Geophagus Brasiliensis (Rio Novo, Brazil, 29 June 1865) on:
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The pearl cichlid (''Geophagus brasiliensis'') is a species of fish in the
'Geophagus' brasiliensis.
' Retrieved 27 August 2014. It has been introduced to several countries far from its native range, including the United States, Australia, the
The males can reach a length up to , while females only reach a bit more than half that size. Its main body colour can be pale light brown to dark blue or almost purple; their colours change with moods and during mating sessions. The pearl cichlid has one dark spot which may visible on its body, located towards its tail; it also may display several black bands running top to bottom down its body. Its markings, which cover its body, are bright blue speckles which shine brightly in a healthy fish; they have red fins which may have blueish tones and be tipped in black, but these colours also may change, brighten, or fade depending on the mood. They can grow quite large, with males reaching just over a foot and females generally a little smaller. In a group, they usually pair up once they are around 2–3 in long; at this time they can be quite territorial, and keep other fish away from their breeding space.
cichlid
Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...
family. It is native to southeastern Brazil (north to Bahia
Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...
), Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
, Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and far northeastern Argentina,Mattos, J.L.O., Costa, W.J.E.M. & Santos, A.C.A. (2015): ''Geophagus diamantinensis'', a new species of the ''G. brasiliensis'' species group from Chapada Diamantina, north-eastern Brazil (Cichlidae: Geophagini). ''Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters, 26 (3): 209-220.'' where it is found in rivers, lakes, and nearby slightly brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...
lagoons.SeriouslyFish: 'Geophagus' brasiliensis.
' Retrieved 27 August 2014. It has been introduced to several countries far from its native range, including the United States, Australia, the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. This species is popular among aquarist
An aquarist is a person who manages aquariums, either professionally or as a hobby. They typically care for aquatic animals, including fish and marine invertebrates. Some may care for aquatic mammals. Aquarists often work at public aquariums. They ...
s.
''G. brasiliensis'' is part of a species complex that also includes the rarer '' G. diamantinensis'', '' G. iporangensis'', '' G. itapicuruensis'', '' G. multiocellus'', '' G. obscurus'', '' G. rufomarginatus'' and '' G. santosi'' from the Brazilian state of Bahia (most species) or São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
(''G. iporangensis'').
Appearance
The males can reach a length up to , while females only reach a bit more than half that size. Its main body colour can be pale light brown to dark blue or almost purple; their colours change with moods and during mating sessions. The pearl cichlid has one dark spot which may visible on its body, located towards its tail; it also may display several black bands running top to bottom down its body. Its markings, which cover its body, are bright blue speckles which shine brightly in a healthy fish; they have red fins which may have blueish tones and be tipped in black, but these colours also may change, brighten, or fade depending on the mood. They can grow quite large, with males reaching just over a foot and females generally a little smaller. In a group, they usually pair up once they are around 2–3 in long; at this time they can be quite territorial, and keep other fish away from their breeding space.
Breeding
The sex of the fish is often unclear until it reaches adult size, at which point the size difference between the genders becomes pronounced. Breeders often attempt to pair the fish withoutsexing
Through sexing, biologists and agricultural workers determine the sex of livestock and other animals they work with. The specialized trade of chicken sexing has a particular importance in the poultry industry.
The sex of mammals can often be ...
them; two females may pair up in which case the fish lay eggs that never hatch. Once a male-female pair is found, they tend to yield 150–200 offspring after successfully mating. Unlike certain other species, they do not have to be separated from their young.
Introduction to Australia
In Australia, it has been released into the Tweed River system, New South Wales, and the Swan River system, Western Australia, where it inhabits fresh and brackish water at a wide range of pHs.References
Further reading
*Sterba, G. (1967). ''Freshwater Fishes of the World''. The Pet Library, Ltd., New York, 879p. *Nelson, J. S. (1994). ''Fishes of the World'', 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 600p.External links
* http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/IMPFeralFish/index.php?0506 {{Taxonbar, from=Q128694 Pearl cichlid Fish described in 1824