Oscarfish.com

I've noticed that the general freshwater advice forum doesn't get near the traffic that the oscar advice forum does, so I thought a cichlid guessing game might help.

The basic idea is that one person posts a picture of a cichlid (Central & South American Only... to keep the number of species limited) and people guess what it is. You must give the Scientific Name as common names are very ambiguous, and sometimes very misleading. The person who gets it right then posts a picture. Please be sure you know what it is you are posting, or the game will have no validity. The pictures do not have to be yours but if you copy the picture be sure to provide the correct website you got it from.

New Rule: If the post is left without an answer (Someone not confirming an answer or posting a new pic.) for more than a day, that poster forfeits the right to put up a picture, or confirm the correct answer. Instead I will just put up another pic to keep the game going. For species identification that proves difficult, I will bump the thread to keep it current and ask the OP for hints if need be.

Lets also do our best to keep the thread use to Species Identification only. This is a game, and the Mods have been gracious enough to let it continue in the general freshwater advice forum. Please keep banter and off topic chit chat to a minimum. Thanks.

I realize MODs only want questions and advice in the forums, but I think the game is a good way to broaden knowledge of fish species. And technically, I am asking a question...

We'll keep it easy to begin with. What kind of fish is this?

Its a Cichlasoma octofasciatum. (Jack Dempsey)

Next up:

Cichlasoma octofasciatum

whoops. he beat me. scratch mine

Herefishyfishyfishy wrote:Its a Cichlasoma octofasciatum. (Jack Dempsey)

Yes, you are correct, but next time, please wait for the poster to confirm you are right to eliminate double posts like we just had.

Herefishyfishyfishy wrote:Its a Cichlasoma octofasciatum. (Jack Dempsey)

Next up:

Archocentrus nigrofasciatus (convict cichlid)

Correct!

screwsloose wrote:Archocentrus nigrofasciatus (convict cichlid)

I'm pretty sure youre right.

Don't post your last pic though, Uaru are South American. Lets try to keep it central. There are soo many cichlids out there it will be best to keep inside one territory.

sorry it took me so long

No problem. That looks like Parachromis Managuensis to me.

If you are having trouble finding pictures of fish to post, don't be afraid to use the net. Just be sure to state where you found it, and give proper credit.

correct. that was actually one of mine.

Do you still have him? I love jags.


Here we go. Next one. Owned by Modest_Man from MFK.

Aequidens rivulatus?

sprout wrote:Aequidens rivulatus?

LMAO!!! OMG, I just broke my own rule! LOL. But yes, sprout, you are correct. Green Terrors are actually South American, but we will give it to you anyway. Your turn. Remember to keep it Central American... if you remember...

Side Note: The vast majority of Green Terrors that are sold in the aquarium trade today are not Aequidens Rivulatus, but Aequidens Gold Saum. This guy was actually wild caught but I still don't think that he is a true Rivulatus.

green terrors are awesome. and yes rush, i still have him and another. they are both getting their spots and loosing their lines

I spent 30 minutes staring at that picture thinking I must be wrong because it was clearly not a CA CICHLID. But hey your game you're allowed.

screwsloose wrote:green terrors are awesome. and yes rush, i still have him and another. they are both getting their spots and loosing their lines

Awesome man, sounds like they are Males.

sprout wrote:I spent 30 minutes staring at that picture thinking I must be wrong because it was clearly not a CA CICHLID. But hey your game you're allowed.

Sprout, is that another S/A ??? It looks like a Blue Acara = Aequidens Pulcher.

No fooling you, but they are listed as both SA and CA. I found them listed as native to Panama, Venezuela and Peru. Not exactly CA by the rules......... Sorry.

No problem. If there are more specific origins than are known to general aquariasts, then by all means share.

P.S. You might want to change the document name of the pic you post. Sometimes that is an easy give away.

Here is a more difficult one.

juvenile Parachromis managuensis.

not sure but just a guess Cichlasoma Tetracanthus

screwsloose wrote:not sure but just a guess Cichlasoma Tetracanthus

Nice job.

I'm gonna give it to you even though technically, its scientific name is Nandopsis Tetracanthus. Or Cuban Cichlid.

next up

Cute little fella. I'll give others a change to answer until tom.