robertprice
June 2nd, 2013, 05:23 PM
Hypselecara temporalis, the Chocolate Cichlid was common in the 1930's, but not seen very much recently, despite the fact that it lives the entire length of the Amazon. It a large, peaceful cichlid, good for 55 gallon and over community tanks. It is oval, fairly slow, and lazy. It gets to 10 inches but most are 7-8. They are insectivores and have a small mouth. They are mustard colored in the rear and rear belly, with a chocolate colored body, red or wine colored fins, throat and eyes. They have a black spot between their lateral lines. There is a second species H. coryphaenoides, which looks very similar except its spot is below the lateral lines, its fins are not as red, and it is dark chocolate colored. They are insectivores that easily adapt to eating flakes and small pellets. They are very lazy and hang out in the mid water and don't bother other fish. They like pH 6-7, and temperatures of 77 to 82 degrees. They breed on vertical surfaces, and are good parents. They don't dig much at all. See Images of Chocolate cichlids.