How to Take Care of Red Devil Fry Cichlids

The red devil is found around the Nicaragua area in Central America. These freshwater fish are red to pink in coloration. These aggressive fish develop definite personalities, which together with their attractive coloration, make red devils sought after and interesting aquarium inhabitants. Red devils spawn in pits which they dig in the aquarium substrate. The 600 to 700 eggs hatch within five days and red devil parents are particularly protective of their fry.

Things You'll Need

  • Breeding red devil pair
  • Net tank divider
  • Soft aquarium net
  • Finely crushed commercial fish food
  • Day old brine shrimp
  • Microworms
  • 0.5-inch diameter siphon pipe
  • 10-gallon plastic bucket
  • Chlorine remover
  • Aquarium heater
  • Filter floss
  • Activated carbon
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Instructions

    • 1

      Leave both parents with the fry, if your particular adult pair are compatible. Red devil fry are partly contact feeders and eat mucous from the bodies of their parents. The fry typically feed from the sides of the adult male, so the female can be removed from the aquarium if aggression develops between the two adults or if you need to separate larger fry from their smaller siblings.

    • 2

      Place a net tank divider into the aquarium. Divide the tank into two equal halves and separate the male and female fish, if the fry begin to prey upon each other.

    • 3

      Carefully catch the larger fry and transfer them to the side which houses the female. Catch the fry in a soft aquarium net. Handle them gently and do not keep them in the net any longer than necessary. Red devil cichlid fry are cannibalistic and larger fry will eat their smaller siblings.

    • 4

      Feed the fry on finely crushed commercial fish food. Offer this dry food twice a day and be careful not to overfeed.

    • 5

      Carefully siphon old food that has accumulated on the aquarium bottom, from the tank. Ensure that fry are not drawn into the siphon which you are removing the left over food.

    • 6

      Place small quantities of live, day old brine shrimp into the aquarium. Add only as much shrimp as the cichlid fry can consume in a five minute feeding session. These shrimp will eventually die if in fresh water for extended periods of time.

    • 7

      Place small quantities of microworms into the aquarium. Add only small amounts of these worms. Fry should ideally consume the microworms in a five minute feeding period.

    • 8

      Perform 20 to 30 percent water changes each week. Replace the old water with new water that has the same chemical parameters and temperature.

    • 9

      Prepare new water by filling a large plastic bucket with tap water. Add chlorine remover to the water and place a heater into the bucket. Set the thermostat on the heater to the same temperature as the main aquarium.

    • 10

      Clean filters regularly. Remove mechanical filter material and rinse or replace it on a weekly basis.

    • 11

      Replace the activated carbon in the chemical filter compartment, on a monthly basis.