Herichthys

The pearlscale cichlid, Herichthys carpintis, is a large cichlid from northern Mexico, found in lagoons around the mouth of the Panuco drainage. It is often mislabelled as the Texas or green Texas cichlid, though the Texas cichlid is a different species, H. cyanoguttatus. Not difficult to keep or breed, it digs, can be territorial and sometimes downright aggressive, and males may turn on females when spawning.

The Texas cichlid, Herichthys cyanoguttatus, is native to the Rio Grande drainage in the southern United States and Mexico. The only cichlid occurring naturally in the USA, it is highly belligerent and territorial, digs constantly and needs a tank of at least 120 cm for a single specimen. The similar H. carpintis is sometimes sold under its name and has larger, scattered flank spots, where H. cyanoguttatus shows obvious lateral rows of small spots.

Herichthys pearsei is a large, almost exclusively vegetarian cichlid from the coastal waters of eastern Mexico and Guatemala. Males reach around 42.5 cm and females around 35 cm, so a fully grown male or pair needs a tank of around 240 cm, and any plants will be eaten. For its size it is quite placid, and suits a community of bigger fish that share its need for hard, alkaline water.