Mesoheros Gephyrum?
- Thread starter Addicted to Cichlids
- Start date
There is very little information available about these fish. I know of a cichlasoma gephyrum. Not heard them referred to as mesoheros before. That may be due to me not being up to date.
All I know is they are very similar and often confused with cichlasoma ornatum.
I believe they are both from columbia.
Gephyrum has a small distribution and is endangered in the wild due to industry in the area.
They are said to be insectivorous. Not sure about adult size but I have heard ornatum can get 12 to 16 inches so would expect something similar.
All I know is they are very similar and often confused with cichlasoma ornatum.
I believe they are both from columbia.
Gephyrum has a small distribution and is endangered in the wild due to industry in the area.
They are said to be insectivorous. Not sure about adult size but I have heard ornatum can get 12 to 16 inches so would expect something similar.
Ahh looks like the store had them mislabeled
They look like a Blue Rt that might be slightly smaller exactly what i was looknig for.
I kept a group of about half dozen, sold as ornatum.
As 1" juvies, I put them in a 55 gal to grow out, and they were very aggressive with each other in that tight space, so I added some lemon tetras as dithers, but that didn't help, so I added some similar size bellicose Guianacara, and this immediately suppressed the infighting.
At 3 inches I moved the group (Mesoheros and Guianacara to a 150 gal
They spent a few years in that tank until when I moved and gave them away.
They can be jumpers. They come from rivers that begin in the west side of the nearby Andes, and in doing some research on water temps, and parameters found them to average mid 70sF temp, so my tanks were heater less spring thru mid fall, and only slightly heated in winter. Moderattly alkaline with medium hardness, and pH was up above neutral compared to Amazomian rivers, so they did well in my 7.8pH 250 ppm hardness, 100 ppm alkaline water that originated in Lake Michigan
My alpha male among the group of mostly females was the most striking.
As 1" juvies, I put them in a 55 gal to grow out, and they were very aggressive with each other in that tight space, so I added some lemon tetras as dithers, but that didn't help, so I added some similar size bellicose Guianacara, and this immediately suppressed the infighting.
At 3 inches I moved the group (Mesoheros and Guianacara to a 150 gal
They spent a few years in that tank until when I moved and gave them away.
They can be jumpers. They come from rivers that begin in the west side of the nearby Andes, and in doing some research on water temps, and parameters found them to average mid 70sF temp, so my tanks were heater less spring thru mid fall, and only slightly heated in winter. Moderattly alkaline with medium hardness, and pH was up above neutral compared to Amazomian rivers, so they did well in my 7.8pH 250 ppm hardness, 100 ppm alkaline water that originated in Lake Michigan
My alpha male among the group of mostly females was the most striking.
What exactly is a blue RT? Meaning it resembles a festae but in blue?
I have (5)- there’s all kinds we of debates on where ornatums locations end and gephyrum begin. According to Willem heijns ornatum are not in the hobby.
I have not experienced the aggressiveness as in festae, they can be sexed in the same way.
They are found alongside pellegrini & atromaculatum (another awesome Mesoheros species)
The males have blue and red spangles the females are yellow and barred with fewer spangles. They grow slow but get large. Mine live with SA fish, I’m sure with size they could with CAs as well as a festae.
As
duanes
has shared his experiences with these in many threads, I folllowed his lead and have them with guinacara.. in addition there’s is a large festivum and male laetacara fulvipinnis in the same tank.
Thanks guys that's everything I needed. Looks like I get to unplug the heaters! Why doees no one ship fish on the weekends :\
I’ve gotten shipments on Saturday’s but I hear ya, when there’s an itch ya gotta scratch it
What we're growth rates like?I kept a group of about half dozen, sold as ornatum.
As 1" juvies, I put them in a 55 gal to grow out, and they were very aggressive with each other in that tight space, so I added some lemon tetras as dithers, but that didn't help, so I added some similar size bellicose Guianacara, and this immediately suppressed the infighting.
At 3 inches I moved the group (Mesoheros and Guianacara to a 150 gal
They spent a few years in that tank until when I moved and gave them away.
They can be jumpers. They come from rivers that begin in the west side of the nearby Andes, and in doing some research on water temps, and parameters found them to average mid 70sF temp, so my tanks were heater less spring thru mid fall, and only slightly heated in winter. Moderattly alkaline with medium hardness, and pH was up above neutral compared to Amazomian rivers, so they did well in my 7.8pH 250 ppm hardness, 100 ppm alkaline water that originated in Lake Michigan
My alpha male among the group of mostly females was the most striking.
