Pearl Cichlid

Distribution:
   The Pearl Cichlid, also called the Pearl Eartheater, Mother-of-Pearl Eartheater or Brasiliensis, was described by Quoy and Gaimard in 1824. They are found in coastal drainages in standing or brackish waters of eastern and southern Uruguay and Brazil. Though the pH ranges are widely variable in these waters, as a coastal form they prefer the harder, more alkaline waters found here. They feed on detritus and insects along with algae and weeds found on or under the substrate.

Status:
   This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
  The Pearl Cichlid is a higher bodied fish, much like the Convict or Texas Cichlid, with a more pointed mouth. They have an overall color of gray-green, and develop a covering of bluish white pearly flecks as they reach about 3 - 4" in length. The fins can be red or have red on the edges. The coloring of this fish can change according to their mood or when mating. They may or may not have a faded dark spot on their body at about the level of the eye, where the pectoral fins end but up higher towards the dorsal fin. Adult males develop a slight hump on the head and are a third to a half again larger than the female. They can live from 10-15 years with good care.
   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.
   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense “smells” in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being “sampled” for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to “smell” the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:
   The Pearl Eartheater Cichlid can reach a length of up to 11” (28 cm). The males are a third to a half larger than the females.

Care and feeding:
   The Pearl Cichlid is an omnivore. In the wild they feed on detritus and insects along with algae and weeds found on or under the substrate. In the aquarium they can be fed a varied diet of good quality pellets, flakes, insects, krill, and artemia. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   A minimum of 40 gallons is suggested, when keeping a pair or with other fish 75 gallons or more will be needed. They do fine in either freshwater or brackish freshwater but prefer slower moving water with good efficient filtration. Provide a gravely substrate with some areas of fine sand for when they do decide to sift a little bit. A decor of rocks and roots will provide caves and crannies for hiding and separating territories. These fish will also enjoy plants, but the plants need to be potted with both the soil surface and the roots protected from digging. Do water changes of 15 - 20% weekly, depending on stocking numbers.
   They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish. One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturers suggestions. A copper test also can be used to keep the proper levels. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication treatment. Intestinal disease can be treated with metronidazol.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 10 - 15° dH (they prefer soft to mildly hard water)
   Ph: 6.2 - 7.5, with spawning at 6.0-7.0
   Temp: 68 - 73° F (20 - 23° C), with spawning at 76 - 78° F (24 - 25.5° C)

Social Behaviors:
   The Pearl Cichlid can be housed with other larger cichlids from the Americas as well as plecostomus and catfish. Typical in larger South American fish is the need for room. They are territorial fish, so keep that in mind when adding fish to their tank.
   They can be kept alone or in mated pairs. They are generally aggressive to conspecifics. During spawning they can become very aggressive toward other fish. At other times, though they are still territorial. they are tolerant of other fish. Keep with large non-aggressive tank mates

Sexual Differences:
   The sex is hard to tell as they are similarly colored. The male has a more pointed genital papillae while the female's is blunt and more rounded. The male is larger as an adult and it may also have a longer dorsal fin and show a hint of a bump on its forehead.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Pearl Cichlids are substrate spawners and will readily bred in captivity. They will pair up at 2 - 3" and breed at 4”. Provide an environment with neutral to slightly acidic water, a pH of 6.5 - 7.0, soft to medium hard, 5 - 10° dH, and the temperature at between 75 - 81° F (24 - 27° C). They will meticulously clean rocks in darker, hidden places before they lay their eggs. The female may lay as many as 600-800 oval eggs, though 150-200 is more likely in the aquarium. They are excellent parents and will guard their young, so do not remove the parents after the eggs are laid. The fry can be fed crushed flake. See more about cichlid breeding in: Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The Pearl Cichlid, also called the Pearl Eartheater, Mother-of-Pearl Eartheater or Brasiliensis, is readily available both in fish stores and online. They are inexpensive, usually under $5.00 USD, and juveniles can often be gotten for much less.

Author: Carrie McBirney
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS