New Coatzacoalcos.

[cambrew]

Yesterday I received my new 3-4" Veija/Paratheraps Coalzacoalcos and was wondering if it is possible to confirm its ID at this size. (below is i picture)
The information I have found on the internet seems to be hard to come by and I am also after info on peoples experiences they have had like aggression, size , tank size of which they kept them in and tank mates?
I have given it a 48"x18"18" tank to its self with a gold spot at the moment which I am guessing could possibly work out long term I am just unsure as to whether I should add tank mates or leave it on its own.

 

[mrrobxc]

Go to google and type in "Central Scene". Lee Nuttal owns this site and one of his online magazine articles references this fish.

good luck

 

[cambrew]

I have read this before and was very informative. The main reason I ask about the ID is because the supplier I went through had in stock 4cm Coatzacoalcos and 12cm Synspilum and the fish I received was approx 8-9cm and am wondering if it is possible that they have sent me one of their smaller Synspilum by mistake.

 

[notho2000]

Here's a picture of one of my Paraneetroplus sp. Coatzacoalcos. They are virtually identical to P. zonatus. This is a male, about 8" TL. Notice the horizontal bar running the full length of the body, into the eye. Also the amount and distribution of the pattern. Your fish (at least at that size) seems to be lacking these markings. Also, the fins of yours have a reddish tint. Mine do not. So I'm not sure if yours is a possible hybrid or not. It really doesn't look like a 'synspilus/melanurus either. IME, they are medium in aggression (about the same as most Paraneetroplus). My large pair (male 12", female 9") are housed in a 180G with a mix of 'hartwegi, 'bifasciatus Rio Chacamax', and fenestratus 'Lago Catemaco'.I have several smaller ones (4-6") growing out in a 70G (48"x18"x18"). This tank is really too small for these and I'll be moving them out soon. They all co-exist without much of a problem.

 

[cambrew]

Do you know how old your 8" Male is? It seems hard to know whether any fish I buy over here is a definte pure breed. I am guessing most of the time they have been crossed at some stage. I got it from the main supplier Aquarium industries which I though would be reliable but it was the horizontal bar that concerned me the most. The closest pic I can find to mine with a matching bar would be a fenestratus.

 

[cambrew]

I may have to give it a little more time to show its true colors as it is lucky to be alive after the state of the bag it was in when I received it.

 

[notho2000]

Do you know how old your 8" Male is? It seems hard to know whether any fish I buy over here is a definte pure breed. I am guessing most of the time they have been crossed at some stage. I got it from the main supplier Aquarium industries which I though would be reliable but it was the horizontal bar that concerned me the most. The closest pic I can find to mine with a matching bar would be a fenestratus.

That male is now about three years old and 12" TL. I believe it was about 2 years of age when I took that picture.

 

[cambrew]

A very nice looking fish and at 12" would attract a lot of attention. I have taken another photo today of my fish as it has started to turn a pink/red color, I have heard that the Coatzacoalcos in Australia have more red than ones in other countries could this be the case or is this just another sign that it isn't the fish I thought it was?

 

[cambrew]

I put a post up on a facebook site called "American cichlids in Oz" which is always very helpful. Many people who have owned this fish in Australia give me the impression that their small coatzacoalcos and zonatus looked like mine and that a majority of vieja's in Aus are hybrids.

 

[cambrew]

From experience do you think I would be able to keep 1 x Full grown coatzacoalcos and 1 full grown gold spot pleco in a 75 gallon tank? Would there be any chance of tank mates do you think?