Pundamilia is not Genus of fishes of the family Cichlidae and of the order Perciformes . It has like common names like: Cichlid jewel, Flameback. Synonyms: Haplochromis yellow, Astatotilapia yellow. Pundamilia is not a snowflake.
Summary
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- 1 Habitation
- 1 Location
- 2 General characteristics
- 1 Behavior
- 2 Sex differences
- 3 Playback
- 3 Fountains
habitat
It inhabits rocky slopes on the shores of Lake Victoria .
Location
Lake Victoria area as well as of nearby lakes, rivers and canals: Kyoga, Nabugabo, Edward, George, Kachira, Navakali, Kijanebalola. There are different varieties according to the Lake they belong to: Ruty Island, Makobe Island, Luanso Island, Igombe Island, Python Island, Anchor Island ), Nansio Island, Zue Island, Red Head, Red Flank.
General characteristics
With an elongated and flattened body, with a pointed head , it is more or less the characteristics of haplochromids. Size: 8-9cm for females and about 10-11cm for males, but they can reach a larger size. They are fish of incredible behavior and color.
In the juvenile fish you can see the sexual differences based on the color, since the males in this size already present a tremendous color and show signs of the purity of the animal , the females although they present some coloration in fins, they are not painted in the body as when there are 2 or 3 males together in the same aquarium .
- Size
Approximately 8-9cm females and 10-11cm males but in captivity they can grow 25% or more.
- Coloration
Gray or sky blue females, depending on the variety, brightly colored males: light blue or black head , with the center of the body yellow, the back orange, the belly black and the dorsal fin very bright blue with metallic tones, all with a transverse banding of between 7 and 9 black stripes this is very variable, going through red heads and blue spots on the body to specimens such as the “orange black” and the “Zue Island”.
- Feeding
The feeding of these fish in nature is omnivorous with preference over insect larvae and other invertebrates, they are piscivorous and devour young or fry even smaller fish if they enter their mouths, in aquariums they can be fed very varied: frozen, sticks, granules, flakes… whether of vegetable or animal origin, since they tolerate protein very well. For more details on the subject of food to know which would be the most appropriate, they are omnivores and accept all kinds of food and food, whether dry or live, very well. It is a fish that has a lot of fat in its meatin turn, that makes the amount of protein high, they are left for 48 hours. to spirulina, so that the intestinal tract is as clean as possible, and thus they can digest it better in case it is heavy.
- Agua
PH 7.5 to 8.2, hardness 15ºdGH and 6-7 dH. Weekly partial water changes of 30% since they appreciate clear waters and with good filtering, as we already know, the ideal would be 5 to 7 times the volume of the aquarium, in this one where I have them I have it over 1200L/H but for schizophrenic. 24°C to 28°C.
- Temperature
24°C a 28°C.
Pundamilia nyererei (male newly arrived at the aquarium)
- aquariums
160 liters for a trio and about 200 if it is a community at least.
Behaviour
Males are somewhat aggressive and territorial. It is best to have them with several females or overcrowded aquariums, they can coexist peacefully with cichlids from Lake Malawi since they defend themselves very well. Ideal to keep a single male with 2 or 3 females.
sex differences
Larger and brighter ocelli on the anal fin of the male, the females are smaller and the males have the best colors and are more aggressive.
Reproduction
They are mouthbrooders, the female collects 10 to 120 eggs in her mouth after the typical *T* courtship on the bottom of the aquarium. The female tries to bite the male’s anal fin ocelli and triggers the male’s ejaculatory effect, fertilizing the eggs.
The incubation lasts about 18 days, ideal to release after 15 or 16 days to prevent the fry from being eaten by the parents, the fry can eat newly hatched brine shrimp or very fine food since the mother releases them. They grow quite fast and after 5 or 6 months they are already large and mature enough to reproduce.
