Cryptoheros chetumalensis

[ahud]

Hello,

For those of you that have kept Cryptoheros chetumalensis, can you give me any information on their temperament? I have heard they are a mellow Cryptohero and wanted thoughts on what I could mix them with.

I thought about trying out Honduran red points or A. multispinossa, I figured both species would be mellow enough to let the chets dominate. I'll be keeping them in a 125g with some swordtails.

Any information you can give on breeding would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[fug202]

In my experience C. chetumalensis are quite mellow.....except when spawning (note: pairs form very easily, and they are prolific. They are typical cave spawners). Once eggs hatch, the parents will go balistic on anything that gets too close. I've had no problem mixing adult non-breeders with other mid size centrals, as well as non-cichlids. A 125 g tank will give them lots of room, and may even accommodate breeding without too much grief. I'm not sure that the chets would dominate HRPs, but I don't have a real strong sense of the aggression expected in the latter. Standard convicts would likely dominate chets.

Top pic shows female in breeding colors (with fry). Lower pic shows male in non-breeding colors. His colors also change when breeding, including a more yellowish hue.

 

[ahud]

Thanks for the input, its much appreciated. I'm going to an auction sunday, so I was going to make the decision there as far as what to mix them with.

So from your experience, spawning pairs should have no problem holding their own against mid sized centrals (Archocentrus, Thorichthys, ect)?

 

[aclockworkorange]

In my experience C. chetumalensis are quite mellow.....except when spawning (note: pairs form very easily, and they are prolific. They are typical cave spawners). Once eggs hatch, the parents will go balistic on anything that gets too close. I've had no problem mixing adult non-breeders with other mid size centrals, as well as non-cichlids. A 125 g tank will give them lots of room, and may even accommodate breeding without too much grief. I'm not sure that the chets would dominate HRPs, but I don't have a real strong sense of the aggression expected in the latter. Standard convicts would likely dominate chets.

Top pic shows female in breeding colors (with fry). Lower pic shows male in non-breeding colors. His colors also change when breeding, including a more yellowish hue.

View attachment 828421View attachment 828422

Where did you get those from?


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[fug202]

Where did you get those from?

Wetspot in Portland, back in the spring. I bought four, and two pairs formed up immediately in my quarantine tank.

 

[fug202]

So from your experience, spawning pairs should have no problem holding their own against mid sized centrals (Archocentrus, Thorichthys, ect)?

I would think so, given the caveat that cichlids vary in their levels of aggressiveness, even within species. In a 125 gallon I think you'd be alright with Thorichthys. I've had less experience with Archocentrus, but those that I have had were pretty nasty. Depends on personality, and perhaps whether they've grown up together.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Wetspot in Portland, back in the spring. I bought four, and two pairs formed up immediately in my quarantine tank.

That's what I thought. Never seen any other "chets" without red besides those from wet spot. A few locals (we live close to the wet spot) think they might be mislabeled hybrids.
I also talked to the guy that actually collected the original recent "chetumalensis", he doesn't even think that's what they are. I will dig up that conversation from my notes.


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[fug202]

That's what I thought. Never seen any other "chets" without red besides those from wet spot. A few locals (we live close to the wet spot) think they might be mislabeled hybrids.
I also talked to the guy that actually collected the original recent "chetumalensis", he doesn't even think that's what they are. I will dig up that conversation from my notes.

Wouldn't surprise me if that's true. I don't really have a strong sense of how my fish differ from Cryptoheros spilurus, or perhaps cutteri , but all I had to go on was with name from the seller. Hybrids would make it even more confusing.

 

[jonclark96]

I would think so, given the caveat that cichlids vary in their levels of aggressiveness, even within species. In a 125 gallon I think you'd be alright with Thorichthys. I've had less experience with Archocentrus, but those that I have had were pretty nasty. Depends on personality, and perhaps whether they've grown up together.

I think you may be confusing archocentrus with amphilophus. Archocentrus that are available in the hobby (both centrarchus and multispinosis) are on the mild side of aggression in the CA cichlid spectrum. Centrarchus will hold their own with mid sized fish, but are no competition for amphilophus or parachromis. Multispinosis are some of the milder fish I have kept and will get pushed around by most anything that is larger than them.

As for the chetulmensis, I found them to be pretty tame for cryptoheros. No where close to any of the convict types or cutteri, even when spawning. Aaron - I think you'd have a pretty nice tank with the chets, rainbows, and HRP. The HRP will be the most aggressive during spawning IME.

 

[ahud]

Thanks everyone for chiming in,

I'll try to find some rainbows at the auction, they are probably the most ideal fish. I'd rather do a species tank with the "chets" and get them to spawn than to do a community setup and have them dominated.