Vieja cichlid ID?

[vjayshutterbug]

Rescued this little guy from a Fish store locally....only about 3 inches and has some torn up fins that hopefully will heal. The shop guy says he thinks it's a Vieja Synspilus but in researching I think it's a Vieja Heterospila? . I love the Vieja fish experts on this forum! Thanks in advance.

 

[ragin_cajun]

real hard to say.....it not for the orange and slight blue specks in the fins, I'd guess Blackbelt. With the orange and the blue in the fins, I think it could be one of those orange type Synspilum/Melanurus. it could be Heterospila. Really hard to tell.

 

[fug202]

It's a blackbelt. The red in the fins is normal, as are the spots on the fins (in some strains), and many get a substantial amount of red in the head region.


The two photos below are of the same fish

 

[fug202]

And for comparison, heterospila don't have the dark patch at the base of the tail.



And this is the Lago Peten "orange" melanurus strain

 

[lyc]

Is black belt

 

[the animal guy]

male Black belt with some stress bars. That is a nice one. Good catch.

Let him live in peace and adapt to the water and tank then watch him show his best colors