Texas Cichlid

1 Texas Cichlid Introduction

The Texas Cichlid, also called the Texas Fish, is named for its gray body covered with black-white dots, blue small dots, and markings. Fierce, avoid mixing with small fish. Its special look appeals to young hobbyists.

Family: Cichlidae

Origin: Amazon River (South America) and Mexico

Habitat: Guatemala

Environment: Neutral water is fine

Diet: Omnivorous, accepts live food to prepared feeds

Length: 20-30 cm

Aggression: 4, a famously fierce fish

2 Physical Characteristics

A fierce carnivorous fish, avoid mixing with small fish in captivity. Robust, not hard to keep, and its special look is popular with young hobbyists.

From Mexico, it reaches 20-30 cm, about 20 cm in home tanks. Broad body, slightly high back. Large head, high-set eyes. Long dorsal base, short anal base; dorsal and anal fins pointed, reaching the caudal fin; short caudal peduncle, truncate tail. Gray base color with gray-white, blue dots and markings. Adults have a 3D pearl-dot sheen on the rear. Sexing is hard: males have longer dorsal reaching the tail, a raised broad head; females shorter dorsal, flat head top.

3 Aquarium Conditions

At 20-30 cm, prepare a suitably sized tank. Never mix with small fish; the carnivore will eat them.

Robust, grows in normal water, best 22-26°C, small appetite. Actually grows well in any water above 20°C. Breeding is easy: prepare a 40 cm+ tank with clean aged water, heat to 26°C, pH stable 6.5-7. Place a purple-clay pot on its side; the fish lays and fertilizes eggs in it. The male guards the eggs, even attacking larger fierce fish at risk to itself. Eggs hatch in 36 hours; fry eat infusoria and grow in 3 days.

4 Feeding Guidelines

A carnivorous fish that preys on small fish if mixed. Robust, not picky about water, so easy to keep.

Feed live foods like bloodworms, tubifex, mealworms, small fish and shrimp. Its temper is violent and irritable, territorial, and it eats small fish. Do not mix, not even same species in a small tank. Breeding is easy; like other cichlids, it pairs freely by choice.