Heros efasciatus (Tefé)

The Tefé locality form of Heros efasciatus originates from the Rio Tefé region of the central Brazilian Amazon. It is distinguished by a particularly warm yellow-gold base colouration overlaid with fine red-orange spots across the flanks, and a well-defined lateral stripe. This form is sporadically available as wild imports and represents one of the more colourful natural variants in the severum complex. Best displayed in a biotope setup with tannin-stained water, driftwood, and dim lighting to maximise colour expression.

Water: 24–30°C, pH 5.5–7.0, very soft (GH 2–8). Tank: Minimum 350L; blackwater setup with driftwood, leaf litter, and dim or filtered lighting. Feeding: Omnivore; varied diet of cichlid pellets, fresh vegetables, frozen bloodworm, and brine shrimp. Breeding: Open spawner on flat stones or wood; devoted parental care from both sexes. Compatibility: Peaceful with similar-sized Amazonian cichlids; sensitive to hard or alkaline water.