Cichla ocellaris

Scientific name Cichla ocellaris
Descriptor Bloch & Schneider
Year of description 1801
IUCN category (World) NE
Family Cichlidae
Genus Cichla
Cichla ocellaris Cichla ocellaris

Introduction

Cichla ocellaris is a fresh water fish from the Amérique du Sud.

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Who is it?

Morphology

  • Average size
    50 cm
  • Maximum size
    75 cm
  • Longevity
    12 year
  • Average size
    50 cm
  • Maximum size
    75 cm
  • Longevity
    12 year

How to recognize Cichla ocellaris ?

Cichla ocellaris measures between 50 and 75 cm. This fish is bicolore with a predominantly vert and noir body.

Behaviour & Life cycle

  • diet
    carnivorous
  • Sociability
    living in shoals
  • territorial
    Yes
  • Way of living
    diurnal

Cichla ocellaris hunts in the stalk and is one of the predators of its biotope. Opportunistic, it does not hesitate to attack any smaller animal nearby.

Cichla ocellaris is a fish living in shoals naturally found at mid-depth and near the bottom. The members of each group are organized around a well established hierarchy. This species is carnivorous .

This species is territorial and does not appreciate the presence of intruders nearby, especially animals with similar behavior. It can also be virulent toward conspecifics. However, Cichla ocellaris is generally peaceful with non-territorial animals that cannot be potential prey.

Reproduction

  • Reproduction
    ovipare qui pond sur substrat découvert

Cichla ocellaris is a fish ovipare qui pond sur substrat découvert.

Harmless species

This species does not represent any particular threats to humans when encountered in its natural environment.

Where to find it?

Conservation status of populations (IUCN)

World : NE

Where to see this species?

What is its habitat?

Natural environment characteristics

  • Temperature
    24 - 27 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    6.5 - 7.5
  • gh (hardness)
    6 - 16
  • Flow
    Strong

Biotope presentation

Cichla ocellaris prefers well oxygenated waters in current areas and rapids. It frequents fast flowing waters where the bottom is strewn with pebbles, wood or leaves carried by the current. It can be found not far from waterfalls .

Species of the same biotope

Main recommendations for fishkeeping

Deontology

In order to preserve wildlife, if you acquire this animal, it must not be released into the wild. See also, the Fishipedia charter.

Fishipedia supports the practice of responsible and environmentally friendly aquarium keeping. We encourage maintenance if it is motivated by a desire to understand the biological functioning of living things and if it is done with respect for animal life.

We believe that aquaristics is an opening to the discovery of aquatic environments, especially freshwater, and that this knowledge is necessary to better protect and respect these environments. Logically, we refute the compulsive purchase of animals that would not find a sufficient and / or adapted place in the host aquarium.

Our recommendations

  • Min volume
    5000 liters
  • Population min
    5
  • Temperature
    24 - 27 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    6.5 - 7.5

Characteristics

  • Difficulty breeding
    very difficult
  • Robustness
    robust
  • Behaviour
    slightly aggressive
  • Availability
    rare

General reminders

It is strongly advised to read the complete dedicated file and to get information on the feedbacks of maintenance of the envisaged animal, this to avoid any potential conflict whose end result is generally the death of the individual (or the other inhabitants). It is important not to overload your aquarium to limit pollution. This will make maintenance easier.

In nature, animals are subject to weather conditions and live in waters with variable characteristics. The recommendations offered by our team for aquarium maintenance are a guidance and cannot be assimilated to scientific datas.

General reminder on maintenance datas

Le démarrage d'un aquarium est une partie primordiale pour l'équilibre et le bien-être des poissons. Lorsque l'on met en eau un aquarium, l'eau passe naturellement par un cycle biologique : le cycle de l'azote. Celui-ci dure environ trois semaines. Tous les 2 jours, nous vous conseillons de tester votre eau jusqu'à ce que le taux de nitrite soit à zéro pendant plusieurs jours d'affilée.

