Blackthroat spawning for the third time in 30 days

Blackthroat cichlid, Hắc Hầu (I coined the Vietnamese name from the English, because this fish had never been in Vietnam before). Scientific name: Astaheros maracanthus.

This is the 3rd spawn within 30 days. The most prolific breeding rate of any fish I’ve ever kept. In the video, the mother is guarding the eggs (stuck to the black rock right beneath her). While guarding, the mother displays that vivid spawning coloration that is the trademark of American cichlids. For this species, that color is black — normally the fish doesn’t show much black, but when breeding, the “black throat” signature of both parents stands out very clearly.

The attached photo is an adult specimen shared by Jim Cumming.