one half size
Color: Body light blue gray—fins yellowish—head very massive.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—deposit spawn in depression in sand. After spawning is completed female picks up eggs and carries them in her mouth. Water is circulated over eggs by a chewing movement. Female refuses food during period she carries eggs. Male should be removed as soon as female picks up eggs as he may bother her. Fry appear in about two weeks, but at the slightest sign of danger rush back into the mother’s mouth. This continues until fry are too large for the maternal jaw. Female should be removed when fry are about 5 weeks old. Because of “fast” while carrying eggs, should be bred but 2 or 3 times a year.
Temperature: 70° to 85° F.
Maturity: 12 to 14 months.
Temperament: Rather vicious.
ORANGE CHROMIDE: (below) ETROPLUS MACULATUS
(India)
Color: Golden orange, 3 blue-black dots on sides crossed by rows of small reddish dots. Dorsal brown, anal and pectorals dark. Sex difficult to distinguish.
Breeding Habits: Egg layers—Spawn on flower pot or stones placed in the aquarium. Fry hatch in about 4 days and are moved into pits in sand. Fry swim freely in about 6 days. Remove parents in about two weeks.
Temperature: 70° to 80° F.