Edit Vieja maculicauda
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Name
Scientific name
Vieja maculicauda
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Cichlidae
Common names
Blackbelt Cichlid
Photograph credits
All 2 credited
Summary
The blackbelt cichlid, Vieja maculicauda, is a large cichlid found from the Usumacinta basin in Guatemala south to the River Chagres in Pan…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
254mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 38 cm, Minimum height 45 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 22–27°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
Not recorded
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Territorial
Social needs
Not recorded
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Found throughout much of Central America, where its range extends southwards from the River Usumacinta basin in Guatemala through Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa…
Habitat
Inhabits slow-moving and still parts of rivers as well as many lakes, especially over substrates of mud or sand. It's particularly associated with habitats cen…
Aquarium size
48"L x 18"H x 15"W (120cm x 45cm x 37.5cm) - 213 litres
Maintenance
Blackbelts like a sandy or fine gravel substrate. Simulate their natural habitat by providing lots of cover in the form of bits of wood (mopani, driftwood, bog…
Water conditions
Temperature: 22 – 27 °C pH: 6.0 to 8.0, around 7.0 is optimal Hardness: 8 to 16°dH
Diet
Almost exclusively herbivorous, although like most fish it still does best with a degree of protein in the diet. Wild fish graze on algae, detritus, fruits, nu…
Behaviour and compatibility
A fairly aggressive cichlid, should only be housed with similarly aggressive, similar sized fish. Will see smaller fish as food. Can be exceptionally aggressiv…
Sexual dimorphism
Males are larger with more vivid colouration. Mature Blackbelt males will develop the nuchal hump on their head.
Reproduction
The Black belt Cichlid becomes sexually mature at around 15 centimetres in size, or at least 6 months old. Modify water parameters to be pretty much in the mid…
Notes
The Blackbelt Cichlid gets its name from two things: firstly the vertical black stripe around its flank, and secondly its toughness. Vieja maculicauda is a tou…
References
References
No references