Blue dolphins are aquarium fish belonging to a fairly diverse and widespread order of cichlids. Cichlids live in rivers and lakes of the tropical zone, namely, in Central and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. The total number of species is very significant - about 2000. The sizes of the representatives of the family range from 2.5 cm to 1 m. Some species are of commercial importance, others are very rare and have not even been described yet. There are those that are on the verge of extinction.
Blue dolphin
The blue aquarium dolphin - more accurate name Tsirtokara Muri - is one of the representatives of the cichlid family. The homeland of the blue dolphin is the African lake Malawi. It is quite shallow and has a sandy bottom.
Male dolphins are very territorial and disputes over leadership are not uncommon for them. To keep them, you need an aquarium with a volume of more than 200 liters with a sandy bottom and all kinds of shelters. There must be at least 2 females per male.
The aquarium dolphin has a high, elongated body, flattened on the sides. The dorsal and anal fins are long and stiff, the pectoral and ventral fins are thin and short. The tail has a two-lobed structure. Under natural conditions, males can grow up to 25 cm. Aquarium representatives are smaller - males are about 20, females are 17-19 cm.
Young dolphins have a silvery-blue body color, dark stripes on the sides and the same spots at the base of the tail and on the body. It is impossible to distinguish males from females at this age.
The adult male becomes velvety blue in color. Both males and females have a fatty build-up on their heads, which makes them look like a dolphin. In addition, the fish has large eyes and lips. Males are usually larger and brighter, with 4 to 7 dark vertical stripes on the side of the body. The caudal fin is blue. Females are smaller. Instead of stripes, they may have two dark spots on the body. Caudal fin covered with reddish dots.
Blue dolphins reach sexual maturity by 9-10 months. The ability to reproduce is retained up to 7-8 years of age. During the spawning period, the growth on the male's forehead acquires a yellow-gray color. In general, blue dolphins live up to 15 years.
In natural conditions, blue dolphins form flocks dominated by females. The dominant position is occupied by one of the males. To strengthen his status as a leader, he starts skirmishes with other males. However, they do not inflict serious injuries on each other. In general, Tsirtokara Muri is a peaceful fish, and easily gets along with other non-aggressive Malawian species.
And some more interesting things
Cichlids are appreciated by aquarists for their bright colors. The behavior of these fish during the breeding season is also of interest. Some aquarists prefer to raise fry in an incubator.
The female lays eggs on a previously cleaned surface of a stone or into a hole, which the male digs in the ground. She carries fertilized eggs in her mouth. All this time - 21 days - the female does not eat, as a result she loses strength.
Eggs are removed from the mouth of the female and placed in a separate container. For the normal development of "dolphin offspring" it is necessary to provide soft lighting and fresh running water in the incubator. The newly born fry prefer to spend the night in the mouth of the female. Both parents guard the offspring.
