Fish ID Please!!

[Luggy978]

Hi all. I've been to my sisters today and she has purchased these two but she can't remember what they were called. I'm pretty new to cichlids myself so an ID would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Sorry about the pics. Wouldn't keep still!!


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[Fishy Smell]

Cryptoheros Sajica or 'T bar cichlid'. The females have yellow in the fins and the males crimson red. I have one of each but by the looks of your pics you have 2 females. They might not get on too great, unless bought at the same time and they still might not get on too great! Have to see how they go. They are harder on each other than a couple of female convicts in the same tank, in my experience anyway.


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[Fishy Smell]

This is my large male btw. I'm still growing my female in another tank and hope to breed them eventually. I bought at different times and shops to prevent in breeding....


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[Luggy978]

He's a beauty. Yeah it looks like my sister had two females. She's had them a good few months now in a community tank with everything but the kitchen sink in it and she said they've been fine. I'm thinking of finding a male and acquiring them of her cause they are pretty cool. Ha


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[Fishy Smell]

Yeah, in breeding dress they are stunning, particularly the female. Keep them on their own in that case though because they will seriously mangle anything around them if they breed. The male gets so aggressive it's unbelievable.

The females in a community are normally ok if added last, but they may go after anything small and delicate that's added after them so be wary.


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[Luggy978]

Hi. I've been out this weekend to mu LFS and they have some 1" sajicas in stock!! I have an empty 15g tank pretty much ready to go. Do you think 2 of them would be ok in there to start with? And if so how long till I needed to upgrade and what size would I need. Sorry to ask you direct but you seem to be in the know


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[Fishy Smell]

Yes a 15 gallon will be fine for a while if you keep a pair on their own, and they should breed in there. Longer term (as they get closer to full size) you might want something a little bigger but see how they get along. I honestly think the water volume/floor size would be big enough for their likely maximum sizes, but if they get touchy with each other more space would definately be recommended, with lots of shelter. And of course, if you successfully breed the fry to half an inch or so, you'll need to move them all to something twice the size, and start moving the fry out of that once they're over an inch if there is a lot of them.

So basically the answer is yes but be prepared for lots of moving about later.

An extra point is that they could be a bit shy on their own in that size tank without dithers. Get lots of hiding places, a good lid (cover) and subdued lighting to chill them out.

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[Luggy978]

Thanks a lot. I'm on with it now. Gonna get the tank set up and cycled so hopefully soon I'll have some pictures of the set up.


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[Fishy Smell]

Cool, my trusted book says that they're best kept as a pair and in 20 gallon min but that's obviously for a full size pair so you should be good for at least 12 months if they're only 1" now.


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[iraves]

Looks like a jade eye cichlid to me...

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[iraves]

This is my large male btw. I'm still growing my female in another tank and hope to breed them eventually. I bought at different times and shops to prevent in breeding....View attachment 245846


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This doesn't look the same as the fish in the OP imho

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[Fishy Smell]

Jade eye is the common name given incorrectly by some stores for the Tbar or 'Sajica'. For instance, the first time I bought one it was called a Jade eye, but it was in fact cryptoheros Sajica. The true Jade eye is something slightly different. (Spilurus) Trust me, this info is correct.

If you read all of the info above you will understand why they look a little different but are in fact the same species.(the OP and mine)


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[Luggy978]

I've managed to get a sajica instead of getting a pair I've got what I hopes a male so I can grow it on and eventually take one of the females off my sister. I think this is a better idea because I've been watching them at my sisters and they do fight like cat and dog!! My fish is about 1.25" with red on his dorsal fin. I've read that you can sex then like this. Is this accurate and do you think I have a male?



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[Fishy Smell]

It's another female I'm afraid. Where your fish is yellow, the males are a crimson red colour.


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[Luggy978]

I think it's the light in that pic!! He/she is definatley red on the fins. I'll try and get a better picture soon.


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[Luggy978]

A few more pics. Not very good ones but you can see the red a bit more.
What do ya think?


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[iraves]

I was told that the sexing was to do with the dorsal fin.

If there is is a black stripe that goes all the way through it its it's a male. Amd if it hasn't it's a female.

Plus the females are usually large and pale compared to the male.

I may be wrong but that's what's I have been told.

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[Fishy Smell]

As far as I'm aware it's purely the colour, yellow vs crimson and my experiences with them back this up. The second of the new pics does look male colours though, try for a few more close ups if you can.


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[Luggy978]

Really struggling with the close ups. The bugger won't stay still


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[Luggy978]

Think he's definatley a male. Crimson red with a bit of blue.


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