Are we keeping our cichlids too warm!

[RD.]

.......... where dovii in another location may be more active at a different temp, or even consume a different diet. Lake Arenal is also a man made lake, although I have no idea if that in any way affects depth, temp layers etc. But you're right, I suspect that most dovii keepers are not keeping their tank in the mid 60's.

 

[RD.]

.......... where dovii in another location may be more active at a different temp, or even consume a different diet. Lake Arenal is also a man made lake, although I have no idea if that in any way affects depth, temp layers etc. But you're right, I suspect that most dovii keepers are not keeping their tank in the mid 60's.

 

[RD.]

One of the most interesting studies I came across recently was done for sport fishermen on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.
Where it was found that large dovii were most active in the lake when temps were in the mid 60sF.

Duane, do you have a link that paper? I have read where dovii in Arenal are most active in the early morning hours, as they feed on sardines near shore, perhaps their active period is not so much temperature related, as food supply related? In the following paper http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442000000200019 it states;

In general, P. dovii can be found in environments ranging from shallow waters to rapid currents where it hides behind rocks or overgrowths. It occurs in streams waters and lakes between heights of 0 to 600 m., and tolerates temperatures from 21 to 31 °C. It is highly piscivorous, eating tetras, poeciliids and cichlids, but it also ingest crustaceans and insects (Bussing 1987, 1998).

For our non celcius members that's 69.8 - 87.8 F. If that's the case, a middle ground of mid 70's may still produce the best all around results.

 

[duanes]

I couldn't find the study, I should have tagged immediately it but didn't, here's just some generic info, that gives Arenal's "average" water temp, of 73'F
General Information of Lake Arenal

 

[jaws7777]

Quick question could vieja heterospilus or JD's be kept in an un- heated tank ? Say anywhere from 65ish to 75ish ?

 

[dan518]

Quick question could vieja heterospilus or JD's be kept in an un- heated tank ? Say anywhere from 65ish to 75ish ?

The average temperature of the usumacinta river is about 74, colder in winter, hotter in summer.

 

[duanes]

Research is the key
Lake Lachua in Guatemala is an interesting body of water that remains very stable with temps in the low 80s all year round, and a pH of 8.4. So that biotope scenario might fly in the face of many of the riverine type habitat parameters.
There are 16 cichlid species living in the lake, and if acquired from there (as a location point), those such as argentea, heterspila, pearsil, etc may be quite "less robust" when presented with varying conditions they have not evolved in.
Fishes from Lachuá Lake, Upper Usumacinta Basin, Guatemala (PDF ...