Meeke Cichlazoma - Features of Care and Maintenance

To the aquarium was beautiful, it is important to choose the right inhabitants for it. The Mek's cichlazoma is a beautiful fish, which is unpretentious, but it is important to take into account some features so that it develops well and multiplies.

Miek's Cichlazoma - description

The beautiful fish got its name in honor of the ichthyologist from America SEMeek. It is also called a mask or redhead. In nature, it can be found in the reservoirs of Guatemala, Mexico and Belize. In the aquarium fish Meeki is an aggressive character, so it's worth choosing the neighbors for it correctly. To breed cihlazom costs in pairs, and they live in all zones of an aquarium.

Aquarium fish Meeka - a characteristic

There are several facts that will help to understand what a cyxlasm of this species looks like:

1. The maximum body size is 15 cm, but in most cases this figure is approximately 8 cm. It should be noted that males are much larger than females.
2. Fish Meeka has a sharp anal and dorsal fin, the end of which extends into the braids.
3. The body is painted in silvery gray with the presence of low tide of green, yellow, blue and metallic hue. There are shiny stripes and dots on the fins.
4. The name "redhead" is associated with the color of the gill covers and throat.

Mek's Cichlazoma - content

There are a number of recommendations that should be considered in order to create ideal conditions for their pets.

1. Aquarium. It is important to purchase a large vessel so that the fish can live a full life. For one pair, you need a minimum of 60-70 liters of water. It is worthwhile to equip the shelter.
2. Water parameters. To keep Meeki you need warm water, because it is a tropical view. The temperature should not fall below 19 ° C. Optimal parameters are 25-27 ° С. For this it is necessary to use a heater. The stiffness should be within 6-7 dGH.
3. Lighting. For Mechaki cichlazoma, any lighting is suitable, but it is better to use bright fluorescent lamps, which will make the fish more attractive.
4. Priming. Choose a sandy substrate for your animals, but you can replace it with small gravel and pieces of granite. The soil layer should be at least 9-10 cm.
5. Plants. Tsiklazomy are active, so they dig out plants from the ground and better choose large algae with a powerful root system. Suitable options: anubias , cryptocrine, vallisneria and others.
6. Aeration. Be sure to use appliances to saturate the water with oxygen. It is also recommended to install filtration systems.

Fish Meeka - special care

Of great importance is the proper nutrition of cichlasma, and it refers to the omnivores. It is important to organize for the animals a varied and balanced diet. The content of the Mejaki cichlazoma allows the inclusion of such a food for aquarium fishes in food:

1. Different types of feed, for example, artificial, frozen, live and specialized, which are sold in stores.
2. As a full-fledged protein food, you can use earthworms, pieces of beef, small live fish, insects and larvae.
3. Should be present in the menu vegetative food, for example, salad leaves, dried nettle, spirulina, etc.

Cichlid Meeka - reproduction

Fish easily multiply in an aquarium with other inhabitants, the main thing is to create the right conditions. To obtain offspring in advance, buy a formed pair or a small flock, so that its members themselves are determined with sympathies. When pets are ready to spawn, their neighbors should be set off, but a couple of future parents should not be touched, as this can cause stress. To stimulate the fish Meeki to spawn, you can raise the temperature of the water in the aquarium, but only a few degrees, but the stiffness should be reduced.

1. At the initial stage of spawning the male prepares a place for caviar and it is best to have in the aquarium a wide flat stone, which it cleans. When the place is prepared, the female lays eggs, and the male fertilizes it.
2. During the ripening of the eggs, parents carefully take care of it, eating unfertilized eggs, so that the ripening get more oxygen.
3. To spawn a young man who can swim independently, it takes 5-7 days. After this, it is worthwhile to start feeding the young, using plankton and nauplii artemia. Sexual maturation occurs at 8-12 months.

Meek's cichlazoma - compatibility with other fish

It has already been mentioned earlier that this species is aggressive and the situation is aggravated during spawning. Poor compatibility of the Mechaki cichlasma with small fish, as they will simply turn out to be lunch or dinner. Too neighbors are too large species, even their families, because skirmishes can not be avoided. Tsiklazoma Meeka gets along well with fishermen of the same size, who are peace-loving. Suitable for the neighborhood types of barbs and hartsinovyh.

Aquarium fish Meeka - disease

This species is hardy, so infants are seldom sick. Health can worsen if the conditions of detention are unfavorable, the food is of poor quality, or contact with diseased residents of the aquarium occurs.

1. It may occur in the Mech cichlazoma, hexamytosis is a parasitic disease and appetite deterioration is observed in the first stages. In pet stores there are special medications for treatment.
2. Since these are active residents, they can be injured, leading to a disruption in the integrity of the scales and skin. Sick fish should be planted and for its treatment, it is necessary to introduce into the water the means directed to the regeneration and disinfection of the wound.
3. Another common problem is fin rot and it arises if pets are kept in poor conditions. In this case, a light strip appears on the edge, which eventually grows. After a while, the ends of the fin begin to break off. If the situation is not aggravated, you just need to replace water, and in the last stages the disease is treated with antibiotics.