Here's an article I wrote for another site
It could be because they arent so readily available as some other dwarf cichlids, such as the ram (
Microgeophagus ramirezi ) or some of the Apistogramma species, but these fish are often overlooked by aquarists. They are also often sold as juveniles, which can be quite bland compared to the adult fish. IMO, these can make a fantastic addition to a peaceful community tank, or for a small species / breeding setup.
Typically, they originate from Guyana in South America, from rivers such as the Rio Essequibo but have also been found in parts of Venezuela. They inhabit all of the three types of water found in South America (clear, white and black), and some reports have even cited them as being found in slightly brackish waters. Due to this, they arent particularly fussy about water chemistry, provided the water is of good quality (low in nitrogenous waste and no ammonia or nitrite). Typically however, they come from fairly soft, acid water (dGH< 8 and pH 5-6.5), and seem to do best in aquaria when kept in or around these conditions. They can cope well with warmer waters too. I keep mine in with my discus at ~29C, and Ive now had numerous viable spawns. The tank should have plenty of hiding places, such as dense planting, wood, caves etc, as while they are certainly not a timid species, they do benefit from areas of seclusion, especially if breeding.
Nannacara anomala or the Golden cichlid, gets its common name not from its overall colouration, but rather down to its bright golden eye. Males exhibit a stunning metallic sheen over the flanks, which is typically blue green in colour but can also exhibit orange or even red colouration in some morphs. I have a large old wild caught male that is an orangey green colour. Females are comparatively drab, although do have some colour on the sides and gill covers. Males will grow considerably larger than the females, reaching a length of around 7-8cm compared to around 4cm for females. Males will often produce large more elongated finnage than the females too.
Male:
Female:
Both male and female change colour during courtship / spawning, but this is very pronounced in the female. The male will produce dark, wide vertical banding while the female will produce a very contrasting checkerboard colour in her sides and dorsal finnage. This pattern intensifies when caring for a brood.
Male in full display to a female:
Female in spawning colouration:
Nannacaras are considered to be open spawners, often laying eggs on plant leaves or stones. However, in a community tank where egg predation is a concern for the females, they will often choose a more secluded site such as a nook in wood, or in a cave. All of my spawns have been in such a site to date. Females will set up a small, tightly guarded territory, while males will setup a much larger area to patrol. A male may have a number of females in a harem within his territory. Males are actually quite tolerant of each other, and while they will posture when confronting each other, Im yet to actually see them come to blows. Females are far less tolerant of other females, and can be positively vicious if they are protecting eggs. One of my small, young females (~2cm) successfully sees off adult discus while looking after fry. Even then, they tend to only bother fish that come too close. In anything but a very small tank, other inhabitants should be relatively un-molested compared to some other dwarf cichlids such as
P. kribensis. Id recommend pairs in a small tank, or trios (1m2f) in a larger tank. At present I have 2m3f in my 150 gallon tank, and its fascinating watching the interactions between both the two males and the three females.
Females will lay up to 300 eggs in a spawn. After around 2 days, the eggs hatch, and the females will gather the fry in her mouth and transfer them to a different area. The female may use many such secure areas during fry care. The males take little part in looking after the fry, and in fact, in a small tank, the female will become very aggressive towards the male, and may even kill him. Removing the male is the best plan in such cases.
Female in spawning colouration with fry:
These fish seem very easy to spawn. The usual rules of good quality foods, ideally including some live / frozen foods (I feed nothing but frozen foods) and good water quality should be all it takes to trigger spawning. I havent yet noticed an increase in courting after water changes, although this may be a trigger. Due to being in a community tank, Im yet to raise any fry to maturity, as even despite the valiant efforts of the female, the other tank inhabitants pick them off gradually. Usual dwarf cichlid fry care can be employed though, feeding micro foods such as baby brine shrimp and microworms etc. Small regular water changes should be done to ensure optimum water quality.
Given this fishes generally very mild mannered disposition, its ease of care and reproduction, and its undeniable beauty, Id seriously recommend these fish to anyone who has a suitable tank for them. They also make a pleasant change from some of the more readily available dwarf cichlids. They are pretty much the perfect dwarf cichlid in my opinion.
