Andinoacara biseriatus (Regan, 1913)

Common Name

• None

Synonym(s)

• Andinoacara biseriatus, Musilová et al, 2009, new combination
• 'Aequidens' biseriatus, Stawikowski et al, 1998, provisional name
• Aequidens biseriatus, Eigenmann, 1923, new combination
• Cichlosoma (Aequidens) biseriatum, Regan, 1913:471, original combination

Type Locality

Río Condoto, Colombia.

Etymology

bi - half (Latin) + seriatus = from large earthenware jar, possibly due to the colouration of the fish (Latin)

Size

Average adult size: 3-5"/8-12cm

Andinoacara biseriatus is one of the smallest described species in the genus, but for what it lacks in size it makes up for in attitude. These are stocky and pugnacious cichlids, with similar temperament to Andinoacara stalsbergi

Feeding

As an omnivorous fish they are generally easy to feed. It is suggested to feed a good quality cichlid stick as staple, and supplement this with regular feeds of live and frozen foods such as earthworms, prawns, mussels, and other such foods.

Vegetable matter, including peas, spinach should also form a good proportion of the diet. High protein foods such as beefheart and other red meats are not advisable.

We feed our fish with Vitalis cichlid pellets, and live foods, including bloodworm, and meal worm.

Compatibility

Unless you are keeping this fish in a large tank (4 feet or more) then it is best they are kept as single fish, or as a mate pair. The older the fish the more aggressive and territorial they become, and will consume any fish small enough to fit in their mouths.

Good tank mates for these fish are other medium cichlids, large characins, such as bleeding heart tetras, and catfish such as corydoras and ancistrus.

These fish are not suitable for a standard community tank.

Notes

This species looks very different to any of the other species in the genus, but is most closely related to Andinoacara stalsbergi and Andinoacara rivulatus, so is therefore sectioned into the rivulatus complex.