Etroplus canarensis

[HaakonH]

Hi all,

Recently quite a few specimens of the Indian Canara Cichlid, Etroplus canarensis, have reached Scandinavia. I got hold of 4 specimens, but might be getting more.

After searching the net I am yet to find any information about the breeding of this species. Has anyone on this forum kept this species, or know anything about them that could be helpful?

So far I've found some information stating that they breed during the cooler months of the year in their natural habitat, that they need varied but mostly vegetable food and prefer a good current/oxygen-rich water.

A nice photo feature showing the search for them can be found here:
http://indianaquariumhobbyist.com/community/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=17&page=1

Any additional information on these beauties would be appreciated.

Regards,

Haakon

 

[retro_gk]

I've had them for about a year now (they were collected in the trip the article you linked to is based on) and have been in touch with others around the world who keep this fish...

A few things that should help you out...

1. They are very aggressive... not in an in-your-face Central American or Mbuna way but, more a war of attrition. These fish do not seem to have a "run and hide" reflex... the sub-dominant fish will just stand around and get picked on and waste away. It is best to keep them in groups of 8+ fish to disperse the aggression or mix them with other not too aggressive cichlids. I've had success mixing them with the milder Cryptoheros species and Myaka

Behaviorally, they are more similar to the Paretroplus species of Madagascar than the other Etroplus

2. They like their veggies and will strip a planted tank in no time... I feed mine shrimp mix and spirulina flake, with occasional treats of worms.

3. Water in the 24-26C range is best, moderately hard, neutral pH.

No one has spawned them yet... the consensus is they are slow to mature like the Paretrolpus

 

[HaakonH]

Rahul,

Thank you very much for your informative answer. I will try to get some more specimens then. They are 6-8 cm now, and they are housed in a 350 l. tank together with 10 young Heros sp."Rotkeil" and 6 young Gymnogeophagus balzanii.

Any idea how big these Etroplus can actually get? I heard preserved specimens of over 15 cm exist, would you confirm this?

In the pictures in the link, it appears they live in pairs. Is this mature fishes, and the young fishes live in schools?

I know of at least one other keeper of this species in Norway, who got 10 specimens from the same shipment as I.

Best Regards from Norway,

Haakon

 

[retro_gk]

The biggest specimen I've seen was 10, maybe 12 cm, and this was a 4 year old fish. 15cm fish sound unlikely.

Based on aquarium observations, they prefer to school if sufficient numbers are present... in smaller numbers, they fight till only one is left, irrespective of how old the fish are. It is likely they separate into pairs for spawning.

 

[tdooling]

Spawning Etroplus Canarensis

Hello, I have very recently had a successful spawn of etroplus canarensis....I have posted many details and pictures on www.petfrd.com.....I just am a bit too tired to repeat everything here.....but they are a wonderful fish and I hope that we can establish an active captive breeding program.......please feel free to contact me for more details or check out the other thread.....back to my brine shrimp hatching duty!!!

Tim Dooling

 

[HaakonH]

Hi!

This is exciting news! It seems the increase of temperature/more frequent water changes trick works. I recently got 4 more specimens to add to the group, so the total number is now 8. They have been placed at a breeders facilities, so let's hope the first Norwegian spawn of this beauty is imminent

 

[tdooling]

Good luck Hakkan.......It might be worth checking to see if your specimens still have a dot on the back of the dorsal fin (very close to the tail).....This is a sign of an immature fish......If they still have it, it its probably not worth trying the spawning tricks on them yet....just a thought.......(It generally disappears after 1 year of age).....td

 

[HaakonH]

Thanx for the tip! Better take a closer look at them then This is part of the fun with new species, to learn new things about them all the time!