Tailbar cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

A single adult or pair needs a tank of at least 350 liters at 24 to 28 C and pH 7.0 to 8.0. Provide rockwork and sturdy decor. Feed a varied diet of pellets, frozen foods, and vegetable matter. It is more manageable than many large Central Americans but still territorial when breeding.

In the wild

The tailbar cichlid lives in the Grijalva River system of Chiapas, Mexico, and Guatemala. It occupies rocky rivers and has a distinct fast-water form built for current. This is a large, deep-bodied cichlid. Provide rockwork, open swimming space, and a large tank.

Good to know

Vieja hartwegi was described by Taylor and Miller in 1980 and reaches around 28 cm. Males develop dense red spangling over the body. A 2018 study documented a slender fast-water form that lacks the mid-body band, showing how variable the species is.

Did you know

It is named for the dark bar at the base of the tail, and river fish from fast water look noticeably slimmer than pond fish.

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