Does this little guy looks more like a Midas or a Red Devil to you guys?
- Thread starter Fanatic_Fish_Lunatic
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Bought from a reliable fish shop that specifically sells cichlids in Thailand. But I lost the chat history and the seller also doesn't remember what was it, because I ordered a lot of cichlids back then. So...yeah.
There are at least 15 species of Amphilophus from the lakes in Nicaragua, and all have the ability to adapt into different color morphs, so just looking at a pic is impossible to determine species.
Unless you know the exact lake its ancestors came from its impossible.
And because people have inadvertantly been interbreeding them over years, into midevil mutts, its even more difficult (actuallly ipossible).
Left a banded form Amphillophus amarillo from lake Xiloa, right Amphillophus flavious from Lake Apoyo
There are pink, yellow, creamcicle and banded versions in each of the species
when young they all look quite generic
Unless you know the exact lake its ancestors came from its impossible.
And because people have inadvertantly been interbreeding them over years, into midevil mutts, its even more difficult (actuallly ipossible).
Left a banded form Amphillophus amarillo from lake Xiloa, right Amphillophus flavious from Lake Apoyo
There are pink, yellow, creamcicle and banded versions in each of the species
when young they all look quite generic
It´s interesting how many (what I consider either uneducated, or oblivious) aquarists with think, red devil, Texas cichlids, or starry night cichlids, will be thought of in a blanket and generic term, because their colors are superficially simllar, when actually each is a group of many separate and unique cichlids.
Red Devils can be any of about 15 species in the genus Amphilophus .
Texas cichlids, are often confused with about 6 different species in the genus Herichthys, with only 1 species actually being from Texas, and all others found in Mexico. and
Starry night cichlids come from the genus Paratilapia, where there about 5 scientifically decribed species, with more as yet to be discovered in the remote island of Madagacar.
Its too bad really, because that lack of attention to detail, and disregard for the legitimacy of species, and has led up to the situation we are in, with LFSs laden with unidentifiable mutts.
Try to find legetimate African species in a LFS these days.
But even worse.....to me....is the lack of respect for legitimate species, and intentionally creating man made genetic anomolies and franken cichlids.
Red Devils can be any of about 15 species in the genus Amphilophus .
Texas cichlids, are often confused with about 6 different species in the genus Herichthys, with only 1 species actually being from Texas, and all others found in Mexico. and
Starry night cichlids come from the genus Paratilapia, where there about 5 scientifically decribed species, with more as yet to be discovered in the remote island of Madagacar.
Its too bad really, because that lack of attention to detail, and disregard for the legitimacy of species, and has led up to the situation we are in, with LFSs laden with unidentifiable mutts.
Try to find legetimate African species in a LFS these days.
But even worse.....to me....is the lack of respect for legitimate species, and intentionally creating man made genetic anomolies and franken cichlids.
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I agree. I'll be one to admit that I have a fish that was purchased as a "red devil" but I also knew what I was getting, which was either a RD or Midas due to not knowing lineage/background. I have also owned "electric blue texas" and "green Texas" cichlid, and I knew there was no such thing but I knew I had a carpintis cichlid without knowing where those variants are from, but knew a true Texas cichlid is the cyano located off the rio grande.
Problem is, with so many of the good reputable distributors that have close their shops down, it's getting harder to find private breeders that keep these wild caught or f1 beauties we love so much.
These young or newcomers to hobby fail to research needs such as water parameters or tank size requirements and realize how vital it is. But we can't right off the bat call them oblivious or uneducated as some maybe kids. Only thing we can do is try to educate them with experience and helpful facts. It's up to the individual to soak up the advice and knowledge given.
I will say I definitely 100% agree with the man made thing people create for profit such as those blood and polar parrots amongst others.