the aquarist himself should be careful. And without that, not particularly peaceful fish, are at this moment a constant outburst of rage and are ready to attack any object. You can read more about the breeding process of these fish on, we can say that the preparation for spawning is standard as for other types of cichlids. The number of eggs for one spawning can be up to 700 pieces.
Like other fish, Labiatum can contract infectious diseases in captivity. Most often this happens if the water in the aquarium has not been updated for a long time or it is rarely done, fish can get sick due to poor water quality and poor aeration (in this case degree of oxygenation is important). As a prophylactic treatment and in the first stages of the disease, it is required to eliminate the causes of occurrence - put the aquarium in order and briefly raise the temperature to 30 ° C (for three days). But before embarking on wellness procedures, it is worth understanding the cause of the disease and accurately establishing the diagnosis.
Fish are prone to such a disease as Hole-in-the-Head. The reason for the appearance is the poor condition of the water. More details on how to treat and prevent the disease - >here. In addition, cichlids are also susceptible, just like other fish, to the same common diseases that are found in the aquarium hobby. An excellent preventive measure is a good content of fish expressed in proper feeding, constant care of the aquarium.
red cichlid
The red cichlid is one of the most beautiful aquarium fish, which naturally occurs in lakes, irrigation ditches, shallow ponds and rivers in West Africa. hallmark fish is a red body elongated in length and flattened on the sides. The lines of the back and abdomen of the fish are curved in the same way. The dorsal fin is quite long, the caudal fin is fan-shaped. The color of the body is bright red, however, it has randomly scattered shiny blue spots, which also pass to the fins. Behind the gill cover you can see a large bluish-dark spot, which tends to turn pale. Unpaired fins are purple-red. The fish have enough steep forehead and thick lips.
Red cichlid can turn gray camouflage coloring, as a result of which it is very difficult to detect in thickets. As for sexual differences, the male red cichlid is much larger than the female. Moreover, with age, a fat pad forms on the head of the male. The female is always fuller than the male and has a lighter color. Also, the female has much less blue spots on the body. The body length of the red cichlid reaches about 10 cm. Life expectancy in an aquarium is from 5 to 10 years.
The red cichlid has a tendency to territoriality, so it does not get along in the same aquarium with everyone. If the aquarium is small, then these fish often fight even among themselves, and cause quite serious damage to each other. However, it is important to note that red cichlids get along quite well with fish that are similar in size. Good neighbors for this fish will be barbs and other types of cichlids.
It is recommended to keep red cichlids in a group in a species aquarium. The fish are kept in the middle and lower layers of the water. For a comfortable life, the fish will need large aquarium with a volume of 120 liters or more, in which it is imperative to place shelters in the form of snags and buildings made of large stones. It is also advisable to equip the aquarium with rock caves and plant hard-leaved plants.
As for the water parameters, in order to keep the red cichlid, it is necessary to maintain the water temperature in the aquarium from 22 to 26 degrees. Water hardness should be 4-20°, pH 6.5-7.5. Filtration, aeration and weekly changes of up to 25% of the total water volume are a prerequisite for keeping red cichlids.
The red cichlid is an omnivorous fish, therefore it willingly eats both live and vegetable and dry food.
Reproduction of red cichlid
At the age of 12-15 months, the red cichlid reaches puberty. Spawning in fish takes place in pairs, and in the same aquarium in which the fish are kept. The water parameters in the aquarium during the breeding period should be as follows: hardness up to 20 °, pH 6.5-7.5, temperature 25-28 °C. For one spawning, the female is able to sweep up to 500 eggs.
The female lays her eggs on a flat stone, and the male guards the territory at this time. Red cichlids are very caring parents. The female, taking care of the masonry, fans it with her fins and removes the dead eggs herself. At the same time, during the period of caring for offspring, the fish become very aggressive.
The incubation period lasts for two to five days, after which the parents transfer the fry to pre-dug holes. After 4-6 days, the fry begin to swim and feed on their own. At the same time, parents actively take care of the fry, gathering them in a flock, and feed them, grinding large feed for them.
After a while, it is better to put the fry in a separate aquarium in order to protect them from the encroachments of other fish. starter feed serves for fry living dust and Artemia nauplii.
Here, in principle, is everything you need to know about the red cichlid so that it will delight you with its beauty in your home aquarium for many years.
More information
Fish red parrot(Blood red parrot) is a cichlid (artificially bred hybrid), which caused a lot of controversy in the fish world and at the same time gained immense popularity. And whether you approve of this fish hybrid or not, the cichlid red parrot forever settled in the hearts of many aquarists. These fish are great for the community tank as they are peaceful and curious, and are good at "sucking up" their owners as soon as they spot them near the aquarium. The Red Parrot fish should not be confused with the Parrot Hoplarch cichlid (Psittacus Cichlid, Parrot Cichlid or Psittacus Hoplarchus), the Parrot Cichlid (Pelvicachromis pulcher) or the Sea Parrot (Callyodon Fasciatus).
