Page 19 - iCC043-201404_Sep_flip_lowres
P. 19
ne of the greatest aquarium
O Kullander and Nijssen erected the mono-marks, or a double circle-a, figure-eight
can didates is an old-timer typic genus Cleithracara for this fish, recog-
silhouette.
in the hobby, but one that has nising its significant differences from other
The rear marking can also take the form
never gained widespread popu- genera in the subfamily Cichlasomatinae.
of a thick black bar, and there is often a
larity. The major reason for this is that it is The generic name is based on a Greek root
one of those species that suffers from bad that refers to a cover, key, or lock — thus thinner black bar running from forehead
to throat through the eye. At times a faint
presentation in a pet shop environment, dark bar is present just ahead of the caudal
alluding to the long-standing association of
where it is a muddy, washed-out tan fish the fish’s marking with a keyhole shape — peduncle.
that hides a lot. Acclimated, however, to plus ‘acara’.
a well-planted tank with plenty of hiding As if this weren’t enough variation,
Description
the basic body colour can range from a
spots in driftwood or rock, the fish trans- The appearance of the Keyhole Cichlid
forms into an earth-toned beauty with both is extremely variable, and the eponymous pinkish-beige to a medium brown. It can
grace and spunk. Peaceful to a fault, the black splotch on the flank, which can take also be splotchy, and it is said that when
Keyhole Cichlid, Cleithracara maronii, is an the shape of an old-fashioned skeleton-key threatened the fish will push itself flat
excellent specimen for a community tank, keyhole, is perhaps the most variable, and against a sunken log, where this dappled
where it will leave plants and tankmates colouration is an effective camouflage.
rarely actually encountered in the specific
alone. form of a circle over a rectangle or trap- Like many little brown cichlids, the true
ezoid.
Often referred to as a dwarf acara, it beauty of Cleithracara maronii is in its sub-
rarely exceeds about 10 cm (4 inches). Most often you will see simply an ocellus, tle iridescent highlights, which tend to pink
You may find this species in older litera- a dark circle bracketed by creamy white or violet on the body and pastel-green to
ture referred to as Acara maronii, Aequidens
maronii, or Cichlasoma maronii. It was orig-
inally described in 1881 by Steindachner
as Acara maronii. The name ‘acara’ is
borrowed from a South American Indian
language, in which it describes a type of
cichlid, and it occurs widely in both scien-
tific and common names for popular South
American cichlids. It is assumed that the
specific name is a reference to the Maroni
River, which is part of the fish’s natural
range in the Orinoco Drainage.
Like many others, this species bounced
around taxonomically, and in 1989, more
than 100 years after its description,
Reprinted from Buntbarsche Bulletin, offi cial publication
of the American Cichlid Association, Inc. (ACA). To join
the ACA contact Marty Ruthkosky, ACA Membership,
43081 Bond Court, Sterling Heights. MI 48313, or visit
the ACA website cichlid.org. Cleithracara maronii. Picture: Steve Edie
cichlids.org.au 17
O Kullander and Nijssen erected the mono-marks, or a double circle-a, figure-eight
can didates is an old-timer typic genus Cleithracara for this fish, recog-
silhouette.
in the hobby, but one that has nising its significant differences from other
The rear marking can also take the form
never gained widespread popu- genera in the subfamily Cichlasomatinae.
of a thick black bar, and there is often a
larity. The major reason for this is that it is The generic name is based on a Greek root
one of those species that suffers from bad that refers to a cover, key, or lock — thus thinner black bar running from forehead
to throat through the eye. At times a faint
presentation in a pet shop environment, dark bar is present just ahead of the caudal
alluding to the long-standing association of
where it is a muddy, washed-out tan fish the fish’s marking with a keyhole shape — peduncle.
that hides a lot. Acclimated, however, to plus ‘acara’.
a well-planted tank with plenty of hiding As if this weren’t enough variation,
Description
the basic body colour can range from a
spots in driftwood or rock, the fish trans- The appearance of the Keyhole Cichlid
forms into an earth-toned beauty with both is extremely variable, and the eponymous pinkish-beige to a medium brown. It can
grace and spunk. Peaceful to a fault, the black splotch on the flank, which can take also be splotchy, and it is said that when
Keyhole Cichlid, Cleithracara maronii, is an the shape of an old-fashioned skeleton-key threatened the fish will push itself flat
excellent specimen for a community tank, keyhole, is perhaps the most variable, and against a sunken log, where this dappled
where it will leave plants and tankmates colouration is an effective camouflage.
rarely actually encountered in the specific
alone. form of a circle over a rectangle or trap- Like many little brown cichlids, the true
ezoid.
Often referred to as a dwarf acara, it beauty of Cleithracara maronii is in its sub-
rarely exceeds about 10 cm (4 inches). Most often you will see simply an ocellus, tle iridescent highlights, which tend to pink
You may find this species in older litera- a dark circle bracketed by creamy white or violet on the body and pastel-green to
ture referred to as Acara maronii, Aequidens
maronii, or Cichlasoma maronii. It was orig-
inally described in 1881 by Steindachner
as Acara maronii. The name ‘acara’ is
borrowed from a South American Indian
language, in which it describes a type of
cichlid, and it occurs widely in both scien-
tific and common names for popular South
American cichlids. It is assumed that the
specific name is a reference to the Maroni
River, which is part of the fish’s natural
range in the Orinoco Drainage.
Like many others, this species bounced
around taxonomically, and in 1989, more
than 100 years after its description,
Reprinted from Buntbarsche Bulletin, offi cial publication
of the American Cichlid Association, Inc. (ACA). To join
the ACA contact Marty Ruthkosky, ACA Membership,
43081 Bond Court, Sterling Heights. MI 48313, or visit
the ACA website cichlid.org. Cleithracara maronii. Picture: Steve Edie
cichlids.org.au 17
