Not Keen On The Nuchal

[Midwater]

This is a bit of an academic question, because I have no room for a large cichlid at the moment. But there have been times when I wanted a nice large impressive cichlid in its own tank, or latterly have one in my aggressive monster tank.

But I am not keen on the nuchal hump. I don't like it. It is not beautiful. It gives me the hump.

There are some really nice Veija, some of my favourite. They are incredible. Except, when they get the hump. How can you tell when they are small if they are going to get it or not? I understand it is often a sex thing. So how can you tell what sex wen they are small? And does getting a female guarantee no hump?

So what cichlids are big, impressive, and guaranteed not to get the hump?

Not Oscars. They are big, but I don't like them.

What I did end up getting was a Hoplarchus Psittacus. It is beautiful, growing well, and I expect it to get quite big too. It hides in the shadows mostly.

That's why I don't need another one now. But I would be interested in a list. Only large, and nicely shaped cichlids.

 

[Deadeye]

Jack dempseys, chocolates, and severums don’t get much of a hump.
They might be on the smaller end for what you’re looking for though.
The parachromis (except doviis) also don’t have a big nuchal jump (if one at all).

Usually it takes a bit of growth to tell genders - they’d be too small to vent before showing any obvious traits.

 

[Midwater]

Yes, Severums are great. The tiger ones, not the orange red ones.
Chocolates can look good.
Parachromis and Jack Dempseys, well they don't get a great big hump, but they do get a slight enlargement and a break above the mouth. They don't get to keep the beautiful oval shape as they get bigger. So they don't get on the list.

 

[Caveden]

What about female peacock bass?

 

[newworld]

Get a picture of a male Synspilum blackout the hump n tape it on your tank? Plus u don’t have to feed it and do water changes…win win

 

[Milingu]

Vieja melanurus from South Stann creek Belize don't develop much of a hump and have a more streamlined body shape.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02UdAJU8wVnjmBSFELfKfm98nL4rY8wKrd6URgBByYDNm7Ub2KX85c17YRT1sJpkNl&id=333124504158347

 

[Kayden]

I find that most mesoheros species don’t get a huge hump, the festae kind of let a divot around theigreen terror
eyes, but nothing like large CA cichlids,
certain geophahus species, would be another great option,
And I’m suprised nobody has mentioned pike cichlids

 

[HUKIT]

I am personally not a fan of the extremely bulbous nuchal humps on fish such as flowerhorns for example but there are so many gorgeous options as you mentioned in Vieja with smaller less pronounced humps. Ive got a group of Synspilums with the largest male is around 13ish inches.

 

[Omrit]

Jack Dempsey barely have a nucal hump, at least most that I have seen. Red Bay Snook I don't think develop a nucal hump at all and get large.

Threadfin acara are impressive, and I have never seen one with a nucal hump that I can recall. More of a medium size cichlid though.

Not really a cichlid shape, but pike's don't get nucal humps and many are large.

Angelfish seldom get a nucal hump and actually grow into a far larger fish than most people know if given the space.

 

[Jexnell]

I had an Amphilophus Saggitae for years, never got a hump, even during breeding.