Blue Flash Cichlid (Thorichthys aureus) Care Guide
Thorichthys aureus is a small firemouth relative from the Atlantic slope of Central America, known for iridescent blue flank coloration.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Thorichthys aureus is a small Central American cichlid in the firemouth genus, recognised by iridescent blue coloration along the flanks. FishBase records a maximum standard length of about 15 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Thorichthys
- Scientific name: Thorichthys aureus
Habitat
The species occurs on the Atlantic slope of Central America, from Belize (Golden Creek) through the Motagua River basin in Honduras. FishBase describes it as a benthopelagic freshwater fish of warm lakes and lagoons, preferring the lower and middle sections of rivers, at temperatures of 24-28 °C with hardness around 2-15 dH.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.0
- GH: 8-18 °dGH
- Lifespan: 6-10 years
Diet
The record classifies it as an omnivore (FishBase trophic level about 3.3, estimated from close relatives). In the aquarium it accepts a varied diet of live, frozen and prepared foods.
Compatibility
It is a semi-aggressive cichlid that can be kept with robust community species in a planted tank. Very small tetras and overly aggressive cichlids are best avoided.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Data Deficient (assessed 2018).
Thorichthys aureus Breeding Guide
Overview
Thorichthys aureus, the Blue Flash cichlid, occurs on the Atlantic slope of Central America from Mexico south to Honduras. It is a firemouth relative and a monogamous, biparental open substrate-spawner that breeds readily once adults are sexually mature at around 6-7 cm.
Sexing
Females have a prominent dark spot in the dorsal fin, while males do not. At sexual maturity males reach about 5 inches and females about 4 inches.
Conditioning
An omnivore, the species is conditioned on a varied diet. A pair can be housed for breeding in a tank of around 29 gallons, though a 40-breeder or 55-gallon tank is preferable for a small group from which a pair can form.
Breeding Setup
- Temperature around 78 °F at maintenance; spawning was triggered at about 81 °F.
- pH around 7.8 with hardness about 7 °GH.
- A flat, horizontal piece of slate in a sheltered spot as the spawning surface.
- Open substrate where parents can dig nursery pits.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The pair cleans a flat slate, then the female lays eggs in small batches while the male passes over each batch to fertilise it, repeating the process. A modest temperature rise (to about 81 °F) was associated with triggering spawning, and the pair spawned at roughly five-week intervals.
Egg & Fry Care
A typical plaque is about 200 eggs. Eggs are guarded by both parents and hatch on day three, with fry becoming free-swimming about five days later. The parents move the larvae to pits they dig in the substrate and actively keep other tank inhabitants away.
Common Challenges
Breeding is comparatively easy; the main needs are a flat spawning slate, open substrate and adequate space for the pair. The recorded breeding type is substrate-spawner, matching the monogamous, biparental open spawning with pit-tending described by the sources used here.