Identifying little cichlid

[Deadeye]

View attachment 1469736
Growing fast..but after having it for a month, I still got no idea what species it actually is. ?View attachment 1469737

Still looks nice. I wouldn’t be upset if it kept the juvie colors as an adult.

 

[Al KW Tan]

Still looks nice. I wouldn’t be upset if it kept the juvie colors as an adult.

If so, the breed shall remain a mystery. ?‍

 

[Al KW Tan]

Wondering if this is big enough to ID. I m currently leaning towards bifasciatus, fenestratus, hartwegi or zonatus. Or possibly a cross breed? ?

 

[Gourami Swami]

Still too small. The viejas look so similar, that even when they develop their adult coloration it can be difficult to tell some species apart. Will need to wait until full adult coloration at probably 6" or so IMO.

 

[Al KW Tan]

Still too small. The viejas look so similar, that even when they develop their adult coloration it can be difficult to tell some species apart. Will need to wait until full adult coloration at probably 6" or so IMO.

Wow. At 6".. Now, that's quite a wait. ?

 

[duanes]

With Vieja (and its looking more and more every day) it is often a process of elimination.
V melanura has a broken band along the lateral line, that only runs half way to the gill plate.
Below melanura,, so probably not melanura
.
In V bifasciatta there is a blotch above the lateral line, below

Breidhori, no visible lateral belt in normal color

This leaves V hartwegi, fenestrata, zonata, and guttalata. (I kept these before I started using a camera)
True V hartwegi have an overbite, and the band runs gill plate to caudal
Beside the horizontal band, normal V fenestrata have 6 vertical bars.
V zonatum is a possibility, although by 6 " mine were quite bright blue above the lateral line.
V guttalatus is also a possibility.
Whatever it is, it looks female at this point.
All reach over 10" (even females)
There is also the possibility of being hybrid, which often washes colors out, and caamoflagges normal ID traits.

 

[Al KW Tan]

The tail is somewhat torn.. Not by these guys, I'll wager..
I'll bet these fellas below are the culprits.. ?

 

[Al KW Tan]

With Vieja (and its looking more and more every day) it is often a process of elimination.
V melanura has a broken band along the lateral line, that only runs half way to the gill plate.
Below melanura,, so probably not melanura
View attachment 1471416.
In V bifasciatta there is a blotch above the lateral line, below
View attachment 1471417
Breidhori, no visible lateral belt in normal color
View attachment 1471418
This leaves V hartwegi, fenestrata, zonata, and guttalata. (I kept these before I started using a camera)
True V hartwegi have an overbite, and the band runs gill plate to caudal
Beside the horizontal band, normal V fenestrata have 6 vertical bars.
V zonatum is a possibility, although by 6 " mine were quite bright blue above the lateral line.
V guttalatus is also a possibility.
Whatever it is, it looks female at this point.
All reach over 10" (even females)
There is also the possibility of being hybrid, which often washes colors out, and caamoflagges normal ID traits.

Great info.. That narrows down the possibilities. Guess, I'll have to patiently wait till it's 6". TQVM!

 

[Al KW Tan]

The P. Milomo meanwhile hardly seems to grow. Not much has changed since one month ago

 

[Al KW Tan]

2 months ago, give or take a day..
Presently.. double the size