The Red Texas Cichlid that Isn't?

[Serpentine]

I have a "Red Texas" cichlid that I bought a couple of months ago from PetSmart.

I'm not entirely sure that he is a Red Texas. He looks (and acts) more like a young male Flowerhorn IMO. He's grown quickly and his previously maroon / brown coloration has considerably lightened. Now he's a pale red with an overall light turquoise sheen. He has a pronounced nuchal hump though it isn't super exaggerated (he's about 5 inches long).

He's in with some smaller juvenile M. festae and he keeps those Red Terrors on their toes. He loves to pick fights. They school for safety. I also threw in a nasty little H. bimaculatus Jewel cichlid who had killed everyone in her tank including her boyfriend. She too is schooling with the Terrors to ward him off.

His name is Caligula and he fully lives up to his namesake. Whatever he is, he will be a beast.

I will post pictures as soon as I can to assist with ID. Currently he is sleeping under the filter return and is not visible.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Red texas and flowerhorn are both hybrids, and any hybrid from petsmart is of dubious origin. They're kind of same thing. Red texas usually strong carpintis genes.

 

[RD.]

Many of the fish sold as RT's at Petsmart over the years turned out to be Kamfa flowerhorn. Here's a thread from several yrs back on this subject.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/official-petsmart-kamfa-flowerhorn-thread.467956/

This should probably be moved to the same folder as link above.

 

[Rocksor]

A Red Texas is just carpinitis looking hybrid that is shade of orange/red. Since both a red texas and flowerhorn use Central American cichlids to make them, their behavior can be the same.

I find it laughable it when people market and sell fry as red texas cichlids because of the parents used to create a Red Texas hybrid. There's no guarantee you will get a cichlid that looks like a carpintis and be orange/red as adults. Even more laughable is when the adults are called red texas because of the lineage, and it doesn't have the visual traits of a Red Texas hybrid.

 

[RD.]

Even more laughable is those who attach "super" to the red texas name, just because their fish has some red/orange showing. A high quality RT costs mega bucks, some of the "super" specimens sold in SE Asia cost 1K or more. Most of the ones seen here in North America big box stores are simply first generation (F1) from a hybrid cross of male carpintis and female KKP blood parrots. Many of those offspring turn out to be duds.

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

I made the classic Pet Smart, Red Texas Cichlid, impulsive purchase mistake about six months ago. Not the best move I've ever made. He is now six inches long, nice pearling, a little red coloration between the scales, and a very nice set of teeth. When he decides to kill a tankmate there is no corpse to recover. Probably going to trade this one in. Look familiar. Lol.

 

[Serpentine]

Caught up with Caligula. Here's the beastie. He does look similar to your fish, Stephen, but much more red. He has a red base with a more subtle all over pale turquoise sheen. Pictures don't capture it very well. He does have quite a set of teeth and a penchant for killing tank mates who can't stand up to him. He likes to visit with me though.

Note the small Red Terror photo bombing him in the third pic.

 

[RD.]

Well the good news is your fish is indeed what is referred to as a red texas, not a flowerhorn.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Not seeing a lot of carpintus in this one, I'm thinking I see flowerhorn and parrot, def Texas type,not sure I'd call him red.

Edit: Caligula is a cool historic name

 

[Serpentine]

Profile shot if it helps.

He has a big flower pot he could call home but he prefers the coconuts for the younger fish. He just excavates a pit until he can cram himself in there.