Amphilophus citrinellus
Lemon cichlid, males
The Lemon Cichlid ( Amphilophus citrinellus, Syn: Cichlasoma citrinellum ) is a species of the family of cichlids and in Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica) east of the main watershed widespread. It belongs to the group of the substrate Sieber.
Features
The animals usually have a gray-green color and point to it depending on the origin ( Nicaragua, Managua, Xiloasee, Apoyosee, Apoyeque, Masaya, Vojoa, Tiscapa ) dark bands and different patterns of red and yellow components. From a length of about 12 cm show strong staining of some animals yellow white, lemon yellow to yellow-orange. Juveniles are always dark gray and striped. Males grow up to 30 cm tall, females remain smaller in general. The males are distinguished in age by a pronounced nuchal hump from. They also have a conical genital papilla and longer fins than the females.
Possibility of confusion
This is possibly Amphilophus labiatum, which is characterized by thicker lips. But the lemon cichlid there seems to be in Apoyeque Crater Lake dicklippigere forms that might form a separate, previously undescribed species and are therefore initially designated provisionally as Amphilophus cf citrinellum. Full-grown lemon cichlids are usually deep-bodied as Amphilophus labiatum.
Way of life
Amphilophus citrinellus is some fine open-brooders and very aggressive. Eggs are laid on a clean polished, often vertical or inclined fixed position and guarded by both parents. Both parents take care of the brood ( Parents ), the hatched larvae are transmitted by the female into a prepared pit. When Lemon cichlid has been observed that the young fish eat the body mucus of the parents. In the mucus elevated levels of prolactin, growth hormone and thyroxine were found.
The Lemon cichlid not riddled his food from the ground, but picked it out sooner, it is nevertheless the group of the substrate Sieber allocated. Invertebrates represent the main component of the diet dar.