cryptoheros cutteri info please

[hailmike]

can anyone point me in the direction for some info on these fish? i tried searching here and google with no real good info other than the basic stuff. a lfs has several and i wanted to do some research before i got some. they're different looking than most of the pictures i found on google images and was wondering if they're still cutteri. they look almost exactly like this but with more red/purple. is this breeding dress?

oh and how are they sexed? thanks in advance guys and girls.

 

[dogofwar]

There are different populations of cutteri that vary in coloration, size, and other characteristics. Folks who have collected them in Central America say that every stream has a "different" one.

I have some of the "Rio Jutiapa" cutteri from Ken Davis (fishfarm). They're great fish, aggressive when they breed, with males growing to about 4-5" and the females smaller. They change color when they breed: females get a very stark white/black striping.

They're not picky about water or food. I do weekly 30-50% water changes and feed them NLS, Kensfish flakes, and occasional frozen worms and krill. They breed in flowerpots and are good parents.

If you have a choice, get some fish with provenance back to a collection location vs. random (probably mixed) fish.

 

[LowCel]

Here is a picture of three of my cutteri. A couple of them are in breeding colors, the other is her normal color.

 

[Loves severums]

here my male when i first got him.

 

[duanes]

The ones I'm holding spawned not too long ago, and took out half the fish in the tank. They are relentless protecters of fry. They are with a half dozen simlar length dovii at the moment and rule the tank.
Normal color 6" male.

Breeding color

 

[darth pike]

I have often heard them described as 'convicts on crack' ... I wish I had a tank up, our LFS had some babies and would have loved to get them and see if this holds true or not, as a long of keepers of them describe them as more mild than convicts.

 

[dogofwar]

Here are some pictures of my pair

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159012

 

[Aquamojo]

Here's Cutteri from Jutiapa. incidentally there is an ongoing discussion as to whether or not the Cutteri are nothing more than the Honduran variant of the Spilurum.

 

[hurdjg]

I have 2, that by luck tuened out M/F and paired up.
The pic is the male.
I have other fish growing out in the tank most 2x the male Cutteri size most he chases off.
Expect for the Cuban it usually go's the other way around with Cutteri running off.

Really nice fish.
I has a solo one growing out for another tank.

 

[Deadeye]

Wow! I had no idea they colored up like that!