Barton's cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a hardy Mexican cichlid from a spring-fed system, kept as a single fish or a bonded pair rather than in a group. It stays near the bottom, digging and grazing, and turns aggressive around a spawning site, so choose tankmates with caution: other robust Central American cichlids that can hold their own, with room to spread out. It is an omnivore, so feed quality pellets, frozen foods, and some vegetable matter, and avoid an all-meat diet. Give it a tank of at least 300 liters with open sand, flat stones, and sturdy structure to break up sight lines.

In the wild

It is restricted to the warm, clear spring waters of La Media Luna and the upper Verde in the Panuco basin of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Recreate those hard-water springs with an alkaline chemistry around pH 7.5 to 8.5 and a warm 24 to 29 C. Use a sand or fine gravel floor with flat rocks and some open space; the natural habitat is mineral-rich and stony rather than heavily planted.

Good to know

A member of the cichlid family, it reaches roughly 20 cm, sometimes a little more. Adults wear a black-and-white to pale gray pattern, and there are also yellow and blue morphs in the wild. It is a substrate spawner that forms pairs and guards its eggs, with moderate breeding difficulty.

Did you know

When a pair spawns, both fish change into a bold breeding dress: the body goes deep black under a chalk-white back and forehead, a sharp reversal of their everyday gray that is easy to spot across the tank.

Common questions

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