# whats this big fella?



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)




----------



## Kerricko (May 26, 2010)

That my friend is a very good question. Awesome looking fish though.


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

heh! yes he is  
i am guessing central or south american by his body size and shape but i am not good at this stuff.


----------



## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

Appears to be _Vieja bifasciatus_, best guess.


----------



## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

Chromedome52 said:


> Appears to be _Vieja bifasciatus_, best guess.


I would agree. Has most similarity to V. bifaciatus because of the large black blotch in the middle of the body. But with Vieja/Paratheraps it is very difficult to distinguish and determine whether or not fishes are crosses because individuals are highly varibale and the differnt species are very similar. The red on the fins and and the red breast would seem to suggest Black belt ancestory but who knows for sure.

The color on the face, as well, is quite typical of what is fairly common for many black belts.


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

he doesnt show them much, but he has three vertical black blotch/stripes down the middle back area on both sides.

is this type of fish related to flowerhorn? when i try those names online i sometimes see flowerhorn tied in with it. can you tell me about this fish's typical attitude?
can it be housed with other fish? with my midas or no? smaller cichlids or no?

or direct me to a good site maybe?


----------



## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

awilson0001 said:


> is this type of fish related to flowerhorn? when i try those names online i sometimes see flowerhorn tied in with it. can you tell me about this fish's typical attitude?
> can it be housed with other fish? with my midas or no? smaller cichlids or no?


Flowerhorn is a term for various crossbred CA cichlid breeds. Some do pocess Veija/Paratheraps ancestory, though most strains seem to show greatest similarity to the Trimac cichlid ("exCichlasoma" trimaculatus) and/or Amphilophus species (RD/Midas).

These are thelists of paratheraps species: http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/genus.php?id=66
And Veija species:http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/genus.php?id=71

Your fish no doubt belongs to this group, Veija/Paratheraps, and although IMO your fish seems to have greatest similarity to P. bifasciatus, it is often difficult to say for certain with this group of fishes, that it is definately one kind as aposed to another. Many different, distinct regional variants exist for most species; as well, many of these fishes can be highly variable from one individual to another......plus the fact that crosses between the different Veija/Paratheraps species are quite common in the hobby.

Most Veija/Paratheraps have very high conspecific aggression, and sometimes it can be very difficult to how these types of fish togther. They can be quite competitive with other CA cichlids as well. It is possible to house Veija/Paratheraps with an RD/midas in tanks 6 ft. or larger,( with other tankmates as well), though there is never any guarantee that things will work out when trying to house large CA cichlids together. Generally, IMO and IME, they tend NOT to be too aggressive towards smaller fish, or fishes that are not seen as a territorial threat.


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

he looks like paratheraps fenestratus kinda actually. and they have the reddish fins.

i am not an expert though.


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

A lot of the Vieja/Paratheraps species have red-ish fins, but those aren't fenestratus red  Plus, fene's have very red faces too, not blue.


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

point taken  thats why i come to you guys. ill have to get some better pictures when hes feeling more at home. his face is definately a bluish. his fins are a maroon red, kind of purple red. pretty fins 

oh the three vertical black blotchy bars are not near as dominant as the solid horizontal belt he had last night. maybe he is a Chameleon?


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

update picture. this is of his other side and it shows that black stripe.


----------



## hongi7480 (Jan 20, 2011)

Awesome fish


----------



## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

Like has been already mentioned. Paratheraps bifasciatus.You would be very, very hard pressed to find any other specimen of Paratheraps/Veija with a big blotch in the middle of the body, like your fish(other then P. bifasciatus , of course). Typical for P. bifasciatus to show a horizontal 'Veija' stripe as an adult......not very typical for most other Paratheraps/Veija to show a 'Veija' stripe beyond juvie stage. And, like has been mentioned before, whether or not your fish is some type of Paratheraps/Veija cross.......very, very difficult to say for sure, either way. Though the second picture looks even more typical of what many P. bifaciatus look like.


----------



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

well, i have had him/her for a few weeks now. doing very well and not hurting or chasing anyone.
i put some africans in with it and they seem to get along. at this point, i am tempted to put him in my 125 with my larger africans.
do you think he would act the same in there? or be more aggresive?

he is also a lite eater... that helps with the bio load :thumb:


----------