Choosing a cichlid red parrot You will notice that young Parrots are very dark and striped. But don't worry, as they grow, they change color from dark to mottled black and orange. This usually happens very quickly - within the first four months.
History of Red Parrot Fish.
First created in Taiwan in the 1980s red parrot is believed to have been a cross between a male Midas cichlid and a female Redhead cichlid. But since then, many varieties of Red Parrots have appeared, the hybrid of which includes the Red Devil (Red Devil), Gold and Green Severums (Gold and Green Severums), and in recent times also black-striped cichlazoma (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus).
To know red parrot you can at a glance, thanks to the unique features that this fish possesses. This fish is characterized by a peculiar mouth in the form of a beak, a head with large eyes and a rounded body. Their mouths never close as they are shaped like an "O". Their teeth are far down their throats, so they can only bump into each other hard, but not bite. These hybrid cichlids are not suitable for keeping with aggressive fish. In addition, during breeding they cannot protect their offspring, as other cichlids do.
Behavior of Red Parrot Cichlids.
red parrot- a shy and timid fish that acclimatizes quite easily in a community aquarium. They quickly learn to recognize their owners and swim up to the front of the aquarium to greet them. Red parrots love to have their own clay pots or caves to hide in, so be sure to add plenty of hiding places in their tank. They probably even have such fun - to swim and swim out of the caves. These fish are very tame and playful. They interact very well with each other and with fearful fish. These fish can be recommended to those aquarists who have a large enough aquarium and would like to have peaceful active fish.
Reproduction of red parrot fish.
Although the cichlids red parrots will pair up and spawn, their males are usually barren, so the eggs die. Successful spawning is usually due to the fertilization of Red Parrot eggs by non-hybrid males of Blackband, Severum and Midas cichlids. Female Red Parrots have been crossed with male Blackbanded Cichlids to create Jelly Bean and Bubblegum Parrot hybrids. They are usually colored red, green, blue, purple or pink.
Purple Red Parrots are one of the most popular parrots that are not actually purple but bright red. Parrots are also popular. Love Heart BR Parrot whose bodies are shaped like a heart.
Feeding cichlids Red parrots.
Red parrot fish compatibility.
Hybrid Cichlids Red Parrots are compatible with a wide range of fish such as:
- Tetras (medium size)
- Giant zebrafish
- Any Plecostomus catfish
- Severum
Rabka Red Parrot - photo.
Cichlids Red parrots - video.
Manual Red Parrot - video.
Red parrots - content.
Scientific name: does not exist. It is customary to call the Hybrid Cichlid (Hybrid Cichlid).
Folk names: Red Parrot, Blood Red Parrot, Bloody Parrot.
Care: moderate.
The size: usually up to 20 cm.
pH: 6.5-7.0.
t0: 22-28 0 C (72-82 0 F).
Lifespan: about 10 years.
Origin / Habitat: artificially bred fish. Red parrots do not exist in nature, but they are created from South American Cichlids.
Temperament / Behavior: peaceful.
Reproduction of Red Parrots: males are usually sterile. Can be propagated by crossing with Midas fish, Cichlazoma Severum and Cichlazoma blackband.
Among the many marine life rare specimens are found. Among the brightest representatives sea depths refers to the winged. She always attracts attention with her beauty and bright colors. appearance. Despite its name, it cannot fly. The fish is distinguished not only by its attractive appearance, but also by aggressive behavior, as well as poisonous needles. In the article we will learn more about this popular aquarium fish.
Pseudotropheus zebra: description of lionfish photo
This fish, bright in beauty and color, is also called zebra fish and lion fish. Its name comes from its large pectoral fins. They adorn the body of the fish like a lion's mane, and it also got its name due to the stripes that run all over the body. The fish belongs to the scorpionfish family of cichlids.
In the natural environment, the fish reaches a length of about 30 cm. The weight of zebra pseudotorpheus can reach 1 kg. Her entire body is adorned with wide contrasting stripes. It has an elongated shape and is slightly compressed on the sides. The photo clearly shows that the fish big eyes and a large head, thick lips and a terminal mouth, and a long fin on the back. In the natural environment, there are more than 50 color options for lionfish and the most common are:
- white;
- blue;
- red;
- orange-red;
- yellow-orange with brown spots.
They belong to the group of Malawian cichlids "mbuna".
An interesting fact is that the color of fish can change depending on the mood and age of the individuals. They are predators and can swallow fish up to 2/3 of their body length. Lionfish attack with their sharp needles-feathers located in the dorsal and pectoral fins. Needle pricks are very painful and cause, after a sharp pain, a severe deterioration in the general condition of the victim. This is followed by paralysis of the respiratory and skeletal muscles.
In an aquarium, a zebra fish reaches 15 cm and for normal development it needs an aquarium with a volume of at least 150 liters.
