Golden Chanchito Cichlid - Australoheros Acaroides
The golden chanchito (Australoheros acaroides or related Australoheros species) is a hardy, cold-tolerant South American cichlid known for its striking gold and olive coloration and pugnacious attitudeCurrent Size – 4-5cm
Adult Length – 10-15cm
Temperature Range – 20–22 °C - if you want to trigger spawning, you can temporarily bump the temperature up to 24°C to 26°C
pH Range – 6.5 – 7.5 (7 being preffered)
Special Requirements -
Provide a secure setup with rocks and driftwood for hiding spots. Because they love to dig and uproot plants, robust or potted flora works best.
Provide at least a 120-litre (30-gallon) tank for a single individual or a proven pair.
Use a thick layer of smooth aquarium sand or fine gravel. Coarse gravel can scratch their mouths as they sift through it.
Assume any rooted plant will be dug up. Stick to hardy, epiphytic plants like Anubias or Java Fern attached firmly to wood or rocks, or use floating plants.
Chanchitos are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste. Use an over-sized external canister filter or a strong internal power filter to keep the water crystal clear.
Tight fitting Lid is a must.
Tanks Mates and Compatibility - Because they are highly aggressive (especially if they form a breeding pair) the safest way to keep them is alone or as a single mated pair. However, if you have a large tank (at least 200+ litres) with plenty of visual barriers, you can choose tank mates that share their subtropical temperature needs and can handle their feisty attitude. Fast moving dither fish that stay in the upper water column, help diffuse cichlid aggression, and are too fast to be caught such as buenos Aires Tetras or Giant Danios. If you are looking for bottom feeders then Bristlenose catfish or peppered corydoras are the way to go.
Feeding - High-Quality Cichlid Pellets. Use a premium, sinking pellet as their main diet. Sinking pellets are better than floating ones because Chanchitos naturally prefer to feed from the middle and bottom of the tank.
We recommend:
Please note – Some images used are library photos and will show the colour potential at a fully mature size, as our fish are juvenilles they may vary.
We always aim to supply the fish as close to the purchase size as possible. However if this is not possible, we will always contact you to discuss.
The fish are selected at random however you are welcome to make a note on the order and the fish manager will do his best for you. This is dependent on current stock at the time of your order.
