# mystery cichlid



## chillimom (Jun 21, 2015)

I made a fascinating discovery (to me) today. I was visiting Harrison Hot Springs in BC, Canada. We do NOT have cichlids here (too cold). Anyway, I had my kids wading down at the actual hot spring - there's a pipe sending hot spring water, and another pipe sending cool lake water. I've gone there for years. Sometimes would see little trout fry that ventured in from the lake. Today, we saw cichlids. I found this big one first, or rather it found us. Definitely a cichlid, quite aggressive to us, guarding a large section of the pool. That's the one I snapped the pic of, and it was about 4"-5". There were half a dozen other 3"-4" ones I saw, and a number of fry that were 1"-2" (and still had some barring).

It seems somebody dumped their fish, and they're breeding. Not really a risk of being invasive and disrupting the eco system because the lake is way too cold for them. And the pool is too warm for our native fish. Nifty.

Anyway, I'm thinking Green Terror? Jewel Cichlid? Or something similar?


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## paelortank (Jun 21, 2015)

I had a Green Terror once. Gorgeous fish! Anyway, that's what it looks like to me... But the tail fin throws me off a bit. I haven't seen a GT with a color like that, just orange? I don't think it's a Blue Acara either..


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Not a cichlid. It's a sunfish from the family, Centrarchidae.
A pears to be a longear sunfish (_Lepomis megalotis_) https://www.google.ca/search?q=pump...ved=0CH4QiR4&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=longear+sunfish
or a pumpkinseed (_Lepomis gibbosus_) https://www.google.ca/search?q=pump...yGVayLE8uq-AGqtregAg&sqi=2&ved=0CH4QiR4&dpr=1
Not native to B.C. From Eastern North America. Shouldn't have much problem surviving the mild winters of the west coast.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

That's a pumpkin seed (sunfish/panfish), not a cichlid. I am not sure if I am allowed to post links to things (mods feel free to remove the link below if I am not), but below is a good picture of one from google image.

http://www.factzoo.com/sites/all/img/fi ... caught.jpg


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## chillimom (Jun 21, 2015)

huh. cool - I didn't know anything about pumpkinseeds or sunfish. I figured it was a dumped tropical, as the water in that pool is so warm (around 90F). After googling, I see they are an introduced species here that does quite well - very common on the Island apparently.

Might have to go back with my net and get a better look.

I wonder how they'd do in a pond?


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

They do great pretty much everywhere. I almost put them in a fish tank once because they are gorgeous fish. They can take the very cold winters of Michigan.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

NOT a Pumpkinseed, no red spot on the "ear" flap. Longear is more likely, a very colorful species, also widely introduced world wide in temperate zones. Very tolerant of warm water, as they are found in many small ponds and shallow waters across the southern US and into Mexico.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Mr Chromedome said:


> NOT a Pumpkinseed, no red spot on the "ear" flap. Longear is more likely


That is what I think too. 
But maybe it is just the picture, and the red spot just doesn't show (?)
From further reading, only the pumpkinseed is listed as an invasive in B.C. 
Introduced in Washington state over 100 years ago, it has spread. Somehow got introduced on Vancouver island, as well. 
If the OP could catch one and snap a picture, I'm sure a correct ID could be made. If it is a longear, then maybe that is info that should be reported to wildlife and fishery authorities(?).


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## chillimom (Jun 21, 2015)

definitely no red. olive grey with electric/iridescent blue on head and fins. I'll make sure next time I go I take a net  Won't be today though.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

Probably a longear then.


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