Amatitlania sajica

Amatitlania sajica

Amatitlania sajica was described by Bussing in 1974. The genus name Amatitlania means “belonging to: Lake Amatitlán, Guatemala, the type locality of type species, A. nigrofasciata. “Amatitlán” means “a place rich in amate” in Nahuatl, amate is a type of rustic paper made from the bark of Ficus petiolaris or Ficus indica). The species name “sajica” is an acronym of the first two letters of the first and last names of father and mother of Salvador Jiménez Canossa (1922-1986), director of the Library of Congress of Costa Rica, a “friend and experienced field collector” who accompanied Bussing on most of his early collection of trips in Costa Rica, and “through his enthusiasm and curiosity about nature, he contributed immensely to their success”

Description

In the wild, the Amatitlania sajica can grow up to about 12 centimeters in length. The females remain slightly smaller. In the aquarium they usually do not reach this length. There are two color variants of this fish.

Synonyms: Cryptoheros sajica, Archocentrus sajica, Cichlasoma sajica.

Character

It is a relatively peaceful, sometimes shy fish that should be kept as a couple.
They can be kept together with other Central American cichlids, for example Cichlasoma species, except the Amatitlania nigrofasciata – Zebra Cichlid, because they can interbreed.

Origin

Costa Rica.

The aquarium

An aquarium of at least 1.80 meters is required for the Amatitlania sajica. Set up the tank with hard plants, stones and driftwood so that holes and hiding places are created, the bottom must consist of sand. The plants are generally left alone, only during the mating season they often toss and turn in the soil.

Water parameters

Temperature: 25-29 degrees Celsius.
PH: 6,5-8
GH: 12-16

Diet

Amatitlania sajica are omnivores (omnivores). Both live food and frozen food can be given as food, such as mosquito larvae, mysis and brine shrimp. Provide sufficient variety.

Breeding Amatitlania sajica

Breeding the Amatitlania sajica is quite simple, up to 300 eggs are deposited in a cave and fertilized. The temperature may be 26 degrees. After 3 days the eggs hatch, and after about a week the young swim around freely. Both parents have brood care, the female guards the nest, while the male defends the territory, sometimes the roles are reversed.
The fry can be raised with brine shrimp nauplii.

Video

Author

Coby

Copyright images

John de Lange
Jeff Rapps – Tangledupincichlids.com