Cichlid Profiles - Red Texas Cichlid
 

The Red Texas Cichlid is a misnomer. It is not part Texas Cichlid, nor is it usually red. Many aquarists think it's a hybrid of the Texas Cichlid, Herichthys cyanoguttatus, the only cichlid native to Mexico and the United States, but in fact it is a hybrid of a close relative, H. carpintis, the Pearlscale Cichlid, with either a Midas or Red Devil (Amphilophus labiatus). The confusion is to be expected, as the ranges of the two Herichthys almost overlap at the Panuco River Drainage in northern Mexico, and they are superficially similar looking. The Pearscale ground color is grey and its body is covered with large blue-green glossy spots. The Red Devil phase of labiatus is Orange or Red, whereas the Midas color variant is somewhat lighter in color. Midas and Red Devils are semi-species which interbreed in the wild and cannot always be distinguished gentically. The Red Texas is a man made hybrid of two fish with different ranges, but who freely interbreed in large aquaria. Red Texas come in dull rust color, orange, coral, and bright red, with or without pearling on the body. The parents do not breed 100% true, so there is always this variation, even in fry of the same brood.

They are large (10 inch) nasty cichlids who are carnivorous, territorial, vicious, and sometimes fairly schizophrenic. I have a 10 inch Coral one, who does strange things such as playing with pieces of plastic, watching fish in other tanks for long periods of time, sticking his head in the filter box, and detaching filter intake parts. They are intolerant of company, and often kill females in their awkward attempts to initiate breeding behavior. The males can have medium sized nuchal humps. They are great excavators, and build very high gravel mounds and rock tunnels.

Although many people say they need a larger tank, I have kept mine in a 29 gallon with an Aquaclear 70 filter since he was a fingerling. They like moderately hard water, 73-78 degrees, and don't care much about pH as they are very tough. They swim in a frenetic, jerky manner, often stopping on a dime, and then shooting away very quickly.

They are an interesting, intelligent oddball pet fish.