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Common Name: None that I know of
Size: ~3-4" for females and ~6" for males, though they might grow slightly larger
pH:7.0 - 7.6 in nature, though this species is very tolerant of a wide range of parameters. Provided they are properly acclimated, this species can thrive in a slightly higher pH. Mine are kept in water with pH of 8.2.
Minimum Tank Size: 29 gallons for 1 pair or 40 gallons for a small colony
Native Location: Central American rivers/lakes.
Temperature: 72-76F (Overall health may decline at temps above 76F)
Diet: omnivore (In nature, a large portion of the diet of this species consists of invertebrates and livebearer fry). The best diet would consist of a staple cichlid pellet (I recommend Hikari and New Life Spectrum from personal experience) with treats of live/frozen/freeze dried bloodworms, blackworms, meal worms, krill, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, etc. Care should be taken not to overfeed this species as overfeeding will lead to bloat. This is especially important if you keep a group of them. The dominant male of the group can and will eat much more than his fair share. I lost the dominant male in my group of Mixteco Golds to bloat caused by him over-eating.
Breeding: Both male and female will guard and clean a spawning location. Female will lay the eggs which are then fertilized by the male. The female will then guard the immediate area while the male patrols the outer area.
Gender Differences: Males will have longer extensions on dorsal and anal fin and the tips of these fins will also be more pointed than the rounded fins of the female. Males will also be more colorful than females. Both males and females can develop dark blotches on the dorsal so this is not a method of sexing with this species.
Aggression: Not typically aggressive or overly territorial except during breeding. Even during breeding however, the pair will most likely only chase away intruders and chances are no damage will be inflicted.
Notes: As with all other Thorichthys spp. this fish does better in larger groups as juveniles. As they mature, several pairs can be kept together depending on tank size. Also, livebearers are a welcome addition to the tank as they will let the Thorichthys know there are no predators around. This will make the Thorichthys more comfortable in the tank and they won't spend all their time in hiding.
Different Thorichthys spp. can and will hybridize so be very careful when keeping more than one species in the same tank.
One further note, I have seen adult specimens of every member of the Thorichthys genus, and this species along with T. sp. 'Mixteco Gold' were my personal favorites as far as beauty goes. The fish pictured is still a juvenile at ~2-2.5" and is only starting to color up.
***Special thanks to Rusty Wessel...a noted and well respected collector, author and breeder of many New World Cichlids--primarily of the Thorichthys genus. I have learned a lot from the different conversations I've had with him and from viewing his setups
This post has been edited by Jason_S: 15 September 2004 - 06:37 AM
