and the Red terror is actually a Mayan...

[Matt Nace]

So yes folks..once again the expert at the LFS is clueless.

Are you sure that is a Festea?

He said it was...and so did his buddy there.

Well it is not.

The thing that started to make me wonder was she or he..think it may be a she had a green sheen on her head. Then after some reading and pictures..I see the circle at the tail is small and usuallu up on festea..and large and centered on the Mayan. Also the lines are not straight on a festae near the head.

Not to mention..some pics of the Mayan are like I took them of mine..identical.

Not that I am disappointed, but the guy at LFS is an expert at Red terrors.I wanted a red terror!

He claimed his pair were on Tropical fish hobbiest magazine's cover..he aslo wrote two books and used to own farms which had festaes.

Maybe he was just wrong this time..but I guess I will take a pic and show him and ask..so what Cichlid is this?

[blue_ram]

Mayan Cichlids (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) are the devil's spawn. They have invaded the waters down here in South Florida and kill off the native bluegills and bass by eating their eggs.

[straitjacket]

Originally Posted by blue_ram

Mayan Cichlids (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) are the devil's spawn. They have invaded the waters down here in South Florida and kill off the native bluegills and bass by eating their eggs.

Just like Tilapia mariae, oscars, port acaras, pike killifish, rd/midas, common plecs, Jewel cichlids, mbuna, nile/blue/mozambique/hybrid tilapia, common porthole cats and peacock bass? Well peacock bass may not eat native species' eggs, they just go and eat the whole fish.
Mayan cichlids and other fish are nuisance species because of people. Displacement of natural native habitats and populations are caused by people introducing non-native species or even species that are native to the country but not that particular locality, driving endemic species to extinction such as the Nile Perch being introduced into Lake Victoria in Africa or the Jaguar cichlid being introduced into native waters in Central America.
Some species down there in FLA have been introduced accidentally through fish hatcheries as well.
So before you go bashing a perfectly innocent fish of doing what it's been programmed to do I suggest you consider your captive fish releasing locals first.

As for the ID mix-up, I would seriously doubt Mr. Bragalots true RT's. The best way to find an actual RT is to arm yourself with the knowledge on how to properly ID one. If they tell you, hey, I finally got some of those RT's in, you look them over and you think not you don't have to take them. Your best bet is to go with someone reputable online though. If you want some that badly it's worth the shipping cost. The second I get some free tankspace I'm filling it with a nice female. I love Uros personally, but I've never had a RT and a female RT's been on my wishlist for a very long time.

[blue_ram]

Originally Posted by straitjacket

Just like Tilapia mariae, oscars, port acaras, pike killifish, rd/midas, common plecs, Jewel cichlids, mbuna, nile/blue/mozambique/hybrid tilapia, common porthole cats and peacock bass? Well peacock bass may not eat native species' eggs, they just go and eat the whole fish.
Mayan cichlids and other fish are nuisance species because of people. Displacement of natural native habitats and populations are caused by people introducing non-native species or even species that are native to the country but not that particular locality, driving endemic species to extinction such as the Nile Perch being introduced into Lake Victoria in Africa or the Jaguar cichlid being introduced into native waters in Central America.
Some species down there in FLA have been introduced accidentally through fish hatcheries as well.
So before you go bashing a perfectly innocent fish of doing what it's been programmed to do I suggest you consider your captive fish releasing locals first.

As for the ID mix-up, I would seriously doubt Mr. Bragalots true RT's. The best way to find an actual RT is to arm yourself with the knowledge on how to properly ID one. If they tell you, hey, I finally got some of those RT's in, you look them over and you think not you don't have to take them. Your best bet is to go with someone reputable online though. If you want some that badly it's worth the shipping cost. The second I get some free tankspace I'm filling it with a nice female. I love Uros personally, but I've never had a RT and a female RT's been on my wishlist for a very long time.

The Mayans are too large and agressive for Bluegills and small bass to defend their nests against. The Oscars, Peacocks, Ports and Tilapia do not attack the Bluegill nests. The Mayans also grow too big for the Peacocks to have much of an impact on their populations like they do on the Port Acara. Oddly enough, the much maligned Bowfin has been championed as a native form of control and even eradication of the Mayans but the bass fishing associations are fighting Bowfin stocking because the Bowfins take bass lures.

[Matt Nace]

Originally Posted by straitjacket

As for the ID mix-up, I would seriously doubt Mr. Bragalots true RT's. The best way to find an actual RT is to arm yourself with the knowledge on how to properly ID one. If they tell you, hey, I finally got some of those RT's in, you look them over and you think not you don't have to take them. Your best bet is to go with someone reputable online though. If you want some that badly it's worth the shipping cost. The second I get some free tankspace I'm filling it with a nice female. I love Uros personally, but I've never had a RT and a female RT's been on my wishlist for a very long time.

This is my 3rd time in 20 year I started keeping cichlids. This time is differant however, as I am enjoying them so much I am more than addicted to the hobby again. I used to have 6 tanks up including salt water . These cichlids(both new and old world) are just amazing fish.

I am learning a great deal and doing plenty of research. I now goto the stores and know a lot more than when I bought the Mayan.

I suppose if I truly want a RT that probebly could go online. I have a LFS that I visit that is mom and pop owned and they will order what you want also. I am just an impulse buyer and love to see the fish I am purchasing in the flesh.

[big54bob]

If you want a festae go look up jeff rapps. He has top notch fish.

[FlacoLove]

Male Mayan=11" Female Red Terror=6" After having these two for over 2 years in a 55gal, they got along well with 2 full grown angels, 3 bushynose plecos, 1 12" pleco, 1 black ghost, 2 clown knife's. I was wondering why all the others were hanging out in the right side of the tank, boom! about 1000 eggs in the flower pot at the left of the tank where Nizue (male) and Shizue (female) stood hovering. After 5 days, the eggs hatched. I immediately bought a tank separator; and installed a tunnel (shaped like an egg) flower pot; perfect which shizue transferred the eggs into. 6 days later, I removed all the other fish into a different tanks and removed separator. Shizue and Nizue are pretty occupied trying to keep the fry in their tunnel. What gets me is the survival rate of all these...babies. It appears that instead of having just 55 various fish (I've 6 tanks), I'm now going to have way more than I'd figuared. LOL. As a retiree, I devote my time and efforts and high maintainance to this hobby. Yes! Cichlid behavior is amazing!

[FlacoLove]

Male Mayan=11" Female Red Terror=6" After having these two for over 2 years in a 55gal, they got along well with 2 full grown angels, 3 bushynose plecos, 1 12" pleco, 1 black ghost, 2 clown knife's. I was wondering why all the others were hanging out in the right side of the tank, boom! about 1000 eggs in the flower pot at the left of the tank where Nizue (male) and Shizue (female) stood hovering. After 5 days, the eggs hatched. I immediately bought a tank separator; and installed a tunnel (shaped like an egg) flower pot; perfect which shizue transferred the eggs into. 6 days later, I removed all the other fish into a different tanks and removed separator. Shizue and Nizue are pretty occupied trying to keep the fry in their tunnel. What gets me is the survival rate of all these...babies. It appears that instead of having just 55 various fish (I've 6 tanks), I'm now going to have way more than I'd figuared. LOL. As a retiree, I devote my time and efforts and high maintainance to this hobby. Yes! Cichlid behavior is amazing!