These beautiful dwarf cichlids come from West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) where they inhabit moving waters. They attain a max. size of 3.5-4 inches for males and 2.5-3 inches for females. They are sexually mature at only 6 months of age when they are only 3/4-1 inch long. They are the most prolific when they are young but become better, more reliable parents with age.

Butterflies are quite versatile and tolerate most water conditions, feeding, tank mates, etc.. I have kept them with mollies and swords to jewel cichlids and full grown port acaras. They do become very territorial when spawning is in the air. They don't eat plants and they don't dig.

The basic color of these fish is pale yellow to light brown with numerous green blue and irridescent gold jewels distributed over the body and fins. There is a black spot on the gill cover, one on the central lateral side of the body, and one at the lateral base of the caudal fin. The male's dorsal fin is more pointed and trails (more than the female's) over the top ofthe caudal fin. When "aroused", they both develop a dark facial mask from the top of the head through the eye to the jaw. Six dark vertical crossbands may also appear in both the male and the female at spawning time. Spawning is usually on a cleaned, flat rock on the bottom or the surface of a wide leafed plant like an Amazon swordplant.

They will often spawn at 70-80 degrees F. in a community tank (planted or otherwise) but often eat the spawn if disturbed, or if there is too much activity from other fish around their spqwn. Spawns are usually 100-200 eggs.

If the spawn is not seen but one notices the parents "guarding" a spot and shaking their heads sharply from side to side when one is inspecting the tank, there are likely fry hidden in the gravel. The parents guard and fan the eggs for 52 hours incubation. The fry hatch and are moved as wigglers fo a smaller, more sheltered spot. They "wiggle" (an egg with a wiggling tail) for only 12 hours and then "jump" up in the water as they become freeswimming.

For the next few weeks, they stay close to the parents and hide in the gravel. The parents communicate to the fry by subtle color changes and body movements. The family appreciates privacy; if at all possible, remove other tank occupants (a.k.a. predators) or use a tank divider to provide a safe section of the tank for them. The parents feed the fry themselves by munching up food and spitting it out over the fry. The fry grow quickly andresemble tiny cichlids in about 1-2 weeks. Growth generally slows from 2-4 months but then resumes.

The eggs can be removed and raised artificially but you miss watching the family interactions (and, the parents do all the work!).