In the wild, they feed on small fish, juveniles, fry, and eggs. In captivity they can be fed with live or frozen food, they can also be fed with dried foods although that isn’t the best diet and won’t bring a female into breeding condition. Determining Sex of Calvus Cichlid Males are larger and have larger fins than females.
What do cichlids eat?
Java fern, Anubias, and amazon swords are some good options. Feeding these cichlids isn’t a hassle; however, you should have a good knowledge of their food to offer them a well-balanced and appropriate diet. They are carnivores that generally feed on insect larvae, smaller fish, and crustaceans in the wild.
Is the calvus cichlid worth getting to know?
The Calvus Cichlid (altolamprologus calvus) is a beautiful Lake Tanganyika fish that is known for its striking coloration and unique shape. With so many other fascinating species out there, it’s no wonder that the Calvus Cichlid is often overlooked. But this fish is definitely worth getting to know.
What do calvus lizards eat in captivity?
You can offer them live foods, like earthworms and Mysis shrimp in captivity to satiate their cravings. In addition, commercial dried food is acceptable, but they prefer frozen meaty fare, and dried flakes or pellets will not bring a female Calvus into breeding condition.
Is calvus calvus a good beginner’s fish?
It also has a scaleless area on the head that gives rise to the species name, ‘ calvus ‘ being the latin word for bald! This isn’t really a good beginner’s fish, as it’s sensitive to changes in water chemistry, particularly when first imported.
What To Feed Cichlids?
There are about 1870 varieties of cichlids scientifically described worldwide. Among them, 1300 varieties are South African cichlids, and 570 are Central American cichlids.
How Many Pellets To Feed Cichlids?
You should provide the number of pellets that cichlid fish can finish within 2 or 3 minutes. Further, you should be highly concerned about the number of pellets that offer to your fish.
How Often To Feed Cichlids With Bloodworms?
You can add bloodworms to the cichlids’ diet for three, four days of the week. Through this, your fish do not get tired of eating the same foods every day. However, it is better to serve cichlids with a mixed diet.
How Often Should I Feed Cichlids with Live Fish
You can add live fish to carnivore and omnivore cichlids three-four times per week. But this frequency depends on the variety and maturity level of cichlid.
How Often To Feed Baby Cichlids?
You should feed baby Cichlids two or three times per day. Also, you can provide a mixture of protein-rich fry foods and live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimps, powder fry foods, and specialized liquid foods.
Feeding Schedule For Cichlids
You can follow this table to get knowledge of the food type and feeding frequency.
How Long Can A Cichlid Go Without Eating?
Healthy cichlid can survive around 7 to 10 days without food. But this estimated time can vary with several factors. These are:
What is the purpose of the Calvus?
A. calvus is a predator by nature and its body shape has been adapted to allow it to enter small crevices and gaps in the rock work of Lake Tanganyika to prey on eggs, fry and small fish. Its laterally compressed shape makes the fish hard to spot head on, giving it an advantage over would be predators and prey alike.
Can tanganyikans breed in a community aquarium?
It may breed in the community aquarium but if you want to raise a full brood of these, a separate aquarium should be used. Set this up as any other Tanganyikan tank, using piles of rocks to form caves and crevices. Flowerpots or shells can also be used to create the desired effect.
Species Summary
- Calvus cichlids (altolamprologus calvus) originate from the southern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, located in Eastern Africa. However, several geographical variants of this species exist, and each of them has a unique color based on its location. Most of them generally live in r…
Appearance
- Calvus Cichlid is quite distinctive in color and shape. This species has a longer, shallower body, giving them a more streamlined look. They are laterally compressed and feature a high back and a steep forehead. Their scales are quite sharp and can destroy the lips of the biting enemy. Calvus cichlids boast dark vertical stripes in their front portions, and the back part is speckled with fadi…
Calvus Cichlid (Altolamprologus calvus) Size
- The average size of Calvus Cichlid is 5.3 inches (13.4 cm); Males grow larger, up to 6 inches (15 cm), while females only reach about 4 inches (10 cm). When sold in stores, the juveniles are usually only one inch long or even smaller. Altolamprologus Calvus are slow-growth species that will take 3-5 years to reach full size. Here are some records of Calvus Cichlid growth rate from th…
Lifespan
- Fortunately, they are long-lived fish. Calvus Cichlids can live about 8 to 10 years with proper care. There have been recorded that Calvus has lived as long as 10 – 13 years. While these are obviously outliers, it goes to show that these fish can have a decent lifespan in captivity with the right care. Provide them with good food and stick to the appropriate tank conditions to increase …
Calvus Cichlid (Altolamprologus calvus) Care
- Calvus Cichlid care should be manageable for anyone who has some experience with caring for African cichlids. They are not as aggressive as some other species, but they will still need a tank that can provide them with plenty of hiding places and room to swim. These fish inhabit the rocky area around the shores and islands of the lake. They are active swimmers that spend most of th…
Calvus Cichlid (Altolamprologus calvus) Tank Mates
- The Calvus Cichlid is a territorial but relatively peaceful fish that is best kept in pairs or groups in a species-specific tank. If you intend to breed Calvus, then avoid other color variations to prevent hybridization. You can also keep them in a community tank with other peaceful Lake Tanganyika cichlidsof similar size and temperament. However, you need to make sure that your tank is larg…
Breeding Calvus Cichlids
- Both A. calvus and A. compressiceps are substrate spawners bred in the home aquarium for years. Sometimes you will miss out on the actual spawning event as it happens very secretively. The most important thing you can do is obtain a mated pair. We highly recommended to start with a group of 4 to 6 juveniles and letting them pair up naturally in a 20 gallons tank. Unfortunately, i…
Final Thoughts
- That’s all aboutthe Calvus Cichlidcare guide. While these species are an absolute delight to own, caring for them is slightly challenging. Also, these are not considered ideal for beginners, so they should gain some more experience before adding these beautiful cichlids to their tanks. Choose their ideal companions and offer them a well-balanced and nutritious diet and let them thrive in …