Care
The Inca Stone Cichlid is known from the Rio Aguaytaa, a tributary of the Rio Ucayali in central Peru. Few details are known about the natural habitat, other than it occurs in clearwater streams and rivers with mixed sand and gravel substrate. The aquarium should be biologically mature, and we would suggest a soft sand substrate and plenty of hiding places/visual barriers created using driftwood, rocky caves, pieces of slate, and robust planting such as Java Fern or Anubias sp. tied to the decor. Filtration should be efficient but water movement not too vigorous, and small frequent water changes will help keep nitrate to a minimum. Although Inca Stone Cichlids are relatively peaceful (except during spawning), they are not suitable for placing into a general community tank with small fish. However, they are loosely gregarious and should be kept in groups of 8 or more for their continued wellbeing. There may be minor territorial quarrels between males, but no real damage should ensue, particularly if there are plenty of visual barriers amongst the decor. Tankmates should be of a similar size and not overly aggressive. When breeding, Inca Stone Cichlids like to be able to deposit eggs on a moveable surface, such as leaf litter or small chippings of slate or wood, which they can pick up and reposition to keep the eggs out of harm's way. To this end, it would be considerate to add some dried Indian Almond leaves (Terminalia catappa) or small slices of slate that have been chipped from a larger piece (make sure the edges are not sharp) so that they can behave naturally. The scientific nomenclature is interesting, even though it is something of a tongue twister. The genus name is derived from the indigenous Quechua people's word for the Incan Empire - Tahuantinsuyo, and the species name translates to 'stone fish'.
Feeding
Offer a variety of frozen foods such as vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, white mosquito larvae, bloodworm, Mysis, daphnia, and various dried foods such as flake, slow sinking granules, and small-sized cichlid pellets.
Breeding
Bi-parental larvophile mouthbrooder. This species has been bred in the home aquarium. When ready to spawn, the pair will chose a suitable spawning site and clean it thoroughly. They prefer a portable object, such as a dried leaf or small piece of slate or wood that is light enough to be picked up and moved to safety if need be. The female will swim over the spawning site in a series of "dry runs", after which she will begin depositing eggs in small batches. The male immediately follows behind her and fertilises them, and this is repeated until the female is spent of eggs. Both parents guard the eggs, and once hatched, the larvae are taken up into the mouths of both the female and male, who share in incubating the young for a further week or so until they are free-swimming. Sometimes only one parent takes on mouthbrooding duties, whereas other times both are involved, or they take turns.
