Redhead Cichlid

For many years the redhead cichlid was known in the hobby as Vieja synspila (or "synspilum"). Today this name is considered a synonym of Vieja melanura; both names are used in stores. In mature fish the head and throat are bright red, and the rear of the body has blue-green and purple reflections; a dark band runs along the body toward the tail. Males develop a forehead hump with age.

It is considered one of the ancestors of hybrids such as the flowerhorn and the blood parrot. Males reach 30 cm; since it is a heavy-bodied fish with a big appetite, a large aquarium and a strong filter are essential.

It lives in the slow-flowing tributaries, lakes and swamps of the Usumacinta River system in southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. In the wild it feeds on plants, algae, detritus and small invertebrates; a large part of its diet is plant matter.

• Volume: At least 400 liters and 150–180 cm of length for a single adult or a pair.
• Decor: Large, sturdy stones and roots; it digs in the substrate and eats plants.
• Equipment: A strong canister filter or sump, a protected heater.
• Water: Moderately hard, alkaline water; a 30–50% water change every week.

An omnivore with a mainly plant-based diet. Use a cichlid granule containing spirulina or vegetables as the staple; give blanched peas, spinach, zucchini and lettuce. Add frozen shrimp and mysis a few times a week. A monotonous diet of high-protein foods leads to digestive problems.

For its large size it is usually considered calm; but it becomes tougher during breeding and toward members of its own species. It may eat small fish that fit in its mouth.

Good companions: Cichlids of similar size (Texas cichlid, black belt cichlid, severum in a very large tank), large plecos, silver dollars.

Avoid: Small fish, shrimp, planted layouts, predatory cichlids that are much more aggressive than itself (such as dovii).

Kept alone or as a naturally formed pair. Raise juveniles together and choose a pair that forms. A bonded pair becomes severely aggressive toward other fish during breeding.

The pair lays anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand eggs on a cleaned stone. The larvae are moved into dug-out pits, and both parents guard the fry for a long time. The fry are fed brine shrimp nauplii. To prevent hybridization, it should not be bred in the same tank as other Vieja or Amphilophus species.

• Bloat and intestinal problems: When plant-based food is lacking.
• Hole-in-the-head disease (HLLE): In poor water quality.
• Fight injuries: When two males are kept in the same tank.

The male is larger, with a prominent forehead hump and longer dorsal and anal fins. The female is smaller, and her colors may be a little paler. A reliable distinction is made by the papilla.