What Am I?

[wws1509]

I recently purchased what I thought was a pair of Keyhole cichlids from the LFS. I am having second doubts as I have identified one as a blue acara but cannot identify this little fella. It's only an inch and a half long but does anyone know what it is?

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Thanks in advance!!

 

[vancouver]

hmm.. doesn't look like a keyhole..

could be any number of things..

 

[mrjames]

looks to younge to id. doesnt look like a keyhole tho.....

good luck

 

[scrappy]

Difficult one, however i would say its of the Archocentrus genus looking at its current body shape, however as someone has already suggested, possibly too young to identify...

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

Looks to me like it could be one of the Vieja's, not sure which one though.

 

[kubora666]

its deffinetely a Vieja Hartwegi, i have a 5" one, they are a smaller relative of the red headed cichlid.
they can reach lengths of 12"-14" males larger, and develope a cranial hump. they are a grey colour with blue cheeks and bright yellow eyes until about 4" then they go a sparkely blue and green colour all over with a black bar. very beautiful fish. i currently havent got any pics of mine, sorry. but jsut had to say its deffinetly one of those
Pm me if ud like more info as info on V. Hartwegi is scarce on the web!

 

[kubora666]

BIG important update here.
the fish IS NOT VIEJA HARTWEGI.
after some hard research i have infact discovered my fish isnt a colourful male v. Hartwegi.
its a colourful Female Blue-Fenestratum. a more blue coloured morph of the window cichlid ( vieja Fenestratus. )

hope that helps see for yourself

 

[severum boy]

Its definatly a Vieja, but at that size its almost immpossibe to know the species for sure, just be prepared for a cichlid 10" in length.
Wait untill it gets a few inches bigger, send us a photo and maby we can help more. The trouble with Vieja is there are a lot of hybrids on the market, and as the young look the same in most species, recognising the hybrids is hard.
When your fish gets about 4-5", he will be showing most of his adult colour, then you may have a shot at identifing him. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

Its definatly a Vieja, but at that size its almost immpossibe to know the species for sure, just be prepared for a cichlid 10" in length.
Wait untill it gets a few inches bigger, send us a photo and maby we can help more. The trouble with Vieja is there are a lot of hybrids on the market, and as the young look the same in most species, recognising the hybrids is hard.
When your fish gets about 4-5", he will be showing most of his adult colour, then you may have a shot at identifing him. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Yes i agree but most viejas grow to between 14"and 16" in length not 10". The smallest vieja's are the Vieja hartwegi and the Vieja intermedium which max out at about 12"

 

[~T~]

I recently purchased what I thought was a pair of Keyhole cichlids from the LFS. I am having second doubts as I have identified one as a blue acara but cannot identify this little fella. It's only an inch and a half long but does anyone know what it is?

undefined


Thanks in advance!!

Probably a baby Vieja synspilum

 

[kubora666]

its hard with vieja's as i thought mine was a hartwegi for about 5months until my brother who works at an lfs foudna stocking book filled with just about every fish in the trade and colourful pictures, i realised how many viejas their are, and that mine was definetely a female Vieja Fenestratus. so thats another 4-6" added onto the max size of my fish lol. good luck with him though as ive found these viejas to be great fish... my female one battered a same size jaguar cichlid who now lives with my friend in a massive tank.

 

[LisaLQ]

Yes i agree but most viejas grow to between 14"and 16" in length not 10". The smallest vieja's are the Vieja hartwegi and the Vieja intermedium which max out at about 12"

Many sites say that intermediums will reach 14", but the average is 10". I dont know about other vieja, but intermediums love a long tank with plenty of current, as they love to swim