Orinoco

About

Andinoacara sp. orinoco is one of those cichlids that gives you most of what you love about the family without most of the headaches. Hailing from the Orinoco basin in South America, this species has circulated in the hobby for years under the old trade name 'Aequidens' sp. 'Orinoco', and its exact taxonomic status remains unresolved. It has never been formally described as a species. What hobbyists have figured out is that it behaves pretty well for a cichlid of its size. Males can get territorial, especially when a pair is guarding eggs or fry, and anything small enough to swallow is at risk, but toward similarly sized tankmates it tends to be reasonably tolerant as long as the tank gives everyone room to establish their own corners. Breeding is one of the highlights with this fish. It is a biparental substrate spawner, meaning both parents take an active role in protecting the clutch, and pairs are not difficult to obtain. Starting with a grow-out group of six or more juveniles and letting natural pairings form is the most reliable approach. Eggs typically hatch within a few days, with free-swimming fry following shortly after. For someone wanting to get into cichlid breeding without tackling a genuinely aggressive species, this is a reasonable place to start.