Cichlasoma Beani
- Thread starter Predator07
- Start date
I worked with these for a few years.
They are the most northerly, and only cichlid in their habitat, (the Pacific coast north western Mexico), so expect aggression to be high, as they usually don't tolerate other cichlids in a community setting.
They inhabit rivers flowing down from the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, so average water temps are a bit cooler than many other Central American cichlids are used to, and nights there can be generally cool (50sF) so I kept mine at room temp, without heaters.
I believe cooler water may hold aggression down.
They spawned with temps in the high 60s/low 70s.
Below a young female in spawning colors, and with fry.
The males out grew female by at least 1/3
I started with 6 or 8 juvies in a 150 gal tank, the pair formed and killed all others almost overnight, and would tolerate no other tank mate in that 150.
I moved them to a 1500 gal pond in summer, and in that environment, seemed to tolerate others better, the pond also held Australoheros sp "red Ceibal" (another cold tolerant cichlid)
The Ceibals were similar in size
Ceibal below.
Below Ceibals in the pond
They are the most northerly, and only cichlid in their habitat, (the Pacific coast north western Mexico), so expect aggression to be high, as they usually don't tolerate other cichlids in a community setting.
They inhabit rivers flowing down from the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, so average water temps are a bit cooler than many other Central American cichlids are used to, and nights there can be generally cool (50sF) so I kept mine at room temp, without heaters.
I believe cooler water may hold aggression down.
They spawned with temps in the high 60s/low 70s.
Below a young female in spawning colors, and with fry.
The males out grew female by at least 1/3
I started with 6 or 8 juvies in a 150 gal tank, the pair formed and killed all others almost overnight, and would tolerate no other tank mate in that 150.
I moved them to a 1500 gal pond in summer, and in that environment, seemed to tolerate others better, the pond also held Australoheros sp "red Ceibal" (another cold tolerant cichlid)
The Ceibals were similar in size
Ceibal below.
Below Ceibals in the pond
I had females that reached into the 7" range.
Most of the time the females look very much like the males, it is only when they are in a mating, and fry raising mode that they present the brighter yellow hues.
Here is a female in normal coloration.
You can tell its female by the dark edges the dorsal, and melanin on the flanks.
Without being in a tank with a copasetic male, you may never see the bright colors( below).
This seems to be a common occurrence in the cichlids of northern Mexico
Below, one of genus Nosferatu (the labridens group)
Above a normal colored female, below in breeding colors
Most of the time the females look very much like the males, it is only when they are in a mating, and fry raising mode that they present the brighter yellow hues.
Here is a female in normal coloration.
You can tell its female by the dark edges the dorsal, and melanin on the flanks.
Without being in a tank with a copasetic male, you may never see the bright colors( below).
This seems to be a common occurrence in the cichlids of northern Mexico
Below, one of genus Nosferatu (the labridens group)
Above a normal colored female, below in breeding colors
I hear they are hard to keep, very sensitive to water conditions. Need to keep nitrates really low.
I agree nitrates need to be low, and since they are the most northerly cichlid found on the west coast of Mexico, they are not really tropical, but a subtropical fish.
I kept mine at room temp, and they spawned at temps between 68' and 70'F, that fluctuated with the seasons..
My pair commandeered an entire 150 gal tank to themselves (allowing no other tank mates)
But this not surprising, as they are the only endemic cichlid found in their natural habitat, which indicated to me from the get go, they don't play well with other cichlids.
Had heard many reports of bloat issues with beanii, and my take is many aquarists kept tanks too warm.
below average temp of their tank.
do you possibly think I could keep some beani in a small pond, outside, in Portugal? In Lisbon the average lowest temperature per year is around 46-50 f. Maybe with a small heater?
I would imagine is is possible, depending on the size of the pond.
I kept a few in a 1500 gal pond in Wisconsin.
From what I have heard, some Gymnogeophagus species have become feral in parts Portugal (I don't know where though).
They would do well with winter temps that low.
I kept a few in a 1500 gal pond in Wisconsin.
From what I have heard, some Gymnogeophagus species have become feral in parts Portugal (I don't know where though).
They would do well with winter temps that low.
