View Full Version : Identify this cichlid
sploke
10-05-2006, 2:32 PM
I'm fairly sure its a SA/CA cichlid. It was sold to me as a tetracanthus, and I have decided that is definitely not what it is. MoJo seemed to think it was a Jack Dempsey. Maybe it was the pictures, but it doesn't look anything like the one I used to have to me. Hopefully I can get some help and figure out what I have here.
When I got him, as a juvenile about 2-3" long:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/sploke/fish/100_0666Small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/sploke/fish/100_0669Small.jpg
And now, at about 4". I know he's fat, he won't let anyone else eat. Sorry about the pic quality, I had just cleaned the tank up a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/sploke/fish/100_0793.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/sploke/fish/100_0794.jpg
Any ideas?
Yoemen
10-05-2006, 2:55 PM
looks like an imature jack to me. What are you feeding her? The coloration is a little dark, but that could be diet.
sploke
10-05-2006, 3:05 PM
It gets mostly Omega cichlid pellets, and hikari sinking pellets. I throw in algae wafers for the plec and silver dollars, this guy doesn't touch them. There are also some plants: crypts, aponogetons, an anubias and amazon swords. They seem to be untouched, even by the silver dollars. It also get live guppies once every week or two that I breed myself.
Top two pictures look nothing like Octofasciatum...bottom two do.
sploke
10-05-2006, 3:18 PM
Top two were taken 7/25/06, a little over two months ago, the day after i got the fish. Bottom two were taken today. Its the same fish, unless someone is playing weird tricks on me.
liv2padl
10-05-2006, 4:09 PM
Paratilapia polleni
Rallysman
10-05-2006, 4:59 PM
Paratilapia polleni
That's what I was thinking as well.
sploke
10-05-2006, 5:08 PM
Yep that pretty much looks exactly like what I have. Thanks. Now, to get a little more info on it.
That would make sense for the two juvenile photos that I didn't initially see.
Don't Polleni have white spots? And the head shape is different on the Polleni.
http://www.tangledupincichlids.com/images/polleni.jpg
Rallysman
10-05-2006, 9:02 PM
That would make sense for the two juvenile photos that I didn't initially see.
Don't Polleni have white spots? And the head shape is different on the Polleni.
good call Mojo.....
Paratilapia bleekeri perhaps?
ChileRelleno
10-06-2006, 2:01 AM
Most definitely P. polleni, the spots are too small for P. bleekeri as he matures his head will get that distinct shape, particularly if male.
Basically same species, polleni = small spots, bleekeri = big spots.
bleekeri
http://www.danskcichlideselskab.dk/fisk/Paratilapia_bleekeri.jpg
polleni
http://www.tangledupincichlids.com/images/polleni.jpg
Note; same shape to head.
liv2padl
10-06-2006, 5:55 AM
i have absolutely no doubt it's polleni ... and the color of the spots can vary from white to silver blue. the frontal profile attains more 'hump' as the fish matures.
Whatever it is, it's a far cry from being the Central American "Tetracanthus" that it was sold as.
liv2padl
10-06-2006, 8:34 AM
it's a far cry from being the Central American "Tetracanthus" that it was sold as. boy, that's for sure. it's amazing how little most LFS's know about the fish they sell, be they cichlid or non cichlid.
Yoemen
10-06-2006, 11:18 AM
I have never even heard of these guys. Will it keep its dark coloration or will that change as it ages? How big do they ussually get also, that is a really nice looking fish you have there with the dark complection and spotts.
I really did think btw, that the 2nd group of pictures looked like a fat JD to me, just with really dark coloration.
rosswake
10-06-2006, 12:09 PM
just wanted to say that is a nice looking fish! good job on the nice pickup! how much did you pay for it?
sploke
10-06-2006, 12:32 PM
I think I got it for like 13 bucks. Thinking back, I'm more convinced that the guy had no idea what it was so just threw something out there hoping I wouldn't pick up on it. Evidently it worked. So much for keeping the tank in the SA/CA vein. Ah well, he's a nice fish, but he's fairly aggressive. He tends to beat on my oscar a bit, especially at feeding time. Hence the fat piggish look. Although, most of hte pictures I've found of these guys look pretty fat as well. Maybe its just the body shape. In any case, I'm hoping that as the oscar grows up a bit, he'll be left alone more. The polleni doesnt bother the severums or anyone else in the tank, just goes after the oscar once in a while.
I could also see why the more recent pictures could look like a JD. The dark coloration and shiny blue spots do point in that direction. I've been trying to get some better pictures but I'm still working out the nuances of tank photography.
rosswake
10-06-2006, 12:53 PM
it seems like this fish may be growing as fast as or faster than the oscar! Is that just my perception or is it getting big, quickly!
sploke
10-06-2006, 3:49 PM
No, they are both growing pretty quickly.