Auratus
| Origin= A species endemic to Lake Malawi Scientific Name= Melanochromis auratus Max. Size= Male: 4.33" (11CM) Female: 3.54" (9CM) pH= 7-8.5 Temperature= 22-26C (72-80F) Temperment= Like most Cichlids, this species is aggresive. Keep it with other African Cichlids. Minimum Tank Size and/or Tank Type= A 51G (200L), monospecies tank. Favourite Foods= Live & Artifical foods, augmented by plant foods. Other Info= Spawned-out females may be identified by the enlarged throat sac on the underside of the mouth. Breeding Info= TANK: With 51G (200L) capacity with suitably arranged drainage pipes on the bottom. GENDER: They are almost completely different, the male is velvety black with white longitudinal bands, the female is yellow with dark bands. BREEDING RATIO: 1 Males : 3-4 Females BREEDING WATER: 26C (80F); pH of 7.5-8; dCH 2-4; fresh, filtered. OTHER BREEDING INFO: Transfer each female carefully together with the drainage pipe to a seperate tank of about 5G (20L) capacity. The individual tanks must be placed in a quiet, undisturbed spot and provided with diffused lightt and aeration. The incubation period in the mouth of the female lasts about 22-26 days. The fry leave the mother's mouth when they are 0.39" (1CM) and fully coloured. They no loner stay by the female for any length of time and instinctively look about for a hiding place, you should feed the fry brine shrimp nauplii or finely sifted zooplankton. The female may therefore be removed, first of all, grasp the female lightly in the palm of the hand, turn her head downward and with a blunt rod lightly press on the lower jaw until the mouth is opened. If there are still any remaining fry inside, the female will spit them out (this applies to other mouthbrooders as well). The litter usually consists of about 40 young; their growth is regular and rapid. |  Photo Credit: Malawi Cichlid Homepage  Photo Credit: Malawi Cichlid Homepage  Photo Credit: Malawi Cichlid Homepage |
              
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