Saddle cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

A pair needs a tank of at least 200 liters at 24 to 28 C and pH 5.0 to 7.5. Provide wood, rocks, and hardy plants for cover. Feed pellets, frozen foods, and live foods. It is a hardy fish but gets territorial and pugnacious for its size, especially when breeding.

In the wild

The saddle cichlid is found across the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the Guianas, one of the most widespread South American cichlids. It lives in slow streams, flooded forest, and both black and clear water. It is highly adaptable and hardy. A tank with wood, plants, and open sand suits it.

Good to know

Aequidens tetramerus was described by Heckel in 1840 and reaches around 15 to 20 cm. It is named for the dark saddle blotch on the flank, though color and pattern vary a lot across its huge range. Both parents guard the eggs on a cleaned flat surface.

Did you know

Its wide range and variable look mean it is really a complex of forms, and some populations may turn out to be separate species.

Related species

• Silver saum

  Andinoacara stalsbergi

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  Chanchito

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  Fuelleborn's cichlid

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  Banded jewel cichlid

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  Cuban cichlid

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  Fusco Hap

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