SOUTH AMERICAN CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily Cichlinae
Genus Crenicichla.
They inhabit forest streams and rivers with both fast and slow currents, as well as standing-water lakes. Crenicichlas, also known as pike cichlids, are distinguished by their pike-like elongated bodies and deeply cleft mouths. Characteristic color features of Crenicichla include greater clarity and definition of patterns compared to other large cichlids, as well as a frequently recurring black stripe from the lips to the end of the gill covers, a black spot with a light border just behind the gills (above the lateral line) and at the base of the caudal fin, a unique dorsal fin coloration, and blood-red or orange eyes against a diverse body color scheme. Quite unusually, female Crenicichlas are definitely brighter, more spectacular, and almost always completely different in coloration from the males.
Do not be misled by the dwarf size of the specimens offered for sale—these are merely juveniles; they grow quickly, reach impressive sizes, and give no quarter to tankmates, as all members of the genus are active predators. Until recently, many species of these fishes were imported, but to most aquarists, they seem too large or “unsuitable” even for spacious aquariums. Under no circumstances should they be introduced into a community aquarium or kept together with fish, including conspecifics, whose size is less than 2/3 of their own body length.
Fishes of this genus prefer living in caves, grottoes, and shelters, where they also spawn. It is best to provide many long, narrow spaces created using PVC pipes. Depending on the species, these fish reach a length of 10 to 45 cm. All are predatory. Most lie in wait for prey under roots or among vegetation hanging into the water. Juveniles and small species feed on invertebrates alongside fish.
Aquarists must be prepared for the fact that recently caught adult specimens may initially need to be fed live fish. Cichlids can adapt to hard and alkaline water, but prefer soft and acidic water. They are very sensitive to poor water quality and will perish if dissolved waste levels increase. Frequent water changes must be combined with strong biological filtration. Beginner aquarists should wait before keeping this group of fish.
Also kept: — Crenicichla lucius (Cope, 1870) — Cope’s Pike Cichlid. 16 cm. Males have a black spot on the anterior part of the body. Females have a white stripe along the dorsal fin that extends onto the caudal fin. Males may instead have red coloration in the posterior quarter of the dorsal fin and the upper part of the caudal fin; — Crenicichla macrophthalma (Heckel, 1840) — Rio Negro Pike Cichlid. Rio Negro. 30 cm. Body olive-blue with a wide red border on the fins and a black spot at the base of the tail. The female is smaller and brighter than the male.
— Crenicichla compressiceps [Ploeg, 1986] — Green Dwarf Pike Cichlid. (Eng- Green Dwarf Pike Cichlid). Amazon River basin, Rio Tocantins. Male 9 cm, female 7 cm. Belongs to the small species of the genus Crenicichla. Body greenish-yellow with a greenish-black back. Along the sides of the body are 5-7 narrow yellow vertical stripes, sometimes extending onto the dorsal fin. Fins yellowish with oblique speckles, a red border along the edge of the caudal fin. Adult males are generally larger, with a somewhat pointed dorsal fin. Females caring for fry have a yellow-orange stripe on the edge of the dorsal fin.
They require a large aquarium with piles of rocks. Males often fight fiercely. Other tankmates are intensely driven away from the territory during spawning. Provide appropriate shelters for the cichlids that can be entered through only one narrow entrance. Forming a pair is very difficult due to the aggressiveness of the male. Spawning occurs in a cave, eggs are attached to the ceiling and tended by the female. Both parents care for the offspring, often for several months. Lifespan is 4-6 years. pH 6.0-7.0; T 23-29°C.
— Crenicichla johanna [Heckel, 1840] — Gray Pike Cichlid. (Eng- Gray Pike Cichlid, Red Finned Pike Cichlid). From Guyana to Peru, Paraguay. Up to 35 cm. Small-scaled predatory cichlid. Gray-green to brown with a crimson stripe from the eye to the end of the dorsal fin. Fins with a bluish-black border, tail with a longitudinal streak. Mature females have a pink or bright red belly and a white border on the dorsal fin. All species up to 15 cm long have a yellow body background with species-typical black speckles that completely disappear in adults. Upon reaching sexual maturity, the fish begin to fight among themselves.
It requires a large aquarium with a slow current and spacious caves. It does not damage plants. Aggressive towards conspecifics. Large, active tankmates (such as large cichlids, catfish, barbs) help defuse tensions, as do “multi-tier” shelters made of roots and stone slabs of various sizes. Young fish up to 15 cm long still get along and often swim in a school. The female lays eggs in a cave. Nest protection is usually carried out by both parents. Lifespan up to 7 years. Maintenance conditions: hardness up to 15°; pH 6.5-7.5; temperature 22-30°C.
— Crenicichla lepidota [Heckel, 1840] — Two Spot Pike Cichlid. Synonym: Crenicichla edithae, Crenicara lepidota. (Eng- Pike Cichlid, Two Spot Pike Cichlid, Comb Pike Cichlid). Amazon basin, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. 20 cm. Has an elongated torpedo-shaped body. Several color morphs are known.
Pale blue to olive-green with numerous glints. Along the slender body of the crenicichla runs a velvety-black (sometimes fading) stripe, bordered above and below by a row of bright golden scales. Small dark spots may appear above the line. The upper half is olive-green to gray-brown, becoming zebra-striped when frightened. To the longitudinal stripe, 10-12 dark transverse bars are added. The lower third of the body is greenish-yellow with narrow rows of silvery glints, and the belly in females changes color from light orange to pink.
Unpaired fins blaze with all the colors of the rainbow. A three-layer border frames the brownish-yellow dorsal fin. The fan-shaped tail, enclosed in an agate rim, sparkles with red-orange iridescence. The main decoration of the fish, which gave it its popular name – “two spot pike cichlid”, is two black spots intricately edged with shiny rings. One of them, located just behind the gill covers, has a lemon-yellow halo, while the other is at the base of the caudal fin surrounded by a glowing red ring. The male is brighter, larger than the female, with significantly elongated fins.
They are aggressive and voracious predators and are not suitable for community aquariums. Even juveniles can kill each other if they do not receive enough space. An aquarium with many hiding places made of rocks and driftwood (at least 1 per fish) and overgrown with plants, with floating plants on top. Shelters must be securely anchored because they dig between them or under the caves. The substrate must consist of sand so they do not injure themselves. Frequent water changes are necessary; they do not tolerate pollution. In addition, sufficient water flow must be provided.
Extremely predatory, they will eat any fish they can swallow. Compatible with fish of similar size. Intraspecific aggression is observed only during the spawning period. Feed with fish fry, pieces of meat, shrimp. They can be accustomed to pellets, but alternated with frozen foods. Mature at 2-2.5 years. The female aggressively defends the territory near a suitable cave, while the male defends the surrounding area. Fry grow quickly. Lifespan up to 10 years. T 22-26°C; dH 6-10°; pH around 7.
Identification: Crenicichla lepidota.
Crenicichla marmorata, notophthalma, regani, saxatilis.
Cichla monoculus, Cichla ocellaris, Cichla temensis, Teleocichla centrarchus. 
