Aequidens tetramerus

Introduction
Aequidens tetramerus is a somewhat large size fish of about 6.5 " found in Amazon and Orinoco River basin.
Taxonomy
(Click for details of Cichlid taxonomy)
Aequidens tetramerus
was first described by Heckel in 1840 and was described as Acara tetramerus.
Over the years it was given other names and is now placed in Genus Aequidens and subfamily
Cichlasomatinae.
The Genus "Aequidens" is derived from Latin words, aequus+equal+dens(teeth), which roughly translates to
"Fish with equal teeth".
Description
Aequidens tetramerus
is one of the larger fish in its genus with standard length of 6.5 ".
It has a typical tri serial pre dorsal arrangement of scales of genus Aequidens with E1 scales
25 or 26.
It is known to live for 8-10 years.
Distribution & Habitat
Aequidens tetramerus
is widely distributed and is found in Amazon River basin,in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil
and Bolivia.
They are also found in the Tocantins and Parnaíba rivers, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and in
the Orinoco River basin of Venezuela and Colombia.
It is benthopelagic or swims above river/stream bed at depths of about 1-3 m in black water rivers.
Keeping in Aquarium
Tank Size and setup:
Aequidens tetramerus
are somewhat large sized fish and should be kept in a aquarium of about 300 liters with good filtration.
A sand bed of fine sand and many shelters with rocks and driftwood are ideal for this fish.
They are mildly aggressive towards other species but can be highly aggressive to others of same species.
At breeding time the aggression increases.
Small fish should not be kept with them as it will be eaten.
Breeding:
Aequidens tetramerus
are dimorphic, and reach sexual maturity in about 9-11 months.
They lay eggs on flat surfaces and practice brood care.
Both parents take care of eggs and larvae.
The females are smaller and will clean a piece of flat rock and lay 1000 eggs.
The eggs will hatch after 2-3 days and fry will be free swimming within a week.
Fry can be fed brine shrimp.
The pair will be ready to breed again if the fry are removed early.
Species Snapshot
Species Card
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Scientific Name | Aequidens tetramerus |
Common Name | Saddle Cichlid |
Genus | Aequidens |
Subfamily | Cichlasomatinae |
Geographical Origin | widely distributed in the Amazon River basin in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Bolivia. |
Diet | omnivore |
Gender Differences | Dimorphic |
Breeding | Substrate Spawner |
Temperament | Mildly aggressive |
Con Specific Temperament | Highly aggressive |
Water hardness | Medium Soft, dh range 1-13 |
Difficulty Level in Aquariums | 3 |
Morphometric Data
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Total Length(inches) | |
Standard Length(inches) |
Measurements as % of Total Length
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Body Depth | % |
Head length | % |
Pre Dorsal length | % |
Pre Pectoral length | % |
Pre Anal length | % |
Pre Pelvic length | % |
Caudal Peduncle Depth | % |
Caudal Peduncle Length | % |
Fork length | % |
Length of Last Dorsal Fin Spine | % |
Pectoral Fin Length | % |
Pelvic Fin Length | % |
Measurements as % of Head Length
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Head Width | % |
Snout length | % |
Eye diameter | % |
Pre Orbital Length | % |
Inter Orbital Width | % |
Pre Orbital Depth | % |
How to use the Web site
Aquaticnation.org presents articles on various interests to aquarists. Following general articles are provided.
- What is a Fish
- Setting Up A New Aquarium
- How are Fish Classified
- Understanding Water Chemistry for Aquariums
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