Pour accélérer ce cycle, vous pouvez utiliser un activateur de bactéries comme JBL Denitrol. Cette solution riche en bactéries vivantes et enzymes permet une mise en place rapide du cycle de l'azote. Les poissons peuvent alors être introduits plus rapidement.

Il est important de tester l'eau de son aquarium régulièrement pour maintenir un environnement sain pour les poissons et les autres habitants. Les tests d'eau permettent de mesurer les niveaux de différents paramètres tels que le pH, la dureté totale, ainsi que les taux de nitrates, de nitrites et d'ammoniaque.

Pour réaliser ces tests, vous pouvez utiliser des produits d'analyse spécialisés tels que JBL ProScan qui permet de réaliser un diagnostic de l'eau directement via un smartphone. Il existe également des coffrets de tests plus classiques de bandelettes, comme JBL PROAQUATEST.

En cas d’usage de l’eau du robinet, vous pouvez utiliser un conditionneur d’eau de type Biotopol de JBL pour éliminer les substances nocives comme le chlore, le cuivre, le plomb et le zinc. Les conditionneurs d'eau garantissent une meilleure santé aux poissons et une meilleure croissance des plantes.

Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for the health of animals. Used to disinfect water, these agents are present in significant quantities in tap water. We recommend using an anti-chlorine agent every time you change the water. In addition to chlorine, treatments and medicines sold for aquarium use sometimes contain dangerous heavy metals in high doses.

Specific needs for Cichla ocellaris

Cichla ocellaris is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 24 °C and 27 °C. For proper maintenance, the temperature should never exceed the 30°C for long periods. Nitrate levels should remain below 50mg/L. To keep the water clean and unpolluted, plan on changing 20% to 30% of the water volume each month.

Cichla ocellaris is a species whose maintenance is rather reserved for informed aquarists . It can only be successfully carried out by carrying out a minimum of documentation work. Special husbandry conditions can easily lead to the death of the species or other animals.

This species is very rare in the aquarium trade. Instead, it is maintained by knowledgeable aquarists who own and breed individuals from wild origin strains. If you want to get this species, we advise you to contact specialized clubs. }Specimens from long time breeding are a bit easier to breed but you have to respect the particular water parameters.

Cohabitation & Environment

Being a living in shoals fish, it is advisable to install at least 5 individuals in an aquarium of 5000 liters minimum (for 300 cm of frontage). Group maintenance is a prerequisite to ensure their well-being. Lonely individuals tend to quickly become stressed and become especially susceptible to disease. This fish being a predatory species, it is recommended to maintain it in a specific environment, without other species. Indeed, any crustacean or fish of lower size will become a potential prey. If you still try to associate it with other species, the cohabitants must be of a size at least comparable to the predator in a much larger volume. The aquarium can be provided with many hiding places and a large space to allow each individual to find refuge if necessary.

As previously said, Cichla ocellaris is a species that lives naturally in the current. Thus, we advise the installation of an oversized filtration system (10 to 20 times the volume of the tank) in order to guarantee a strong current and especially a strong oxygenation. A venturi system will improve the dissolved oxygen rate during summer.

Tips for feeding

Cichla ocellaris is carnivorous.

This species can eat dry food (flakes, pellets), fresh food and frozen food. To avoid deficiencies, it is recommended to vary the types of food.

You should not overfeed your residents to avoid polluting the water. For most species, it is better to feed a few small portions each day rather than one large meal.

Food recommendations from our partner JBL - Products PRONOVO

Reproduction protocol

  • Maintenance difficulty
    moderate
  • egg-laying protection
    Yes

Hybridization risks

In general, it is advised not to mix several species of the same genus or different varieties of the same species, to avoid the risks of hybridization.

These animals might interest you

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To read on the web

Sources & Contributions

Participation & Validation

The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.

Benoit Chartrer

Benoit Chartrer

Translation

Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.

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Template and content © Fishipedia - Unauthorized reproduction without prior request - ISSN 2270-7247 - Last modification 11/11/2023

Where to see this species?

Scientific partners

Species of the same family

Same genus

Species of the same biotope

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