Care
The Keyhole Cichlid is known from the Orinoco delta in Venezuela, eastwards through Guyana and Suriname to the Ouanary River, in eastern French Guiana. Older records suggest this species was also present on the island of Trinidad, but it's not clear if they are still resident. The natural habitat consists of small, clear coastal creeks and tributaries with little current and an abundance of decaying wood, submerged roots, and in some areas, dense marginal vegetation. The water is often stained a tea colour from the tannins formed from decaying organic matter in the water. Most fish in the trade are captive bred and will happily acclimatise to a wide range of conditions, but if your fish are wild caught, they will be much more delicate, requiring soft, acidic water. The aquarium should be mature and at least 3ft long (preferably larger) with a soft sand substrate. Provide a plethora of hiding places amongst tangles of driftwood, rocky caves, and robust planting, including some floating species to help diffuse the light. Filtration should be efficient, but water movement fairly gentle, and frequent partial water changes should be carried out on a regular basis to keep nitrate at a minimum. Juvenile Keyhole Cichlids are quite gregarious and can be kept in good-sized groups. However, as they mature, pairs will form naturally, and they may become much more territorial if they intend to spawn. This should not cause too much of an issue in spacious aquaria. Tankmates should be peaceful and of small-medium size (large enough not to be eaten, yet small enough not to harass these peaceable cichlids). Ideal companions could include Corydoras catfish, hatchetfish, pencilfish, tetras, and suckermouth catfish. The presence of such 'dither fish' should help encourage these shy cichlids to venture out into the open a little more. When Keyhole Cichlids sense danger, they are capable of dramatic colour change, quickly taking on a dark cryptic pattern, blending into the substrate and immediate surroundings. Take care when carrying out maintenance on the aquarium, as these fish are so easily startled.
Feeding
Omnivorous. Offer a variety of frozen foods such as vitamin -enriched brineshrimp, white mosquito larvae, bloodworm, Mysis, daphnia, and various dried foods such as flake, green flake, slow sinking granules/pellets etc.
Breeding
This bi-parental substrate spawner has been bred in the home aquarium. A typical spawning site will be a pre-cleaned flat piece of rock/wood/broad leaf, or even the aquarium glass. When ready, 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 several hundred eggs are laid/fertilised. The female then guards the eggs whilst the male patrols the perimeter. The eggs should hatch within 3 days, and the wrigglers will be free-swimming just a few days later. At this point, the fry can be offered newly hatched baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii) and moved on to larger foodstuffs as they grow. It is not unusual for a young, inexperienced pair to eat their first batch of eggs; however, they should quickly get the hang of things on subsequent breeding attempts.
