SCIENTIFIC NAME: Orthochromis Machadoi

COMMON NAME: Black-Scaled ortho

ORIGIN: Africa, Angola and Nambia. Basin of the Cunene river.

FAMILY: Cichlidae

SPECIES TYPE: Orthochromis

MAXIMUM SIZE: 2-3 Inches.

LIFE SPAN: 8-10 Years.

HABITAT: Cunene River in the rocky rapid flowing waters.

DIET: Omnivore, will eat a wide range of live foods in the wild. They will accept flake, sticks, live, frozen or freeze dried mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and blood worms.

TEMP: 72-77 F

PH: 6-7 Neutral to slightly alkaline medium hard water 15 dgh.

TEMPERAMENT: Aggressive, will become more aggressive when breeding. Expels conspecifics and heterospecifics from resting places.

TANK SIZE: Minimum 29 gallon tank, preferably 40 gallon or more.

TANK REGION: Bottom.

FILTRATION AND SETUP: Standard mechanical, canister and sponge filters all are acceptable. They prefer rapid moving water so a powerhead is suggested.

COLORATION: Males and females look alike, very hard to tell apart. Males get a little larger, usually has 2 horizontal lines down side, with with 6-8 black blotches along top fin, and 6 to 8 half black stripes down side of fish, pronounced lips. One horizontal line splitting head down the middle.

BREEDING: Mouth brooder, does typical Cichlid breeding dance in which female and male lay, pickup, and fertilize the eggs during the ritual. The female holds the eggs for about 2-1/2 to 3 weeks the fry are released, they are slow growers.