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Cichlids
/ Central America / Cichlasoma / Black Belt Cichlid
Black Belt Cichlid
"Cichlasoma" (Theraps) maculicauda | Pictures
Synonyms: Astatheros maculicauda, Astronotus parma, Chuco globosum, C. manana, Cichlasoma globosum, C. manana, C. nigritum, C. parma, Heros parma
Physical description: This cichlid has an oval-shaped, laterally compressed body. The head is rounded and the caudal fin is fan-shaped. The anal and dorsal fins come to a point. The base body color is white to dark gray with a characteristic wide, transverse black band that is located around the mid-section of the body. Sometimes the band may be broken, while at other times the band runs unbroken from the tip of the mid rays of the dorsal fin, down to the belly. The throat to the lips is bright red as is the caudal fin. Depending on the color variation, a portion of the scales may be spotted. A black area encircles the eye and often includes the iris. The anal and dorsal fins have black spots, and the last rays are red. In some variations the rays leading up to the red parts are yellow and green before becoming red. Some variations have a short, broad, lateral marking on the caudal penuncle. Older fish, especially males, develop a hump on their forehead.
Size/Length: To 12" (30 cm)
Similar species: None
Habitat: Central America; from Southern Mexico south to the Panama Canal. Found on the Atlantic slope of Central America.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A 48" (122 cm) tank is needed to keep adult fish. This 55 gallon (209 L) tank should have large hiding places provided. These can be rocks, caves, wood, roots, or a large over-turned flowerpot. Leave open swimming areas. Plants can not be used as these fish are herbivores by nature.
Water chemistry: pH 6.5-8 (7.0), 4-15 dH (6), 72-82°F (22-28°C)
Social behavior: An aggressive and territorial species that can be combined with other large Central American cichlid species. The parents become even more aggressive when caring for the young. The pair form nuclear families and are excellent parents. Try to obtain a compatible pair by the pairing off method.
Suggested companions: Cichlasomines, other South American cichlids, Loricarids, Pimelodids, large Characins, Hemichromis, Tilapia.
FOOD: Vegetables; peas, lettuce, spinach; live; fish, earthworms, insects, Tubifex; large flakes, pellets; tablets.
Sexual differences: The male is larger, with more intense colors, and with age develop a hump on their forehead. Males have a pointed genital papilla.
Breeding techniques: Use water with a temperature from 75-82°F (24-28°C), a pH from 6.7-7.5, and a water hardness from 4-10 dH. 500-600 eggs are laid on a flat stone or rock . The eggs are aggressively protected and cleaned by the pair. The fry hatch in two to three days and are moved to previously dug pits. The fry remain in these pits until they are free-swimming 6-7 days later. Start feeding with Artemia and dry foods.
Breeding potential: 7. Breeding is moderately difficult.
Remarks: Because of the Black Belt's wide distribution, several color variations exist, thus leading the number of synonyms.
Difficulty of care: 5. A hardy, but aggressive cichlid.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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