# Cryptoheros spilurus



## Beo (Jan 26, 2008)

Hello all!

I thought I would start a thread to invite some discussion on the (seemingly) less frequently kept, smaller CA species.

I decided about eight months ago to dedicate some tank space to a pair of Cryptoheros spilurus, in the hope of them spawning. The tank they were in is a 450 litre (99 imperial gallon) bow-fronted aquarium, furnished with a variety of beach pebbles, larger rocks and hardy plants. I also added an assortment of livebearer dithers (mostly swordtails) in the hope of making the cichlids feel more secure.

It didn't take long for the pair to 'get down to business' and they subsequently proved to be regular breeders:

The female with fry


The male in profile


Mum staring me out


They really are tremendous parents (as would be expected from convict cousins) but don't share the same psychotic tendencies as convicts when not in brood protection mode. I would whole heartedly recommend them as alternatives.

Anyway all was going well until, for an unknown reason, the male started to suffer with popeye about a month or so ago. Despite water tests showing nothing out of the ordinary, and after frequent and large water changes (having read that popeye may be associated with poor water quality) the condition progressively got worse and worse until I came home from work to find the male dead! 

I have now acquired a pair of Cryptoheros myrnae in the hope of raising them to similar breeding success (hopefully without the same ending).

PS I have just discovered today that the digital thermometer on the tank which now houses the myrnae (and housed the spuilurus) is not functioning properly and has been showing a gradually decreasing temperature. My response to this has been to incrementally turn up the heaters . . . Doh! I have gone back to using old-fashioned thermometers now and have reduced the tank temperature by over 5 degrees Celsius, to a more reasonable 25 degrees C. I can't believe I didn't think to cross check this weeks ago! I wonder whether the elevated levels may have been responsible for stressing the male spilurus? I shall probably never know, but it goes to show once again, that more than 25 years experience in this hobby and I have still only just scratched the surface!

PPS Today the myrnae have spawned in their flowerpot. I'll try to get some photos up soon! :thumb:

Anyone else had any experience with these little beauties?


----------



## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

Beo said:


> Anyone else had any experience with these little beauties?


Well I beleive I have a male in an aquarium with just an algae eater and a few dithers (zebra danios). I could literally spend the entire day sitting in front of my aquarium, watching him interact and explore this world I put him in. Convicts are surely a joy! I'm looking for a female to observe their parental activities!


----------



## cavamart (Mar 28, 2005)

Very nice. I haven't seen any true Spilurum here in the states in a while. I'd love to get my hands on some. I'm working with thier close cousins, the Jutiapa and Mongo strain Cutteri and Chetumalensis or Red Spilurum. Myrnae is also another great mild mannered Cryptoheros that is a pleasure to keep and very underrated. :thumb:


----------



## Beo (Jan 26, 2008)

Well, I managed to get some lousy photos of the myrnae pair around the spawning site:










Mum and eggs










Dad










Sorry about the rubbish quality of the images!


----------

