Cichlasoma

The Bolivia cichlid, Cichlasoma boliviense, is a cichlid from the Rio Mamoré, Rio Guaporé and Madre de Dios drainages of Bolivia and Peru. It lives in shallow pools and along slow-moving shorelines and grows to around 11 cm. Not commonly seen in the hobby, it is less aggressive than many Central American cichlids but suits only a community of medium to large fish, and it rearranges the decor to suit itself.

The red terror, Cichlasoma festae, is a large, territorial cichlid from the Rio Esmeraldas in Ecuador and the Rio Tumbes in Peru. Males reach around 20 inches and females 12, and anything the fish can fit in its large mouth will be seen as food. Pairing is troublesome, since the weaker fish of an incompatible pair is likely to be killed, so a pair is best grown on from six juveniles. An introduced population also exists in Singapore.

Salvin's cichlid, Cichlasoma salvini, is a Central American cichlid native to eastern parts of southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. It has a well-deserved reputation for aggression, especially when breeding, and will prey on any fish it can fit in its mouth. It does not need a huge tank, with males reaching around 6 inches and females 4.5, and a true pair is best obtained by growing on six juveniles.

The three spot cichlid or trimac, Cichlasoma trimaculatum, is a large cichlid from western Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. It lives mainly in sluggish waters of the Pacific coastal plains, among roots, branches and vegetation over mud and sand. A fairly aggressive fish that grows to around 40 cm, it is believed to be one of the species used to create the flowerhorn hybrid, and both parents guard the eggs and fry.

The Mayan cichlid, Cichlasoma urophthalmus, is a large cichlid native to eastern parts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Also known as the Mexican mojarra, it lives in swamps, marshes and coastal lagoons, can tolerate and even breed in full marine conditions, and is often seen spawning around mangroves. Territorial and fairly aggressive, it is regarded as a potential pest fish in the USA, where introduced populations exist.