Pantano cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

A single adult needs a tank of at least 450 liters at 25 to 30 C and pH 7.5 to 8.5, and it handles a little salt. Provide rockwork and open space. Feed a diet high in vegetable matter along with pellets and some frozen foods. It is territorial but less pugnacious than the predatory Central Americans.

In the wild

The pantano cichlid lives on the Atlantic slope of southeastern Mexico and northern Guatemala. It occupies slow fresh and occasionally brackish marshes lined with plants. This is a large, deep-bodied, mostly herbivorous cichlid. Provide open swimming space, rockwork, and a large tank.

Good to know

Cincelichthys pearsei was described by Hubbs in 1936 and reaches about 30 cm. It is largely herbivorous, grazing aquatic and overhanging plants and algae. It has carried several names over the years, including Cichlasoma, Herichthys, and Vieja pearsei.

Did you know

It leans strongly herbivorous, so it does better on a plant-based diet than on the meaty foods many large cichlids are fed.

Related species

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