Tsikhlazoma festa - care and maintenance in the aquarium

The family of cichlids in all aquarists is by ear, this includes various subspecies of cichlosis. Today we’ll talk about the fest - an interesting colorful aquatic inhabitant that everyone dreams of, from amateurs to professionals. The fish can be briefly characterized: large-caliber, with a decent amount of aggression, colorful, unpretentious in care. But let's not run ahead, get acquainted with all the subtleties in more detail.

Description

1. It prefers to live in moderately flowing rivers and their tributaries, found in Peru and Ecuador. Festa was artificially relocated to Singapore, where the fish quickly took root and feels at home.
2. In the natural habitat, representatives of the cichlase family prefer to feast on small crustaceans, all kinds of insects, which are teeming with riverbanks. They love to hunt fry and small fish that hide in the thicket.
3. Cichlazoma is one of the largest fish of its family. In nature, you can meet representatives who grow up to half a meter. As for keeping in an aquarium, the fish reach 20-30 cm. Males are larger and longer. The life of the fest is 10 years if it is provided with proper care.
4. Until the fish reaches puberty, it appears inconspicuous and dull. But then it gains all the colors, begins to stand out among the other living creatures of the aquarium. The most striking festivals become during spawning, their body is painted in orange and yellowish shades, and dark stripes flaunt on the side parts.
5. The abdominal region, the zone of the head, the upper section of the back, the tail are painted in red tones. The whole body is famous for a cluster of spangles of greenish and bluish hues.
6. Males who have reached puberty are lost against the background of females. The male floor is not so bright, there are no stripes on the side of the case. Instead, there is a rounded spot with dots and sparkles of blue color.
7. Some people wonder if it is difficult to care for this kind of fish. Like all cichlazomas, festivals do not need special conditions. The main thing is to take into account the aggressive mood and carefully choose the neighborhood. Usually fish contain one or a pair.

Feeding

1. In its habitat, the festa prefers to hunt small-caliber fish, looking for it among the vegetation. Also, invertebrates and insects are to the taste of cichlasts.
2. But if you are going to keep cichlids in an aquarium environment, buy special food for this family. Additionally, cichloma is fed with animal feed.
3. The creature is tubule, bloodworm, worm, cricket, sirloin of fish, shrimp, frogs and tadpoles. Gammarus, artemia, live crustaceans and small guppies are also suitable.
4. However, animal feeds must be fed to fish that have already been quarantined. Otherwise, you risk infection.
5. You should not feed fish of this type with meat or you need to do this occasionally (no more than once every 10 days). Otherwise, the fish quickly gain weight, they suffer from the esophagus.

Breeding

1. Festa is preparing for breeding after reaching the one-year period of her life. At this point, the fish will already grow to 15 cm. The caviar is laid on flat stones or driftwood.
2. Before spawning begins, it is advisable to prepare a water dwelling by placing rough pebbles in the aquarium. The eggs will hold well on them.
3. Some fish dig a nest for future offspring. Usually this pot is created for 100 eggs. Caviar is small in size, pecking on the fourth day after masonry.
4. The female will fan eggs with her fins. The male, in turn, carefully guards the companion and their offspring.
5. When fry appear, parents transfer them to shelter. After a week they already swim, they are fed with egg yolks.

Content

1. Presented cichlomas are a large variety of cichlids. In order for the fish to feel most comfortable, it is necessary to recreate the conditions of detention as close as possible to natural. Do not forget that in addition to large size, such fish have aggression.
2. Therefore, for the comfortable maintenance of individuals, the aquarium should be of impressive size. Thus, it will be possible to suppress the aggressive traits of fish. Also, a sufficient volume of capacity allows you to grow healthier and larger individuals. If you are going to contain only a couple of cichlases, the aquarium should be at least 500 liters.
3. If you plan to start other fish in addition, the volume of the tank should be several times larger. Of course, cichlids can be kept in smaller aquariums, but in this case they will be very uncomfortable. Pisces will be aggressive in any occasion. Also in a limited space, cichlomas do not grow large, and do not have a bright color.
4. Filling the aquarium with soil, it is recommended to use sand for these purposes. Fine gravel may be added. Also, you need to decorate the aquarium with various stones, snags and algae. Keep in mind that the latter should be contained in separate pots. Otherwise, the festa simply digs them out. Such fish like to poke around in the ground.
5. If you do not want to bother with various algae, then you can purchase artificial ones. Then there will be no problems. Always try to keep the water in the aquarium fresh. Replace it at least once a week. Be sure to install a powerful filter. As a result, the device will reduce the concentration of nitrates and ammonia in water.
6. The problem is that the festa leaves a lot of waste after itself. In addition, they dig everything up. The fish itself does not show any requirements for the composition of water. They can live in almost any environment. Keep in mind that the water temperature should be about 27 degrees. To reduce the aggression of fish, you should resort to some tricks.
7. Create in the aquarium several caves and all kinds of shelters. This must be done so that other inhabitants can feel as comfortable as possible. There should always be a place to shelter the fish. Try to keep exclusively large representatives of various species in the aquarium.
8. You can get those fish that can stand up for themselves and must look different from cichlids. Other individuals should also have different feeding patterns and behaviors. An ideal option would be a black pac. Such a fish is not a direct competitor to festa. Also, the aquarium should be quite spacious.
9. Fish should have no problems swimming freely. Close aquariums will provoke all fish to aggression. Therefore, it is worth preparing for the fact that there will be constant skirmishes.

So that cichlomas do not show excessive aggression, there must be a sufficient number of different fish in the aquarium. Thus, cichlids will be constantly distracted. Provide individuals with proper maintenance and feeding. Do not forget to systematically change the water in the aquarium. Do not start such fish if you cannot provide proper care for them.

Video: aquarium fish cichlazoma festa