Heros liberifer Care Guide
Heros liberifer is a severum-group cichlid described in 2015 from the Orinoco basin. It is a deep-bodied omnivore for soft, warm aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Heros liberifer is a severum-group cichlid described in 2015 by Staeck and Schindler. Until 2014 it was confused with Heros severus, and its description helped clarify the true identity of that species. The genus Heros belongs to the family Cichlidae and is native to northern South America.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Heros
- Scientific name: Heros liberifer
- Described: Staeck & Schindler, 2015
Habitat
Heros liberifer is endemic to lentic habitats, especially flooded forests, in the upper and middle Orinoco basin in Venezuela. It is distinguished by small spots that form horizontal lines across the lower half of the body and a caudal spot in adults. The species is uncommon in the aquarium trade.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L
- Temperature: 26-30 °C (79-86 °F)
- pH: 5.0-6.8
- GH: 1-6 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
Severum-group cichlids are omnivores. Related Heros species feed largely on plant material and fruit in the wild. A varied aquarium diet combining prepared cichlid foods with vegetable matter and occasional live or frozen foods is suitable.
Compatibility
This is a comparatively calm, mid-water cichlid that may become territorial during breeding. It is best housed with similarly sized, non-aggressive South American species and is not reliably plant-safe.
Breeding
Heros liberifer is a mouthbrooding cichlid, a trait shared with its close relative Heros severus, in which the developing larvae are taken into the mouth and tended by the parents.
Heros liberifer Breeding Guide
Overview
Heros liberifer (Staeck & Schindler, 2015) is a severum from the Rio Orinoco basin in Venezuela. It was formally described in 2015 after long being confused with Heros severus, and remains uncommon in the aquarium trade. FishBase gives a maximum size of about 16.4 cm SL. It occupies lentic habitats, especially flooded forests. The specific epithet liberifer refers to its larva-carrying brood care.
Breeding Setup
FishBase lists very soft, acidic water for this species, with a pH range of 4.1-6.1 and a reported temperature around 27 degrees C. A breeding tank should therefore offer warm, soft, acidic and clean water with calm, lentic-style conditions reflecting its flooded-forest habitat, plus flat or vertical surfaces for egg deposition. The Aquairi record classifies it as a mouthbrooder of intermediate breeding difficulty.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Unlike other Heros, which are substrate spawners, this species is an oral incubator. According to FishBase the eggs are deposited on a vertical or sometimes a horizontal surface, and hatching takes place approximately forty hours after spawning at 27 degrees C water temperature.
Egg & Fry Care
FishBase records that both parents pick up the larvae to brood them orally. The pair therefore guards the initial clutch like a substrate spawner and then transfers to biparental mouthbrooding once the larvae hatch.