mystery cichlid for sale at work

**reptileguy2727** · 03-07-2006, 07:55 AM

i work at a LFS and i found this guy in one of the tanks on our cichlid system. i asked the other employees what it was and where it came from and no one had any idea. he acts pretty shy, but when i stuck him in the tank with all the jack dempseys (3-4"), he had them at one end of the tank and he stayed at the other end of the tank and kept them at their end. he is about 2.5-3". i have asked many people, including customers who have a lot of experience with cichlids and no one has any idea what it is. i even posted on another forum and they couldnt really come to a conclusion. any and all suggestions are welcomed.

**crazyfishlady** · 03-07-2006, 08:37 AM

lokos kinda like vieja ufermanni, but I don't think those are common enough to just show up unexpectedly...

**reptileguy2727** · 03-07-2006, 08:57 AM

vieja was one of the ones mentioned at another forum. it was there when i came back (used to work there, worked other places for 2 years, came back) and in all likelihood it was given to us by a customer. obviously who knows where they got it, could have been misidentified where they got it. or it could have come in with other fish we bought for all we know. have you had these? any care tips? compatibility?

**crazyfishlady** · 03-07-2006, 11:27 AM

I have a V. ufermanni, but I'm not certain that that's what yours is. Alot of things look really right to be ufermanni, but a couple things are off.
here's a pic of my ufermanni at about 3"

**reptileguy2727** · 03-07-2006, 11:34 AM

what makes you think it isnt? just so i know what you are talking about when you say a couple things are off. again, any info on care and compatibility? maybe even a suggested price?

**crazyfishlady** · 03-07-2006, 11:49 AM

The stripes are much more noticable on my ufermanni, however when they get older that sort of disappears & they get a big splotch of black on each side. (stripes reappear w/ stress and probably spawning)
Also the fish in your pic has sort of a wash of green on the gills just below the eyes. My ufer has distinct green freckles. I'll try to find a better pic.
If thats what it is it is mainly herbivorous, easy to care for, slow growing for a vieja, and not particularly aggressive.
TUIC is selling them at 4" for $20.00

**crazyfishlady** · 03-07-2006, 11:52 AM

OK heres a more recent pic. It has, as you can see gotten alot more color as it grows. Its, I would say, between 6 & 7" now and I've had it for about a year.

**reptileguy2727** · 03-07-2006, 12:01 PM

well, he was just stuck in a specimen cup for the pic so he was stressed, he is always hiding in his tank on the system so i couldnt take a pic of him in his tank. and the other differences could probably be allowed for through general genetic variability.