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Tamasopo cichlid

Herichthys tamasopoensis

Also known as Tamasopoensis cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Tamasopo cichlid (Herichthys tamasopoensis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.5–8.4
Adult size
7.1 in
18 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Tamasopo river, Pánuco basin, Mexico

Overview

The Tamasopo cichlid is a medium-sized, territorial Central American cichlid for a large rocky tank. It is best with some experience.

Did you know

The Tamasopo cichlid was named by the Mexican aquarist Juan Miguel Artigas Azas, a hobbyist and cichlid historian rather than a career academic. It is one of the cases where aquarium expertise fed a formal species description back to science.

Caring for the Tamasopo cichlid

Keep a Tamasopo cichlid as a single fish or a bonded pair in at least 79 gal (300 L). Build a rocky layout over open sand, with plenty of rock and wood to mark out territories, especially once a pair starts to breed. It works the bottom and lower water.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.4. Add some current, strong oxygenation and bright light to grow algae. Its diet should lean vegetable, so feed a good spirulina-based pellet plus some frozen foods.

The Tamasopo cichlid is aggressive and territorial, so choose its tank mates carefully. House it only with robust fish that can hold their own.

It is a biparental substrate spawner, and both parents guard the eggs and fry over an open surface. Breeding is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The Tamasopo cichlid, Herichthys tamasopoensis, was described in 1993. It is smaller than several of its relatives.

In the wild

The Tamasopo cichlid is found only in the Tamasopo river of the Pánuco basin in San Luis Potosí, central-eastern Mexico. The water there is clear, hard and flowing. It grazes algae from rock by biting at a steep angle and shaking its body to tear the algae free.

Common questions

What size tank does a Tamasopo cichlid need?

A Tamasopo cichlid needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Tamasopo cichlid need?

A Tamasopo cichlid is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.4.

What does a Tamasopo cichlid eat?

A Tamasopo cichlid eats a diet that leans vegetable, such as a good spirulina-based pellet plus some frozen foods.

How big does a Tamasopo cichlid get?

An adult Tamasopo cichlid reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).

How does a Tamasopo cichlid breed?

The Tamasopo cichlid is a biparental substrate spawner. Both parents guard the eggs and fry over an open surface.

Related species