Tamasopo Cichlid

About

The Tamasopo Cichlid (Herichthys tamasopoensis) is a medium-to-large cichlid native to a fairly restricted range in east-central Mexico, where it inhabits the Tamasopo River within the broader Panuco drainage. In the wild it lives in clear, hard, alkaline water flowing over rocky substrates. Conditions that are worth replicating in the aquarium. It shares its home waters with other notable Mexican species including swordtails, livebearers, and the ever-present Astyanax, which gives you a sense of the lively community it comes from in nature. As a herbivore, its diet should lean heavily on plant-based foods, and any keeper who has experience with large North American cichlids will recognize the typical territory-holding personality that comes with the territory. This is not a fish for a community tank of small or delicate species. At up to ten inches for a large male, it needs genuine space and tankmates that can handle themselves. That said, it is a rewarding species for the intermediate keeper who appreciates cichlids from the Herichthys group. Robust, personable, and relatively long-lived. The hard, alkaline water requirements it demands are actually straightforward to maintain in many parts of the country where tap water runs on the harder side.