Identify this Cichlid

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Eliseus

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 13, 2015
19
3
3
44
Hello everyone.

My tank mates and I have a little quarrel about true species of this fish.. some say this, others that ..

Can You be the judge?!

What type of Vieja are these:
DSC_0118.JPG DSC_0131.JPG IMG_051115_183841.jpg
 
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the face really looks like a synspilum, body color is almost Texas like, but I don't think it is. Got that blue in the anal fin, this is a tough one. My guess is micropthalmus, it might be a parathraps though not vieja. The thing is that the parathraps and vieja species change a lot in looks between juvies and adults so its a tough one.
 
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Thanks a lot MP_cichlid!
Can anyone be a least 80% certain ..

Let me hear you opinion....
 
Juvenile veija melanurum (synispilum)
They start of quite dull and just the metallic bits start to show before they develop the deep red and yellow colouration and blue in the unpaired fins.
 
In these days where random hybridizing is so commonplace, I believe it is nearly impossible to ID almost any generic cichlid with simple photographs, so unless it has totally obvious markings (unlike the photos you shared) or know its provenance, you cannot in any certainty call it anything specific.
But since micropthalmus has been suggested, below are a couple photos of some from a respected breeder, I trust for you to compare. I cannot tell what yours is.

 

above and below, young synspilum/melanurum to compare.
And also be aware, that a variant in a location 20 miles away from another of the same species, may have very some different characteristics
 
Thanks guys,
Looking at pictures you provided, mine look even less like Synspilum now.
They dont show any red or yellow coloration. Only green and turquise.
 
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