Feeding Fenestrata

Fenestrata Cichlids (Vieia fenestrata) got their name from the prominent vertical barring that this fish has when it is in spawning condition; the thought being that they resemble window frames, and window openings are sometimes referred to as fenestrations. This naming theme continues in another of its common names: Window Cichlid, and even in other languages, like German, where this fish is called the Fensterbuntbarsch, a direct translation of Window Cichlid. Other common names for this fish that occasionally pop up are Calico Cichlid, Marble Cichlid and Black and White Cichlid. In its native waters in a fairly small region in southern Mexico, it is often called Mojarra de La Luna.

There are a couple more names that pop up when talking about this fish. One is Testa Colorada, which translates to English as another common name you'll sometimes see, “Red Head.” These names describe a wild/natural variant of this fish that develops a pinkish-red head, and the males of this variant develop an iridescent blue body when they are in spawning condition. Originally this variation was collected from a specific lake, Lake Catemaco. With how easy these fish are to spawn in captivity, most of the examples we see now are aquacultured.

Regardless of which one you have, these are very pretty aquarium fish that get fairly large, big enough to make it onto dinner plates throughout their native range. The largest one we've seen described was 25cm which is just under ten inches long, but this is an uncommonly large example. We've seen much larger sizes listed as possibilities around the internet but have no proof as of the writing of this article that this fish could ever get bigger than ten inches. We suspect that some of the fish that aquarists say are up to 16 inches may either be mistaken identification or hybrids. In our experience Vieia fenestrata will reach adulthood closer to five inches long. We recommend a 55-gallon aquarium for those of you interested in keeping a pair. If you want to keep them with other fish a much larger tank will be required as they can be somewhat aggressive. They like sandy habitats with large smooth rocks and an abundance of cover in the way of driftwood and floating plants. They will both root up and eat fixed plants, so they aren't a great choice for the planted aquarium.

The Fenestrata Cichlids come from lakes and rivers that are moving so slowly that they seem like lakes. The waters they come from are generally clear, neutral in pH and somewhat soft, though this last isn't a requisite for keeping them. Temperatures in these habitats hover in the mid 70s to low 80s, and we suggest 78 degrees Fahrenheit (give or take a degree or two) as a good holding temperature for the home display.

These fish are great to keep in pairs and are very likely to spawn in the home aquarium if kept this way. They can also be kept with other larger, moderately aggressive Central American Cichlids like Convicts, Jack Dempseys, Midas, even Green Terrors, etc. This should be done in a display large enough to allow all the fish somewhere to call their own. They can also be kept with a variety of Catfish and Plecos, which they usually ignore unless they are spawning.

Feeding Fenestrata is an easy affair. In the wild, their diet consists mostly of plants and small invertebrates, and in captivity, they usually take both thawed foods and pellets without any fuss. In house we feed them twice a day, and the bulk of their diet here is Nutramar Algae and Color Boost Shots, which offers a fish with this kind of diet a very appropriate and balanced nutritional profile. They would surely not turn their nose up at things like Mysis Shrimp and even Bloodworms from Gamma Foods, but these should be fed very sparingly as they are too protein dense to use as a daily food for Vieia fenestrata.

One use for some more protein heavy food is to bring your fish into spawning condition. Once they are five or six inches long, you should see pairing starting to occur (if you have both males and females) and at this point, you should remove all other fish than the one pair per tank. During this time, they can be really defensive of the nest and the male may even beat up the female, so watch them closely while spawning and the week after. They will need a large smooth surface like a clay pot or some worn stones to spawn on. Vieia fenestrata are excellent parents and will guard the eggs which should hatch in a few days, and they'll continue guarding the young right up until it is time to spawn again, at which point they young will be driven off (and will likely need to be removed). Fry graduate from wriggler to swimmer somewhere between day eight and ten and are big enough to take microworms, brine nauplii and powdered food at this point. A healthy pair in a good environment could spawn every three weeks or so.

Vieia fenestrata is a fairly rare fish in the home aquarium world, and this is a great shame. They are straightforward to keep, beautiful to behold and very fun to watch. They breed easily and successfully in modestly sized home aquariums. They get big enough to be showpiece fish, without ever really overgrowing the tanks. The color change they go through to spawn is really impressive. We can't say enough about what a great fish this is. If it sounds like a display you might like to try, head to your Local Fish Store and ask them about getting you a Fenestrata Cichlid from Aquatropic today!