The Bump head Cichlid

[Aquatopia]

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/LionheadCichlid.php

I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with these guys. I have about ten Juvies and am considering trying to breed them- just waiting for a pair. They're fast little guys that swim like gobys and the males, at such a small size, start getting a huge nuchal hump (for their size anyway) because they only get about 4 inches.
Too bad they don't have much color!

 

[Mike Wise]

I spawned this cichlid many times over the years. They are not that difficult if given the right conditions. The water should be about neutral and moderately soft with good water movement. I used many caves and several females per male. Once a pair developed and produced fry, I would remove most of the other fish, leaving 2 (in a 20L tank).

 

[Aquatopia]

I do have several together alread and I'm pretty sure only 2 males. They're all about 2-3 inches. When this small are there any other physical differences between the male and female? some of the smaller ones do have a slightly rounded forehead. I know that the fems are smaller than the males and that the males grow into their nochal hump. It's tough to tell if the smaller ones are fems or just small immature males. I have caves in there and circulation- also plants- so far they like to hang out on the tops of leaves.

 

[Mike Wise]

Females have a more 'chunky' appearance when compared to males. The soft part of the dorsal fin is shorter and more rounded on females.

 

[Aquatopia]

My buffalo heads spawned- I found a pair in my bunch of them- ideally I would like to remove all the other fish from the tank- but it happened in my store- Atleast I have a pair out of them- I'm doubtfull of the eggs hatching because I moved the pair to another tank with the same parimiters but I think this next time around will be fun! The eggs are in a meth blue mix- cross my fingers.

 

[gerald]

Seeing a tank of baby buffaloheads in your store should do wonders for selling off the others.
They are my favorite ugly-cute gray fish, and I've kept a LOT of ugly-cute gray fish.
I especially like their Jay Leno profile.

 

[Aquatopia]

Well, I got wigglers! I didn't think this first group would hatch because I had to move the eggs (and take them away from the parents) But after 6 days of soaking in a meth blue solution with a bubbler I have about 25 hachlings out of 35 eggs. Hope they make it! The more I watch this fish the more I like them- they have so much little personality!

 

[Aquatopia]

Update- lost one wiggler and all the rest survived transfer from the store tank to my breeding room. Swimming and eating a ton, these guys take a long time to hatch but grow fast! I had another pair spawn but they ate the eggs. Now that I know how durable the eggs are I'm just going to keep on taking them. I have two breeding pairs.