Heros appendiculatus Breeding Guide

Breeding notes for Heros appendiculatus, an Amazonian severum that lays up to 1000 eggs on flat stones or roots with biparental care.

Overview

Heros appendiculatus is a severum of the upper Amazon basin, recorded from tributaries of the Ucayali and Amazon rivers in Peru and the Solimoes-Amazon in Brazil. FishBase gives a maximum size of about 17.0 cm SL. The valid name follows the redescription as Heros appendiculatus in Kullander (1986), where it is treated as the oldest available name now applied.

Breeding Setup

FishBase lists water parameters of pH from about 7.0, hardness from about 20 dH and a temperature range of 24-32 degrees C, with a freshwater, benthopelagic lifestyle. For breeding, a roomy tank with warm, clean water and flat stones or submerged roots provides suitable spawning surfaces. The Aquairi record classifies the species as a substrate spawner of intermediate breeding difficulty.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

According to FishBase, up to 1000 eggs are deposited on flat stones or on roots, which makes a cleaned flat surface the focal point of a spawning event. Warm, stable, clean water within the listed temperature range supports spawning condition.

Egg & Fry Care

FishBase records that both parents participate in caring for the eggs and the larvae. The pair guards the brood, and the fry are tended by both adults after hatching.