Redhead Cichlid

The Redhead Cichlid, long known in the hobby as Vieja synspilum, is a large, deep-bodied Central American cichlid famous for the vivid red and orange that floods the head and body of dominant adults, often with a pronounced nuchal hump in mature males. It lives in warm rivers, lakes and lagoons of the Yucatán region among rocks and submerged wood. Reaching around 35 cm, it needs a big tank of 450 litres or more with robust rockwork, driftwood and a sand base, kept with equally sizeable, sturdy tankmates. Semi-aggressive and strongly territorial when breeding, it is nonetheless less relentless than many similar-sized cichlids. Its diet leans omnivorous with a vegetable bias, so feed quality pellets, spirulina, blanched greens and occasional meaty foods. Maintain neutral to slightly alkaline, moderately hard water at pH 7.0-8.0 and 25-30 C with powerful filtration.