Uara Cichlid
Quick Stats
| Size | 8-12" (20-30cm) |
|---|---|
| Tank | 200 litres + for a pair |
| Swimming Area | All over but tend to stay in the middle or bottom of the tank. |
| Ph | 6.0 to 8.0 |
| Temperature | 80ºF to 85ºF(27-30°C) |
| Food | Vegetable & plant matter as well as live food. |
Common Name:
Uara, Triangle Cichlid.
Distribution:
South America, in the middle and lower Rio Negro in Brazil and Guyana. In their native habitat, Uaru are a food source for the people along the Amazon river basin.
Lifespan:
10 to 18 years.
Maintenance:
20 to 30% weekly water changes. Uaru prefer warmer water than many other tropicals, and do well with rummynose tetras, some plecos, severums, corydoras, altum angels, rams, and geophagus to name a few. They are best introduced after a tank is well-established. The Uara is especially vulnerable to copper, heavy metals and medications.
Feeding:
Uaru are mainly a herbivorous cichlid. Feeding should consist of vegetable matter (aquatic plants, cichlid staple, romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumber, peas, and spirulina pellets), but should also include some protein. Uaru love bloodworms, earthworms, pond snails, beefheart, and live foods to supplement their mostly vegetarian diet. Driftwood is also required, Uaru graze on it. Little is known about the role driftwood plays in their diet, but it should be available to them, as it may aid the digestive process. They grow very quickly if fed properly.
Substrate:
Sand.
Tank Decor:
Tank should have a gravel or sand bottom, driftwood, and real plants. The uaru will graze on the plants, however if you choose fast growing plants, they will usually do just fine. I would advise against using plastic plants, as uaru will bite the leaves anyway, and the pieces of plastic are potentially hazardous.
Filtration:
Sensitive to ammonia and nitrites so good established tank and filtration is needed.
Biotype:
Sections of deep, calm water with submerged trees (flooded forest) in the Amazon river basin.
Sexing:
Mature males can develop a fatty hump behind the head. It is also thought that red eyes occur almost entirely in females, though both males and females can also have orange eyes. Neither of these are foolproof, though. The only certain way to get a pair of Uaru is to buy 6-8 juveniles, and let them pair off on their own, or by venting.
Breeding:
Uaru are notoriously hard to breed, though some hobbyists report spawning them in soft and hard water, with pH values between 6.5-8 ph. Uaru will lay 100-800 eggs at a time. They are substrate spawners, and will lay eggs on the bottom of the tank, a piece of slate, or in clay pots.