Mikrogeophagus
Encyclopedia
Microgeophagus is a genus of small cichlid
s that only includes two species: M. ramirezi and M. altispinosa
. Both species are popular with aquarists, especially M. ramirezi. They are native to the Amazon
and Orinoco basins in South America
.
These species spawn
on flat rocks or leaves and not in caves like fishes from the closely related cichlid genus Apistogramma
.
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
s that only includes two species: M. ramirezi and M. altispinosa
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus is a species of fish endemic to the Amazon river basin, in Brazil and Bolivia respectively. The species is part of the family Cichlidae and is included in subfamily Geophaginae...
. Both species are popular with aquarists, especially M. ramirezi. They are native to the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
and Orinoco basins in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
These species spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
on flat rocks or leaves and not in caves like fishes from the closely related cichlid genus Apistogramma
Apistogramma
Apistogramma is a genus of approximately a hundred species of fish from the family Cichlidae found in tropical areas of the Amazon basin and Venezuela. Apistogramma literally means "irregular lateral line" referring to a common trait of the species under this taxon...
.