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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Venustus
Venustus
Nimbochromis venustus | Pictures
Synonyms: Cyrtocara
venusta,
Cyrtocara venustus, Haplochromis venustus
Physical description: A large, oval-shaped fish.
The coloring of the male is much more intense than the female.
The
head is pale blue, while the body is light golden-yellow.
The cheeks and the lower jaw is dark blue.
Several
irregular dark blue splotches can be found cover the body.
The upper part of the dorsal fin is bright yellow
while the lower half is dark blue.
The caudal fin is also yellow and blue.
The other fins are dark blue.
Size/Length: To 10" (25 cm) in captivity, to 12" (30 cm) in
nature.
Similar species:
Rostratus (Fossorochromis
rostratus)
Habitat: Eastern Africa; sandy parts of Lake Malawi.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 48" (122 cm) or 55 gallons (209 L) is sufficient for fish to 6" (15 cm).
Use
rock formations as a back-drop with a coral sand substrate in the foreground.
Leave a large open swimming area in
the middle of the tank and place plants along the sides and back of the tank.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-8.8 (8.1), 12-30 dH (20), 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Social behavior: A territorial fish that is aggressive and intolerant of its own species. Keep one male
with several females.
Towards other species it is usually non-aggressive.
A predatory fish that will eat small
fish.
Suggested companions: Lake Malawi Haplochromines,
Synodontis, mbunas,
Polypterus, Afromastacembelus.
FOOD: Live; small fish,
Tubifex, aquatic insects, earthworms, insect larvae,
crustaceans; chopped meat; large flakes; pellets; tablets; vegetables; spinach, peas, spinach.
Sexual differences: The male is larger and more colorful.
Breeding techniques: This fish forms a matriarchal family and the mother performs mouth brooding responsibilities.
The
water should be between 81-84°F (27-29°C).
Up to 120 eggs are laid.
The eggs are incubated in the mouth
for a period of three weeks.
The mother looks after her young for 10 days, with the young spending nights in her mouth.
When
the mother is gravid, she is easily frightened and may prematurely expel the eggs.
Breeding potential: 7.
A difficult fish to breed.
Remarks: Now most available to the hobby are bred in Germany.
Sexually mature at 6" (15 cm).
Difficulty of care: 5.
A hardy fish that needs to be kept in a large tank.
Live foods should be included in this
fish's diet.
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.
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