A friend of mine in Milwaukee has (had?) a shoal of about 6 that were at least 5"each.
When I was a kid, the blind variety was always available.
I'm not sure they ship very well? in most, Cenotes they are under almost constant 100% water change, and oxygen levels are saturated, with 0ppm nitrate, so that may be a reason for the high shipping mortality.
I have seen them in the Cenotes in Mexico over 7 inches, and they were very aggressive.
In one Cenote Crystal, just south of Tulum, they shared it with only live bearers and turtles when I snorkeled there.
Below a video of Carwash Cenote (Aktun Ha) where along the edges, they were small, and common, but again, very aggressive, every time I flinch they are biting my earlobes and neck, so I try to distract them by stirring up dust. The only cichlids I saw there, were the Parachromis multifaciatus and feral Tilapines you see in the video.
Aktun Ha
Here in Panama I keep their close cousin, Roeboides bouchellei, also very aggressive. A scale eater that waits for the cichlids to get close, and quickly grab a mouthful of scales.
