Black Belt Cichlid (Vieja maculicauda) Care Guide
Vieja maculicauda is a large detritivorous cichlid ranging from southern Mexico to Panama, named for the bold dark band across its body.
Overview
Vieja maculicauda, the Black Belt cichlid, was described by Regan in 1905 (originally as Paraneetroplus maculicauda). It is a large Central American cichlid named for a bold dark vertical band across the body. FishBase records a maximum standard length of about 25 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Vieja
- Scientific name: Vieja maculicauda
- Describer: Regan, 1905
- Synonym: Paraneetroplus maculicauda
Habitat
The species ranges along the Central American Atlantic slope from the Usumacinta drainage of Guatemala south to the Chagres River in Panama. FishBase describes it as a freshwater, brackish, potamodromous, benthopelagic fish preferring muddy and sandy bottoms among submerged vegetation, at temperatures of 26-28 °C.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 500 L
- Temperature: 25-29 °C (77-84 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.0
- GH: 8-18 °dGH
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
Diet
It is largely herbivorous and detritivorous (FishBase trophic level about 2.0), feeding on benthic detritus, aquatic and terrestrial plants, seeds and fruits. A vegetable-rich diet suits it in captivity.
Compatibility
It is a large, territorial cichlid best kept with similarly sized Central American species in a spacious aquarium. Small fish and live plants are generally unsuitable.
Breeding
The species is a substrate spawner with biparental care. FishBase reports production of roughly 600-1,000 fry per spawning.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2018). It is also harvested commercially for fisheries, aquaculture and the aquarium trade.