Can anyone please explain in detail the difference between..

[Delow317]

Sorry to ask this question even though I'm pretty sure It has been asked before but, could someone please explain the difference between all the species of Red Devils and the Midas Cichlids. Some of the old books I have say that The Midas Cichlid is the Cichlasoma Citrinellum? I ask certain aquarium shops and they pretty much all tell me that that is not true. Could someone please try to thoroughly explain how many species of Midas and/ or Rds there are and what ones are commonly confused. I'm sorry to ask this but I'm royally confused about why these two fish are mixed up all the time. I guess I just really want to find out what kinda a fish I have since it was sold under the common name Red Devil.
Please Help
Thanks

[Rex Karr]

In the Costa Rica and Nicargua, there are actually 15-30 species of the "Midas Complex". All look similiar, but there are great differences. Only a few are actually described as individual species, although the others are being studied and will most likely reach "species" status in the future.

But as far as the fish that are available in North America, Amphilophus labiatus and Amphilophus citrinellus are the only 2 species available. Both were once called Heros, and then Cichlasoma, and then many other names. But now, and for a long while they will be called Amphilophus. If you bought it from a LFS that doesn't sell wild caught or very high quality fish (99% of LFS's), then chances are its a hybrid of the 2. Because many people fail to recognize the differences and let the fish interbreed.

If your fish is wild, or atleast a good quality captive bred specimen, then you can easily identify the species.

Hope I've helped
Rex

[chc]

Oversimplified, Midas Cichlids (citrinellus) are the ones that have the big hump on their heads. The Red Devils (labiatus) have a bit more of an elongated snout and often have big, fat lips (especially wild caught and pond raised specimens). Both can be similarly colored, and both look very much alike at a small size. Once they reach about 4 or 5 inches it becomes easier to tell the two apart.

Still, as Rex noted, if you cannot be sure of your source, then you can almost be sure that you have a hybrid between the two. Fish farmers in Florida, etc. have, unfortunately but inadvertently, allowed the two to interbreed. Also, "Red Devil" has become something of a catch all phrase for local fish stores. I have actually sold Midas cichlids to a lfs only to see them later labeled as Red Devils.

Go to cichlidscene.com for pictures of true Midas Cichlids of many colors. Go to tangledupincichlids.com (gallery section) to see pictures of adult Red Devils. Visit the Cichlid Room Companion online for an article by the esteemed Paul Loiselle about the species complex. You'll get a better handle on it then.