Festae or Mayan? Looking for an ID check on this Red Terror.

Jexnell

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jul 17, 2017
5,702
12,239
493
PNW
It's a Mesoheros Festae

Quickest way to tell the difference is the eyespot on the tail.
Festae the eyespot is mostly on the top portion of the fin.
Mayan cichlids eyespot is centered on the tail.
This Festae looks female. The dark dorsal fin and body shape tells the story.
 

WOLF2013

Banned
MFK Member
May 2, 2018
674
537
105
31
Lake Worth Florida
www.youtube.com
A true red terror aka festae and a gorgeous female at that! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey and Darkga

duanes

MFK Moderators
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2007
21,443
27,301
2,910
Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
The tail spot difference is true in many other cichlids. beside uropthalmus.
In most central American cichlids the caudal spot is centered , as in the Nosferatu pantostictus below
1654601609319.png
The tail spot in festae and many other S Americans is not centered but encompasses the upper part, as in the festae below.
1654601762158.png
But not only festae.
Note the tail spot in the S American Australoheros below
1654601867302.png
or the Mesoheros gephyrum below
1654602155791.png
but below another example of a Central American
Amatitlania cutteri
1654602406464.png
or below Parachromis motaguense
1654602496034.png
and more to the point below, Mayaheros uropthalmus in nature.
Azul imovie edit
 

Darkga

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 30, 2011
8
12
33
GA
Nice.
never seen a female with this much green on her face.
any plans to spawn her?
Yes indeed, I have an unrelated adult male that I plan to put her with. Oh and I just received even more confirmation that she is a she... she laid eggs a couple days ago! Unfortunately I had not introduced the male yet, so they were not fertilized, but I will be ready the next time around. Thanks again to everyone in this thread.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store