Vieja (Cichlasoma) maculicauda the Blackbelt Cichlid is one of the larger Central American cichlids. Males can reach about 35 cm overall length. According to its size one needs voluminous aquaria, where their interesting social behaviour can be observed. In their distribution area (Atlantic slope, from the Usumacinta River drainage in Guatemala to the Chagres River in Panama) they live in the lower sections where the current is slow and go also into brackish water. Since they are able to tolerate brackish and marine conditions, they are unproblematic regarding water chemistry in aquaria. Fish of this size cannot be nourished with flake food alone. Beside granulated food and sticks they should be variedly fed. Here you can let your fantasy go and experiment a lot. Worms and insects as well as their larvae are greedily eaten, also vegetables should be offered, but here some individual differences exist in the readiness to eat these. But this individuality is a part of the attraction with the care of large cichlids. Over years one becomes acquainted with them, so that sometimes they nearly belong to the family(Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl)
| Angaben zum Tier | |
|---|---|
| Herkunft | Guatemala bis Panama |
