Hi All,
Here's a fish that I have bounced around a lot for ID thoughts, and want to see if some experts could weigh in.
I am guessing Midas Cichlids, because I know they look similar to this as juveniles, and on rare occasion some of them retain this pattern into adulthood. I found some examples and it does look very similar, but not exactly, so I'd like to see if I am right to call this a Midas. Or could it be a hybrid? This spot has a lot of species in good number that might be in the genetic mix, and the bedding ledges are crowded and heavily combative: Banded Cichlid, Midas Cichlid, Mayan CIchlid, Spotted Tilapia, Tiger Oscar, & Zebra Tilapia (also Jaguar Guapote & Butterfly Peacock Cichlid, but those two are not in the genetic mix).
Here is where my confusion is centered around the 3 most likely candidate species:
*It has the spot-like bulges in the bars, aligned laterally across the middle of the side. This is typical of the Midas pattern, and also observed in Spotted tilapia. I would be set to call this a Midas, but the fins are dark. Midas fins are light. Or do I have that wrong?
*Side markings are very Mayan Cichlid-like, but it's much deeper than most Mayas, the head shape is too concave, and it's so dark while the Mayans in this area this day were all lit up very bright red and green. Also lacks the red dorsal fin margin and distinct marginated spot/bar at the caudal peduncle.
*Marked and colored more like Zebra Tilapia than anything else, but the first dorsal spines are way too short, there is no lighter band at base of caudal, and the light vertical bars are too dark.
Thanks for any help you can give me on the ID!
Here's a fish that I have bounced around a lot for ID thoughts, and want to see if some experts could weigh in.
I am guessing Midas Cichlids, because I know they look similar to this as juveniles, and on rare occasion some of them retain this pattern into adulthood. I found some examples and it does look very similar, but not exactly, so I'd like to see if I am right to call this a Midas. Or could it be a hybrid? This spot has a lot of species in good number that might be in the genetic mix, and the bedding ledges are crowded and heavily combative: Banded Cichlid, Midas Cichlid, Mayan CIchlid, Spotted Tilapia, Tiger Oscar, & Zebra Tilapia (also Jaguar Guapote & Butterfly Peacock Cichlid, but those two are not in the genetic mix).
Here is where my confusion is centered around the 3 most likely candidate species:
*It has the spot-like bulges in the bars, aligned laterally across the middle of the side. This is typical of the Midas pattern, and also observed in Spotted tilapia. I would be set to call this a Midas, but the fins are dark. Midas fins are light. Or do I have that wrong?
*Side markings are very Mayan Cichlid-like, but it's much deeper than most Mayas, the head shape is too concave, and it's so dark while the Mayans in this area this day were all lit up very bright red and green. Also lacks the red dorsal fin margin and distinct marginated spot/bar at the caudal peduncle.
*Marked and colored more like Zebra Tilapia than anything else, but the first dorsal spines are way too short, there is no lighter band at base of caudal, and the light vertical bars are too dark.
Thanks for any help you can give me on the ID!


