nanacara anomala????

[Shuggie]

hello ppl ive just bought 4 nanacara anomala from the LFS. They werent able to tell me much about this fish apart from the name so if anyone has any info about keeping/breeding these fish id be greatful if u could share it. p.s i think the fish is also known as nanocromis anomala

 

[Randall]

Nannacara anomala

Dear Shuggie,

Nannacara anomala is one of the more common and beautiful South American dwarf cichlids from the Guyanas. Nanochromis is an entirely different west-central African genus. N. anomala are cave spawners whose pair bond is severed shortly after the eggs are layed and fertilized. Both the eggs and fry are tended by the female, and she will chase the male unrelentlessly. So, if you house spawning pairs in smaller aquaria, it might be best to remove the male after spawning.

Aquaria should be well decorated with plants, wood and caves; and ideally, the water should be soft and acidic and kept at about 76-degrees F. A varied diet should be offered.

Good luck with them!

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[Shuggie]

Dear Randall,
Thanks very much for the info, much appreciated. You mentioned feeding them a varied diet, at the moment i am feeding all my fish exclusively on bloodworm. The nanacara`s seem to have huge round bellies all of the time, could this be some sort of indegestion problem or is this normal for the fish? Have u ever had any experience in breeding the fish???

 

[Shuggie]

p.s my friend (who is not a very reliable source ) came back from the LFS the other day and said that the guy had told him that if you have nanacara and cacutoides in the same tank then there will be no chance of either species breeding, is this true??? i would have thought that the two fish would get along no problem and the dominant species would breed and give the other species the usual cichlid treatment during the process.

 

[farm41]

I had cacs and nannies in my heavily planted 55g, both had fry and both survived.

 

[Shuggie]

what were your water parameters for keeping/breeding the cacs and nanas?

 

[Neil]

Shuggie,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Anyone who tells you that there is only one way to do things in regards to breeding is mistaken. It might be more difficult to keep these 2 species together, but obviously(see farm41) not impossible. Randalls point about the aggression of post-spawning nannacara should be well taken, however. Not only will the female likely give the male a rough time, but also other fish in the tank. However, the same could be said for cacatuoides. If they spawn first, it may be the nannacara that won't be having a very good day. A larger tank would be advisable. Water parameters may be variable for this species, with acidic, soft water being the ideal. But they will sometimes spawn in nuetral or even alkaline water. Same goes for temp.
Neil

 

[farm41]

Ph 6.8
Kh 5
EC >300

I agree that the nannacara female can be rough on tankmates, but she sure is a good mom.

 

[Randall]

You mentioned feeding them a varied diet, at the moment i am feeding all my fish exclusively on bloodworm. The nanacara`s seem to have huge round bellies all of the time, could this be some sort of indegestion problem or is this normal for the fish? Have u ever had any experience in breeding the fish???

Dear Shuggie,

Although bloodworms are a tried and true staple food for many dwarf cichlid species, it may be a good idea to introduce one or two other foods as well; i.e. glass worms, brine shrimp, plankton, thoroughly rinsed black worms, etc. This way your fish will benefit from a more balanced diet and are more likely to spawn.

As for the big bellies, if the fish are acting normally and are exhibiting good coloration, it doesn't sound like cause for worry. It is not uncommon for well fed cichlids to fill out in the belly area especially after eating.

Yes, Nannacara anomala is one of the first species ever to spawn for me. Out of an unsexable group of four juveniles, a pair emerged and spawned in a 55-gallon tank. The site of choice was the hollow in a piece of wood at the substrate level. The pair bond lasted a few hours after the eggs were fertilized, after which time the female became intolerant of the male and would unrelentlessly chase him around and around the tank at lightening speed. If the tank were not four feet long and well planted, surely it would have been necessary to remove him. Of note, N. anomala females develop a latice or checkerboard pattern on the flanks and their overall coloration darkens when breeding. This pattern seems to say, "I'm breeding, so don't tread on me!"

Good luck with them. They're a wonderful little fish.

All the best,

Randall Kohn

 

[Shuggie]

i have a 4ft tank with plenty of plants, logs and caves so i think it is setup ok for breeding. ph is 6.7 kh is 2 degrees however gh is 5 degrees. I think gh may be too high for breeding. I was advised to buy a water softener pillow to lower gh, do u think this is advisable. Also, farm 41 mentioned his electrical conductivity is this is a major factor in water quality when trying to breed this fish? If so, how do i measure the conductivity?

 

[Randall]

Breeding Nannacara anomala

Dear Shuggie,

Your water and setup sound just fine for breeding Nannacara anomala. I don't think any adjustments in water chemistry are necessary.

Electroconductivity is an element of water chemistry that relates to its ability to conduct electricity that can measured on a scale of MircroSiemens using an instrument. Conductivity meters here in the States usually run over $100.

Water contains trace amounts of various minerals and mineral salts that contribute to the hardness and, indirectly, pH of water. When breeding soft water fishes, a conductivity meter can come in handy; but unless there is a problem, is not absolutley necessary. When we add something to water like salt or salts, fertilizers, buffers, black water extract, etc., although well intentioned, we raise its conductivity significantly and, in essence, create water that is not found in nature.

As an example, my tap water parameters are as follows: pH 7.2, GH 8, KH 7 and conductivity 600 MicroSiemens/liter. These values are in synch with one another and are what one might expect of the moderately hard well water in my area. However, when adding a liquid fertilizer, black water extract or the like, the conductivity literally doubles to about 1,200 MicroSiemens/liter, creating water that is not found in nature. If one might expect water with a pH of 7.2, GH 8 and KH 7 to have conductivity of 600 MicroSiemens/liter, then conductivity of 1,200 MicrSiemens/liter would naturally correspond to much harder more alkaline water. By adding some well intentioned chemical to the water, I have essentially thrown the balance out of synch and have created water that is unnatural.

This may not be significant when breeding a lot of fishes, but when dealing with some soft water dwarf cichlid species, it can be important. High KH and/or conductivity levels can inhibit egg fertilization and/or impede fertilized eggs from developing properly. So if one needs softer, more acidic water, it is better to utilize reverse osmosis, deionization or peat moss to achieve that end. These means will not artificially increase the conductivity of water, as chemical additives will, and will maintain natural water parameters.

I hope this simplified explanation helps you out. If the water parameters that you site are achieved naturally, it doesn't sound like you need to do anything to them to be successfull with your fish.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[Shuggie]

thanks for the explanation randall. I have peat fibre in my filter at the moment so hopefully my conductivity will stay at a natural level.