Red Head Cichlid (Paraneetroplus synspilus)

[cichlidsickness]

I haven't posted in quite some time, so hello again fellow MFKers!

I've finally thinned down my synspila growouts down to this guy right here. I had a healthy batch of red head fry growing out for quite some time, but as they got bigger I thinned them down to keep up with the tank load. I had originally planned to continually post to a growout thread here but I just got busy and didn't really have the time. You can see this specific batch of fry this guy came from here:

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/synspilum-growouts.661945/

Anyways, when it would come time to thin the tank down, the bigger ones were always the first to go. So this guy right here is indeed a slow grower, but now that he's all shacked up by himself he's put some size on and recently started to show more color.

I'm guessing its a male because of the color coming through but I'm no quite sure. What do you all think?

Video Here:

 

[dan518]

Nice fish, looks more like a Paratheraps bifasciatus to me.

 

[dan518]

Just looked at the old thread definitely not Vieja melanura/ synspilum the lateral line only extends 25% of the body on vieja's. Paratheraps sp extends over 50%.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Agree with Dan that's not a melanura. Looks like bifasciatus to me too.

 

[cichlidfish]

I agree with the other definitely looks like a bifasciatus.

 

[duanes]

The dark blotch above the lateral line, is also one of the major factors that suggest bifacsiata. (a Hybridization could of course skew that all to hell)

I believe the same DNA research that has combined melanura and synspillum has also placed them, and bifasciata back in the genus Vieja.

 

[dan518]

I thought Vieja now consisted of melanura and maculicauda with bifasciatus still in Paratheraps or am I out of date.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I thought Vieja now consisted of melanura and maculicauda with bifasciatus still in Paratheraps or am I out of date.

My understanding is its still undecided and depends on your view. To me they are veija.taxonamy is not an exact science, just an opinion really.

 

[cichlidfish]

I thought Vieja now consisted of melanura and maculicauda with bifasciatus still in Paratheraps or am I out of date.

IMO it's been tough keeping up with this.

So many changes. I found this. Could be out of date too. Not sure.

 

[cichlidsickness]

Oh wow, and here I've been thinking they were synspila/melanura. The different names were a bit confusing. Im new to this genus of cichlid.

lateral line only extends 25% of the body on vieja's. Paratheraps sp extends over 50%.

So is this the only difference between synspila and bifasciata? When I google the two the pictures look nearly identical to me lol