Chequerboard cichlid - Dicrossus filamentosus

Scientific name: Dicrossus filamentosus

Common name: Chequerboard cichlid

Family: Cichlidae

Usual size in fish tanks: 3 - 4 cm (1.18 - 1.57 inch)

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Recommended pH range for the species: 5.6 - 6.7

Recommended water hardness (dGH): 4 - 11°N (71.43 - 196.43ppm)

0°C 32°F30°C 86°F

Recommended temperature: 22 - 26 °C (71.6 - 78.8°F)

The way how these fish reproduce: Spawning

Where the species comes from: South America

Temperament to its own species: peaceful

Temperament toward other fish species: peaceful

Usual place in the tank: Bottom levels

Food and feeding

Chequerboard cichlids should accept all foods, they particularly like the sinking cichlid pellets. Use these for the staple diet but vary the meals with spirulina flake or vegetarian flakes and offer treats twice a week of live or frozen foods.

Origin

South America; Chequerboard cichlids are to be found in Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil.

Sexing

Males are slightly larger than the females and will display a brighter colouration. They also have a forked caudal fin; in the females this will be rounded.

Breeding

Use a planted tank for breeding purposes and the parents should be conditioned on plenty of live foods for a couple of weeks prior to being placed in the breeding tank. They will deposit their eggs on the plant leaves and both will share the parenting. Once the eggs have hatched and the fry are free swimming, they can be fed on Infusoria.

Lifespan

The expected life span of Dicrossus filamentosus is 3-5 years.

Short description

Dicrossus filamentosus are a very peaceful fish but cannot compete with more aggressive species, because of this always keep them with other peaceful species. Chequerboard cichlids tend to spend a lot of time at the bottom of the tank so provide plenty of hiding places for them and use subdued lighting.Also known as Lyretail chessboard cichlid (jjphoto.dk), Chessboard cichlid (fishbase).

Pictures

Bought by aqua-fish.net from jjphoto.dk.