Cichlid Profiles: Cuban Cichlid or Biajaca

[robertprice]

The Cuban Cichlid, Nandropsis tetracanthus, is one of the few large Caribbean Island cichlids, native to rivers and ponds in Cuba only. It resides in stony, but vegetated areas, can grow to 10 inches, and is comfortable from 75 to 85 degrees. It is an attractive cichlid, whilte a white base color mottled with many black or brown-black spots and stipes, often suffused with shades of yellow, green and lavender. It is occasionally confused with the Jaguar Cichlid.

In captivity they are aggressive, but not as bad as many other Central American Amphilophines, and some are actually friendly. They reach 10 inches in length, and need a 55 gallon tank. They are good eaters and like almost any meaty foods. They are not very sexually dimorphic, and the only accurate way of sexing them is by venting. Adult males tend to be more colorful and have more shading. They have a love-hate affair with plants. They like to hide in plants, but still dig them up. Floating and artificial plants are recommended in their habitats, as are large rocks and driftwood.

If you get a pair they breed easily. The young ones are mostly commonly seen in the trade in early summer. See Images of Cuban Cichlids for pictures.

[robertprice]

This attractive, rare 14-16 inch cichlid, sometimes called a Cuban Cichlid on steroids is a monster. It is limited to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and not common in either. iIt is perhaps the world's most aggressive tropical fish, and adult males, with their flowerhorm like humps and long dorsal streamers are known to kill Doviis and Jaquars twice their size. Their unoffocial motto seems to be "Kill and eat everything." They are omnivores that like small live prey, veggies, and algae, and eat aquarium plants except for Java Fern. They like to dig.

They have a white or lavender background and are stippled with black spots all over. You can tell the gender of adults by the male hump and long dorsal streamer, but smaller ones havbe to be vented. They need a 100 gallon tank, and can be kept singly or in pairs. Pairs may breed and lay 100-200 eggs on a flat stone. pH should be 6 - 7.5 , water temperature 73-82, and moderatety hard. They should have rocks to mark their territories, and like large driftwood hides. See "Images of Haitian Nasty Cichlid."

[robertprice]

There is a typo. The correct genus for Cubans is Nandopsis.