Cupid's Cichlid: A Year's Difference

**hermes73** · 31st Dec 2012, 20:33

Hiya,

This is just a short photo journal of a lesser known South American cichlid (sort of) from the Geophagus ("eartheater") group: Biodotoma cupido. I originally started keeping these as companions for my Heckel discus, since Heckels are frequently in the company of eartheater cichlids and Biodotomas have the advantage of not growing as large as other eartheaters. I've moved them to a separate tank since, as the Heckels started being more territorial as they grew larger and older.

My first attempt with B. cupido was with a single wild-caught adult, but as is common with full grown wild-caught cichlids, it failed to thrive (probably also because it was alone) and died shortly after for no apparent reason. Anyway, shipments of juvenile B. cupido started appearing in the shops and I bought a number of the remarkably boring looking, greyish critters which nobody else seemed to care much about. I've lost four over the months - always due to jumping: they're very easily spooked, and two of the four were lost due to stoooopid friends who thought it very funny to scare fish by tapping aquarium glass.

They grow very slowly (considering how much they eat), are very social as cichlids go, and in my opinion, a little on the not-so-bright side compared to discus and other large cichlids. Their colours change remarkably when frightened or when sleeping, and each has its own little spot (a self-dug nest-like depression in the sand) to which it retreats to sleep. But I guess what I really want to share is this: don't judge a fish by the colour you see at the shop

Anyway, enough rambling:

10 November 2011, about two weeks after they first arrived.

Six months later, 9 April 2012

21 August 2012

Today, 31 December 2012

**ciaossu** · 31st Dec 2012, 21:59

very nice species, have they bred yet?

**doppelbanddwarf** · 1st Jan 2013, 15:43

Very nice cupido cichlids. Indeed they do not colour up so well and are often overlooked in LFS tanks. Your south american setup looks very interesting hope to see some full tank shots too.