(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Kronoheros umbriferus
Common Name: Umbee Cichlid, Umbriferum Blue, Turquoise Cichlid
Adult Size: 20 inches
Life Expectancy: 7 - 10 years
Habitat: Panama and Colombia, South America
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78 - 80°F
- pH Range: 6.5 - 8.0
- Water Hardness: 9 - 20
Temperament: Very aggressive
Diet & Nutrition: Predator and live fish eater, but will usually accept frozen and fresh foods (crickets, hissing roaches, and earthworms) in the aquarium. Pair fresh foods with high quality pellet formulas. Fish, shrimp, insects, or some other source of animal protein must be the main ingredient.
Breeding & Spawning: Can be challenging because of their aggressive nature. Provide for a group of juveniles to pair off naturally, then remove the other Umbees and any dither fish. The male is so much larger than his mate that he can do serious damage to her. A partial aquarium divider is highly recommended to minimize the chances of serious injury to the female. Cut a hole in a reinforced aquarium divider small enough for the female to pass through but not the male to give her a safe option. During spawning, the pair will begin moving gravel around even more vigorously than usual and will eventually choose a hard surface to lay their eggs on. At this stage they very aggressive and will viciously attack anything around, both inside the tank and without, trying to protect the fry. Even when cleaning the tank they will nip at aquarium siphons and fingers. Umbees do have good sized teeth so be mindful when cleaning the tank of a breeding pair. Once the eggs are laid (anywhere from 500 to 2000) the fry hatch in 3 to 4 days. Since the young are fairly large for fish fry they can be started on baby brine shrimp, powdered flakes, and other standard foods right away.
Gender: Males are larger and grow a nuchal hump.