Identify trade in cichlid
- Thread starter Wildcat157
- Start date
Due to more up to date scientific data it has been reclassified several times. At the moment belonging to Mesoheros. Just four years ago when u got back in the hobby it was Cichlosoma.
Truly a unique fish. Found in South America but one of the very few if not only cichlid that can cross breed with Centrals
Three names same fish. Lol.
Very interesting that they can cross breed with CA. That probably has something to to with why it has changed three times?
Thanks ?
Very interesting that they can cross breed with CA. That probably has something to to with why it has changed three times?
Thanks ?
More than likely descendants of each other. Millions of years ago, when the continents were in different places North and South America where one solid coastline.
As it is today Festae are only found West of the Andes mts in simular water peramaters as Centrals (high PH hard water) vs the Amazonian South American fish thriving in very soft low PH waters.
As it is today Festae are only found West of the Andes mts in simular water peramaters as Centrals (high PH hard water) vs the Amazonian South American fish thriving in very soft low PH waters.
You'll notice only the genus has changed.
The species name "festae" is the same.
The genus name changes when science is able to determine more succinct relationships.
As science evolves (by using DNA, etc) it is able to further pin point individual relation ships.
Cichlasoma was used before as a catch -all for many cichlids,
Amphilophus broke that down as evidence of distribution and radiations throughout te Americas was determined.
and has now been revised to Mesoheros as DNA data separates further.
As said all 3 names are the same fish. Mesoheros the most recent and most well defined.
There are now 3 very closely related species in Mesoheros
M festae, M ornatum, and M. gephyrum.
M gepherum below
All 3 are only found west of the Andes in S America
The species name "festae" is the same.
The genus name changes when science is able to determine more succinct relationships.
As science evolves (by using DNA, etc) it is able to further pin point individual relation ships.
Cichlasoma was used before as a catch -all for many cichlids,
Amphilophus broke that down as evidence of distribution and radiations throughout te Americas was determined.
and has now been revised to Mesoheros as DNA data separates further.
As said all 3 names are the same fish. Mesoheros the most recent and most well defined.
There are now 3 very closely related species in Mesoheros
M festae, M ornatum, and M. gephyrum.
M gepherum below
All 3 are only found west of the Andes in S America
A festae can seriously wound fish twice its bulk (like 12" bulky oscar vs 7" festae). I've had it happen quite a few times in an 8ft tank. Your JD being boss of the tank is not going to be the boss once the festae gets more bold so be prepared to move fish around within a year.
Salvini cichlids were the same way. They have had 3 names: cichlasoma salvini, nandopsis salvini, and trichromis salvini.
As in the case above, at first salvini ended up the catch-all new world genus Cichlasoma, then Nandopsis ( another catch all) but because Nandopsis was relegated to only those cichlids found on the caribbean islands (haitiensus, tetracanthus, and ramsdeni), a new genus had to be erected for salvini.
Trichromis was available, and then assigned when DNA and other science decided it needed its own separate genus name.
I was wondering doesn't Trichromis mean "three colors" since that would make a lot of sense.