Habitat and keeping in the aquarium
AT wild nature Zebra fish lives in the African lake Malawi, as well as in the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. Lionfish is found off the coast:
- Japan;
- China;
- Australia.
AT last years it became a lot off the coast of the Caribbean coast and on the islands of Tahiti. She likes to live in the zone of rocks and talus.
Fish meat has a delicate and pleasant taste, so it has become an object of commercial spearfishing. The fish itself poses a threat to many coral fish species as it destroys them, which is a threat to the Caribbean ecosystem.
For aquarium lovers, the lionfish is considered an excellent choice, since caring for it is not difficult, subject to all the rules of keeping in an aquarium. They are stay in the lower and middle layers of water. Males are aggressive and territorial, there is a hierarchy between them. They are compatible in the same aquarium with other types of cichlids, but on condition that there will be at least 3 females per 1 male. Also important is the number of shelters for fish, they should be more than the number of inhabitants.
In the aquarium, it is necessary to equip a rocky landscape with large stones. They should reach the height of the surface of the water in the container. Top part stones should be covered with overgrown algae, have cracks and caves. As living vegetation, it is good to use algae with a powerful root system and elastic, hard leaves, plant ferns on the stones.
Optimum tank water temperature and should be at the level of 21-28 ° C, clean and changed daily with dh 4-20 o, pH 8.0-9.0. Waste and food residues must be monitored to avoid the formation of ammonia during the nitrification process in alkaline water. In an aquarium, with proper care, cichlids can live up to 5-10 years.
reproduction
In conditions aquarium maintenance Puberty in fish occurs at the age of 1 year. An adult female lays from 40 to 100 eggs at a time, the size of which is up to 4 mm in diameter. The female carries the eggs in her mouth for about three weeks, after which she releases them into the light. By this time, the fry are fully formed, they can feed on their own, small zooplankton.
Until the fry are 6-7 months old, they have a grayish brown color. After that, their color begins to change depending on gender. Females become striped, and males with spotted coloration. Distinctive feature pseudotropheus zebra red is the fact that from a very young age, the fry have a bright color - the females are orange-red, and the males are dark gray, but at sexually mature age, the males become blue in color.
Feeding
In order for fish to feel healthy and active, they need a proper, balanced and varied diet. Pseudotropheus zebra can eat a wide variety of foods. According to the rules, her diet should consist of 30% animal feed, and the rest 70% - plant food.
This type of fish is easy to care for, as lionfish are omnivorous, but prefer plant foods. It is desirable that their daily diet consists of dried, frozen food and plant foods. It is recommended to periodically give them live food and meat products, such as red earthworms.
In wildlife, hemichromis red lives in lakes, shallow ponds, rivers and irrigation ditches in the southeast and south of Zaire in West Africa. It is not found only in the areas of East and West Kasai and Shaba.
Appearance
Size 6-10 cm. The male is somewhat larger, has a steeper forehead and elongated ends of the dorsal and anal fins. As they age, they develop a cushion of fat on their heads; the females are fuller than the male, the color of the body is more saturated and light, there are fewer blue spots.
Video. Appearance of the cichlid:
The red cichlid is one of the most beautiful.
Video. Red cichlids in the aquarium:
Sometimes, for the purpose of camouflage, they acquire a gray color, becoming almost indistinguishable in the thickets.
In the natural habitat, these fish reach 15 cm, in captivity - no more than 10 cm. They live up to 5 years, and some individuals live up to 10 years. Live in any water chemical composition, at a water temperature of 21 to 25 °C. For a comfortable life, you need an aquarium with a volume of 100 liters or more. A weekly change of 15-20% of the volume of water is desirable. By the nature of the fish are very peaceful, get along well with (for example,). In the aquarium, you need to install a shelter (grotto, snag). It is worth considering the love of Hemichromis Red for digging the bottom, which is why many plants are uprooted.
Video. Hemichromis red in the aquarium:
Feeding
Fish are very unpretentious and omnivorous, whether it is live or dry food.
reproduction
They become sexually mature at 5-7 months.
Dilution water: GH up to 8.0°; pH 6.5-7.0; t 26-28 ° С. The pair chooses a suitable shelter, carefully cleans it from plaque, and the female throws about 500 eggs into the inner cavity of the shelter. The male guards this territory, and the female herself takes care of the clutch, fans it with fins, and separates the dead eggs. At this time, hemichromis red become the most aggressive. The incubation period lasts from 2 to 5 days, after which the parents drag the fry into pre-dug holes. After 4-6 days, the fry begin to swim.
Video. Red cichlids with fry:
Parents, like everyone else, worry about the fry, gather in flocks, feed them with grated coarse food. The starting food is live dust, and. If the offspring of these aquarium fish hatched in a common aquarium, it is necessary to transplant them into a separate one, otherwise the parents will not be able to protect the fry from other fish in the aquarium.
