Yellow belly cichlid

The yellow belly cichlid, or Salvini, is a moderately sized Central American cichlid from the Atlantic drainages of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Males reach about 15 cm while females stay smaller, and both sexes carry a vivid yellow belly that intensifies during breeding. A tank of at least 150 litres decorated with rockwork and robust plants gives them the structure they need to establish territories. Temperature should be 22°C to 26°C with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0, matching the moderately hard, alkaline water of their native rivers. This species is highly territorial and will aggressively defend its space, especially when paired and spawning, so tankmates must be chosen with care — larger robust cichlids such as Jack Dempseys can work but the Salvini is best kept as a single pair in a dedicated setup. It is omnivorous and accepts a wide range of foods — quality cichlid pellets as staple, varied with live and frozen foods, plus occasional vegetable or spirulina flake. The female lays up to 500 eggs across several flat surfaces, and both parents guard the fry with intense dedication for at least a month. Grow out a group of six juveniles together to allow a compatible pair to form naturally. With proper conditions they can live around ten years and reward the keeper with striking colour and fascinating parental behaviour.