New guy - and an ID request (please)

[JK47]

I actually was able to get a decent head shot. Hopefully, this will help narrow him down. We've scoured the internet resources, but I have not been able to conclusively identify him. I am not very knowledgeable on the American species beyond the common Jack Dempseys, Convicts, Oscars and Pacus, etc. He's different.

Thanks again for the help (and welcome).View attachment 1340772

I’m rather confident that is a male Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, even more so with the new pic. The caudal fin markings match as well. It is smaller sized CA cichlid that can handle its own around larger fish. Overall a great score and a nice mature male. Find a female and you will love watching them breed. I’ve had a breeding pair and they were a lot of fun to watch.

 

[phreeflow]

Agreed it’s a nic based on that pic....I can see the gorgeous colors coming in. Great fish

 

[duanes]

I agree that it's H nicaraguense.
Here are some shots to compare.
1st some young nics, colors may very according to ancestral catch location.

Someone suggested Gymnogeophagus balzani, so here are a couple of balzani males to compare.


Although they may seem similar, the shape of the mouth is a very distinctive difference between the two

And because Isthmoheros tuyrense is seldom available, except thru specialists, it is doubtful it could be that species, along with a very different shaped mouth, and body (much more Vieja like). It was thought at one point to be in the genus Vieja.

 

[desertrefugee]

Thanks to all for helping me identify this fish. Its behavior has intrigued me enough to look into CA/SA cichlids after MANY years of keeping Africans. I might just change to fish from other continents...

 

[duanes]

Nics are the only cichlids with non-adhesive eggs.
They tend to roll around in the areas they are laid in.



In nature their most common competitor for nest sites is Neetroplus nematopus.
So sometimes the nics have been seen guarding dovii fry, while the parents hunt.
In many cases the dovii's prey on Neetroplus.