Do you know anything about the Nannakara blue neon? You may have noticed this gorgeous blue cichlid in aquarium stores or online, but here’s a startling fact: it’s not native to the wild. Created artificially, the Nannakara blue neon was carefully bred to add a pop of vivid blue to aquariums in homes.
The blue neon variety of Nannakara cichlids goes above and beyond their original reputation for stunning colors and captivating personalities. Aquarists have created a fish that is a true showstopper in any tank by carefully selecting and breeding fish to acquire this distinctive coloration.
Even though Nannakara blue neons are common in aquariums, it’s crucial to know their history and maintenance requirements. You can make sure that this lovely fish has a healthy habitat by learning more about its history and needs. Let’s learn more about the Nannakara blue neon and how it can enhance your aquatic setup with stunning effects.
Fish Name | Nannakara Blue Neon |
Type | Cichlid |
Color | Blue |
Natural Habitat | Does not exist in the wild |
Origin | Man-made aquarium strain |
Description
The original blue neon color of Nannakara electric blue is present. Every individual has a distinct red or gold stripe that extends from the edge of the dorsal fin to the head.
Such fish can have slight color changes depending on the lighting. The nannakara is known as turquoise by some experts due to its unique scale color.
Neon fish eyes can be either orange or red in color.
This species’ representatives have an elongated body shape with curved lines on the back and abdomen. The body is a little compressed in its sideways. The long dorsal fin surrounds the upper portion.
Hardy and modest, nannakara blue neon fish are characterized by their calm demeanor and strong resistance to environmental stresses. They are among the assortment of amateur aquarists, both seasoned and inexperienced. These fish adapt and are perfectly at home in the varied features of the aquatic environment.
Nannakara adores her room. The number of neighbors and the species they belong to decide the aquarium’s volume. A couple of fish will fit in a 70-liter tank. However, the volume ought to be greater than 150 liters if they share a home with "neighbors." We advise adding a lid to the aquarium itself.
Setting up a nannakara habitat with various decorative accessories is a good idea. These can be grottoes or clay elements of different sizes, as well as flat stones and driftwood made of mopane or bog oak for blue neon.
When setting up an aquarium, it is crucial to make sure the water has enough filtration and aeration. The neon fish will not receive the proper care without these devices. Remember to clean the aquarium on a regular basis, as all living things require clean water that is adequately saturated with oxygen to be healthy and active.
Annakara doesn’t require any specific water parameters; instead, it adjusts to the surrounding environment. However, it is worthwhile to start with average values: hard water with an acidity level between 6 and 8 pH is preferable. It operates between +22 and +28 °C.
You can use aquarium soil for anything. We suggest that you prioritize its varieties:
- Large quartz river sand;
- Coral chips with marble;
- 4 mm fraction of dark gravel.
Since nannacara have no interest in excavating soil, they do not touch the plants. As a result, you have complete control over the type of live plants you want to include in the aquarium design. Neon fish should have two areas to swim around in: one large space devoid of ornaments where they can swim around freely, and another area with lots of underwater vegetation where they can hide if they feel threatened or are just afraid of something.
The lighting in the aquarium should be diffused rather than overly bright or intense for the comfort of the fish.
Feeding fish
Aquarium nannacara fish enjoy eating live food, but they also won’t turn down premium dry food meant for cichlids. Furthermore, because it is more practical, the latter is employed more frequently in actuality.
If the diet includes dry food, it must include pieces of pre-scalded vegetables combined with spirulina. You can feed them zucchini, cucumbers, or cabbage leaves. Brine shrimp or bloodworms are good examples of live food.
This breed’s gluttony is what makes it unique. People deliberately push other aquarium occupants away from their food, but even when they break the neighborhood’s rules, they are still allowed to eat it.
Compatibility
The cichlid Nannakara is a fully fledged predator. The person may have a distinct personality. It takes shape according to the habitat’s features and prevailing conditions.
