Paratheraps, Cichlasoma, Vieja.....

[koltsixx]

I've recently become very interested in the genus often times categorized under three scientific names Paratheraps, Cichlasoma and Vieja. Different distributors carry this genus, but use different scientific names to identify the same fish. Often times causing some confusion to hobbyist's new to keeping this genus or those thinking about keeping this genus.

I did alot of research trying to find info on these guys, but because of the different names commonly used it was hard to track down info. on them. For instance the Paratheraps Zonatus searched netted me the most info., while Vieja Zonata netted me less info though shared pics and Cichlasoma Zonatum netted me the least info. However if I didn't know about the multiple commonly used scientific names I might have been out of luck researching the Zonata.

So I figured I'd write-up a little info. on this genus and the member's in it to help fellow hobbyist's trying to find out some basic husbandry requirements.
As well as help with any confusion caused by the different names distributor's are using to describe the same fish. So you can have a better idea about what your buying from a distributor. I plan on going thru all the individuals I know in the genus, though not in one day. So expect updates when I get the time on different fish.

I'm gonna start with my personal favorite Paratheraps Zonatus. A fish who is best represented in Aquamojo's amazing pics and these are the pics that first inspired my interest in this genus. Some of the pics I'm going to use are Aquamojo's and some other images I could snag off the net. I've asked permission when it was possible and will try to credit the other's appropiately when permission couldn't be asked.

 

[svtim]

i could be way off base here but did jeff rapps from tangled up in cichlids help in the Paratheraps fileing of species.

 

[koltsixx]

Paratheraps Zonatus

Synonyms: Vieja Zonata, Cichlasoma Zonatum

Common names: Mojarra, Oaxaca


size: 12 inches

temperature: 77-81 F​

diet: omnivore​

temperament: aggressive​

ph: 7.0-7.6​

conspecific: highly aggressive​

hardness: 10-15dGH​

gender: dimorphic​

notes:​

Extremely aggressive both intra and inter specific to the point of attacking fish much larger than itself. Any fish crossing into it's perceived territory is attacked viciously, unfortunately it's not unusual for them to consider the whole tank their territory. That being said this fish is best housed by itself. Though there are exceptions to the rule, it's up to you whether it's worth gambling the lives of your other stock to try adding it to a community. As far as breeding goes it's best done with one male per several females. A 1 to 1 ratio will often times lead to the death of the female. A better ratio would be 1 to 3 ratio(male/female). The male will choose the female with the highest ranking in the heirachy for courtship. The lower ranking females will still be attacked from time to time, helping dilute the amount of aggression toward his intended mate. Making a successful spawning more probable as well as helping insure the survival of the females. Sexing is difficult until the Zonatus puts on some size. As they mature the male often develops a cranial hump and have more pointed fins on their wings than females.​

 

[Gourami Swami]

nice profile dude. i like the zonatus a lot, its one of my favorite viejas, and viejas are my favorite genus Mojos is really nice too. Ive seen quite a few of them at around 7" and they are a dull greenish/reddish color, they dont develop the blue untill theyre almost full size

 

[koltsixx]

Paratheraps Breidohri

Synonyms: Vieja Breidohri, Cichlasoma Breidohri, Herichthys Breidohri

Common names: Angostura

size: 12 inches

temperature:75-80 F​

diet: omnivore​

temperament: tolerant​

ph: 7.0-7.6​

conspecific: aggressive​

hardness:10-20dGH​

gender: dimorphic​

notes:​

Less aggressive than most of it's relatives. Relatively peaceful toward tankmates unless they're conspecific's or if the breidohri are spawning. In that case all tankmates may have to be removed, as their aggression can quickly become lethal to fellow tankmates. While it is possible to breed them in a 1 male to 1 female ratio it is possible to lose the female to the males aggression. A better ratio would be 1 male to 2-3 females to help distribute the aggression of the male between them. Making a successful spawning more likely as well as female survival. Full grown males are generally a blue/grey with a black throat. Females have a rust-red areas on the dorsal and anal fins.​

 

[Aquamojo]

P. zonatus

I'm always very hesitant to measure a fish's aggression in any profile. Fish behavior varies greatly dependent on many factors...tank mates, breeding, size of the body of water kept. I can concur that in an average aquarium the fish is aggressive toward con specifics. I personally haven't seen this toward other fish. The key with all this, IMHO, is having the fish grow together.

juveniles will exhibit the start of the same coloration at around 3"

At 6" the fish is clearly zonatus.

The fish most commonly mis-identified with the zonatus is P. Guttulatus. A very close second will be the paratheraps sp. coatzacoalcos. For what it's worth, the word zonatus means "band" in latin. the fish is endemic to Mexico...primarily near Niltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.

 

[Aquamojo]

Even at a small size the male and female are easily distinguishable with the male being more higher bodied and the female more torpedo shaped. Male and female @ 3" & 2"

Female:

Breidohri look dramatically different as juveniles. Here's a male at around 4"

Females will be much smaller...less than two thirds the size of the male...but with the same beautiful coloration. Female at 8"

And of course...the male...IMHO one of the most beautiful CA cichlids out there:

It was thought that this fish, found in the Atlantic slope of Central America in the Grijalva River basin, might have been a variant of another paratheraps fish...Hartwegi.

One trait that all Paratheraps possess is horizontal bar that runs from the base of the pectoral fin to the base of the tail....most commonly observed during breeding.

 

[buddha1200]

i think as far a genus goes,i think the more research is done on certain fish they are moved to different genus's to help separate them more(of course i am no expert)but vieja and paratheraps are my favorite genus,i think those are the most colorful and varied genuses.

 

[cichlid2006]

An article about Vieja and their classification http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3319

 

[BC in SK]

Paratheraps Zonatus

ph: 7.0-7.6​

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hardness: 10-15dGH​

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Where does this reading actually come from?


A re-iteration of another made-up fish profile? Or an actual reading taken from the wters these fish come from?----I really doubt that.

From fish collection expeditions, from academic papers on wter quality, ect., I've looked on-line at all kinds of sources that show ACTUAL READINGS taken from southern Mexico (as well as Guatamala and Belize) and I can't find anything that is not pH high 7's to mid 8's. For example this article by Jaun Miguel Artigas Azas on salvivini. P. zonatus is sympatric (found in many of the same bodies of water) with salvivni.
http://www.cichlidae.com/article.php?id=109

Juan miguel Artigas Azas states: " Water chemistry is always on the alkaline side, with pH measurements over 7.5 and values up to 8.0 or more not being unusual. Hardness shows the widest variation from relatively soft waters (8* DH) to very hard waters (>50* DH)."

I'm not trying to "nit pick", because I'm sure Paratheraps/Veija will do more then fine in pH 7.0. But I really think it's a case where somebody made something up and it has been copied and re-iterated as if it were some kind of fact. It's really mis-information. I've looked and looked and I haven't found anything through out this whole region with ph 7.0. I'm sure it exists somewhere(as well as more acidic water) but it sure can't be too common. I know that water varies considerably by the season (from wet to dry) and from one body of wter to the next, but I would think even pH around 8.5 would be alot more common then pH 7.0. I think the pH and hardness range stated in fish profiles for most C.A. cichlids is far too narrow and in most cases less basic and less hard then the actual waters they typically come from.