Scientific Name: Paratilapia polleni
Origin: Africa; these fish are endemic to Madagascar.
Family: Cichlidae
Other Names: Marakeli cichlid
Technical Info
Temperature: 22 - 28 ℃
pH: 6.5 - 7.5
GH: 10 - 25
Max size: 28 cm
Min Tank size: 400 Ltr
Position in Aqua: No special swimming level
Description
Generally a peaceful fish but it will show aggression to its own kind. It is best to house a single specimen or a breeding pair. They prefer a sandy substrate with plenty of hiding places and demand a high water quality.
Food
It is a piscivore in nature but there is no need to feed live fish in aquaria, as it accepts dead foods readily.The majority of live and frozen foods are accepted and most specimens will also accept dried foods. A varied mix of these is the best diet. Do not feed animal meat of any kind.
Breeding
Prior to spawning the male will darken considerably and dig a large pit in the substrate. The female will deposit her eggs in the pit and after 48 hours they fry should hatch. Both parents will show parental care for the brood and may move them around the tank. Once the fry are free swimming, they can be fed on newly hatched brine shrimp.
Compatible with
Relatively peaceful with heterospecifics, although it is robust enough to hold its own in territorial disputes. It becomes far more aggressive when breeding but even then, fish that do not enter the polleni s territory are tolerated (this territory can however be very large. See breeding section). Obviously a large tank is required if it is to be kept with other cichlids but it can be combined successfully with various Rift Lake species and even some of the milder Central Americans. Small fish will be eaten. It is generally aggressive towards conspecifics and should be kept only as a single specimen or pair unless a huge tank is available.
Note
It should be noted that in young pairs the male may become somewhat aggressive towards the female in the absence of target fish or one or both fish may eat the eggs or fry but they will usually get it right in time. The fish should therefore be watched closely in case the female has to be removed or the tank divided.