It is not possible to introduce small animals to a dwarf cichlid because of its predatory nature; these animals will just be mistaken for food and eaten. The following species are listed:
- Shrimp.
- Snails.
- Guppies.
- Veil fish.
In the same way, you cannot include big fish with them since they will enrage and oppress the neon nannacara.
Blue neon fish have compatibility issues with other fish when they spawn. However, this kind of aggressiveness is typically confined to defending one’s chosen area, where people merely shoo away outsiders. There is no death or significant injury in this instance.
The neighbors Nannakara gets along with the best are:
- Barbs.
- Pyrrulins.
- Danio.
- Tetras.
- Gourami.
- Angelfish.
- Mollies.
- Pecilia.
- Nannostomus.
- Catfish.
Ensuring that every fish in the aquarium has enough room to roam around and feel comfortable is important for maintaining a friendly atmosphere and keeping everyone else at bay.
Sexual differences
You have to examine someone closely in order to determine their sex from sight. Thus, the male is larger and the female is smaller. They are approximately 6 and 8 cm long, respectively. Male anal and dorsal fins are also pointed and elongated, with a dark stripe running along the edge. The forehead has a greater angle. The upper fins of females are neat and rounded. The male’s color makes him stand out.
Reproduction
Similar to other cichlid species, neon blue nannacara breed new fish. Every phase of the reproduction process is uniform. Even in the case that they are housed in a communal aquarium, adults are able to manage the fry without external assistance. It is not necessary to create special conditions for the female to spawn.
In actuality, nannacara breeding is not complicated. Respecting the typical aquatic environment’s hardness, temperature, and acidity levels is sufficient.
The female selects the area beneath flat stones in the aquarium that is the darkest, most secluded, and protected, and she lays between 50 and 300 eggs there during a single spawning. The male’s job is to fertilize them as quickly as possible. After completing his mission, the female will now need to take care of herself. Not only does she keep other fish away from her potential progeny, but she also occasionally fans the eggs with her fins, causing the water masses to vibrate and move.
The female takes the eggs and moves them to a depression that has been prepared in the aquarium soil after three days. It will be the fry in five days. Together with their mother, they will first learn to navigate the available water area, and as soon as they are taught their first survival skills, they will start to swim away. At this point, you can begin feeding the fry brine shrimp or rotifers.
Couples may act differently during the breeding season. There are moments when a mother willfully shields her future children from everyone, even their father. He tries to leap out of the aquarium to avoid being eaten, so it’s best to temporarily relocate him in this situation. However, most of the time, parents watch over the eggs together before taking purposeful walks to protect and raise the young.
Fish reach sexual maturity between the ages of 10 and 12 months. Natakara spawn several times a year on average when conditions are right. However, this process can be managed and deliberately slowed down if needed. It is sufficient to keep the water at a steady temperature to accomplish this.
Despite being an attractive blue cichlid, the Nannacara blue neon is not found in the wild. The result of careful breeding, this colorful fish was developed especially for aquarium enthusiasts. It’s evidence of the ingenuity and commitment of breeders who work hard to provide our tanks with unusual and exquisite fish.
The blue neon has become a favorite among aquarium enthusiasts despite being extinct in the wild. Both novice and experienced fish keepers will find it to be a great choice due to its eye-catching coloration and small size. The species is attractive because of how beautiful it looks and how brightly blue it makes any tank seem.
In conclusion, despite lacking a natural habitat, the Nannacara blue neon has undoubtedly won over many fish enthusiasts. Its existence serves as a reminder of the fascinating opportunities found in the aquarium industry as well as the continuous efforts to improve our aquatic environments by introducing beautiful and diverse species.
Since the Nannakara blue neon is a specially bred variety developed by aquarium enthusiasts, it’s an exquisite blue cichlid that you won’t find in the wild. This cichlid was created through selective breeding to highlight its vivid blue color and distinctive patterns, in contrast to many fish species that exist naturally. Its existence serves as a testament to the imagination and commitment of fish breeders, who never stop trying to create stunning and unusual fish for aquarium enthusiasts.