Hoplarchus psittacus (Heckel, 1840)

語意說明: psittakos (Greek), psittacinus, (Latin) = 'parrot'. The iridescent green coloration of the fish, the distinctive facial spotting and the bright red ventrum and eye contributed to the naming of this fish, called 'papagai' (portuguese for parrot).

俗名: 巴西: Acara paragaio, Papagai; 哥倫比亞: Vieja; 美國: Parrot cichlid.

物種判斷: Kullander (1983) originally thought this species closely allied to the chocolate cichlid, Hypselecara temporalis, but in his monograph on Peru (1985) concludes that the resemblance is simply superficial (i.e. body shape, etc.) and they are not closely allied.

模式產地: Rio Negro north of Maribitanos, at foot of Cocui Mountains, Venezuela.

分佈: Upper Orinoco (Southern Venezuela, Eastern Colombia), Rio Negro (Northern Brazil), also the following rivers in Brazil: Preto da Eva, Urubu, Jamari.

棲地: Found in blackwater rivers, swamps and lakes. Blackwater specialist: moderately acidic (pH 5.5-6) and low dissolved minerals. Water temperature 27-30 C (81 - 86 F). Often amongst submerged wood.

產地:

Amazon

Igarapé Barirí

保育: Hoplarchus psittacus 尚未被國際自然保育聯盟列入IUCN受威脅物種紅皮書名單中.

食性: Primarily aquatic insects and crustaceans (shrimp, etc). Small fishes during low water.

繁殖: Requires high temperatures (c. 28-30 C, 82-86 F) and 'blackwater conditions' (e.g. RO-prepared water or rainwater, peat extract) to trigger spawnings. Typically biparental substrate brooder. Relatively small egg plaques (c. 100 - 200 eggs) for such a large fish. Not often spawned.

飼養原則: Since the maximum recorded total length of wild specimens is 35 cm (c. 14 inches), these fish need a large tank. A pair will do well in a 1.20 m x 45 cm (4 foot X 18 inch) 300 liters (c. 80 gallon), but better housed in 470 liters (125 gallon) 1.8 m (6 foot) tank or bigger, with other fish. Parrot cichlids will do fine at moderate water chemistries (pH 7, moderate hardness) but require soft acidic water to spawn. Food includes all pelleted and stick prepared foods, freeze-dried and frozen krill, earthworms etc. Do well as groups in large tanks with other moderately aggressive cichlids.

評論: This fish was first described by Heckel in 1840 as Heros psittacus, and later Hoplarchus pentacanthus by Kaup 1860. For a long while it was known as Cichlasoma psittacum in the hobby. After Kullander (1983) restricted usage of the name Cichlasoma to 'portalagrense' type cichlids, the correct name became Hoplarchus psittacus (Heckel, 1840). This fish is, unfortunately, relatively uncommon in the cichlid hobby and has become confused in modern days with the hybrid and deformed orange ('bloody') 'Parrot Cichlid' produced by Asian ornamental fishfarmers.