CENTRAL AMERICAN CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily Cichlasomatinae
Genus Cryptoheros
Some species from the genus Archocentrus have been moved to the new genus Cryptoheros.
— Cryptoheros altoflavus [Allgayer, 2001]. Synonym: Archocentrus altoflavus. Panama. 9 cm. Light gray coloration with purple and yellow sheen. Transverse black bars usually do not appear completely, but rather as a series of dark spots along the lateral line and on the back. Females are more brightly colored than males, having a more intense yellow coloration on the sides and fins. Males are more massive, with a powerful forehead, colored in darker tones.
— Cryptoheros chetumalensis [Schmitter-Soto, 2007]. Synonym: Archocentrus spilurus. (English – Red Fin Spilurus). Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras. 9 cm. This species displays remarkable reddish colors. On the head, a horizontal line runs from the upper part of the mouth through the eyes, forming a right angle with the upper line of the head. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are yellow-orange with a bluish tint.
Females have stronger red color on the cheeks and around the throat, as well as a noticeably red dorsal fin. During spawning behavior, the red color intensifies in both males and females, and the female becomes significantly darker. The coal-black and brownish-gray main body color changes to white with black stripes. Males are larger than females, and their anal and dorsal fins are longer.
They are not overly aggressive, except during the spawning period, and can be kept with other Central American cichlids of similar sizes. Brawls will occur from time to time, but they do not cause serious harm to each other. The main thing is to have enough territory in the aquarium, along with flower pots, caves, and plants.
The water should be alkaline and hard, containing a large amount of dissolved oxygen. Omnivorous, will accept almost any offered food, flake and granule mixes, and live food. Spawning takes place in caves. Good parents that will strictly defend the clutch and fry. T 20-28°C.
— Cryptoheros cutteri [Fowler, 1932]. Synonym: Archocentrus, Cichlasoma cutteri. (English – Blue Eyed Cichlid). Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua. Male up to 11 cm, female up to 8 cm. Eyes are blue. They differ from their relatives by a more gray-green body color, with black transverse stripes extending onto the dorsal fin, and a shiny blue stripe running along the flank. In adults, the front part of the belly is yellow-orange. Males have wine-colored fins. Females are somewhat lighter.
Relatively peaceful cichlids. Substrate of sand and gravel, large rocks, roots, and driftwood. Usually, plants are not touched, and the substrate is not dug up. Caves and shelters must be present in the aquarium. Flakes, granules, frozen, and live foods are used for feeding. Starting from 6 cm for females and 8 cm for males, they reach sexual maturity. The male is sometimes very aggressive toward the female.
Outside the breeding season, it is a very calm cichlid. However, during offspring care, both parents energetically defend them. They occupy a territory that they do not let anyone enter. Eggs are laid in a cave. pH 6.5-8.0; dH up to 15°; T 25-29°C.
— Cryptoheros myrnae [Loiselle, 1997]. Synonym: Archocentrus myrnae. (English – Mojarra, Topaz Cichlid). Costa Rica, Panama. Male 10 cm, female 8 cm. Males are larger and brighter, especially during the spawning period. The female has a dark spot on the dorsal fin. During spawning, the female’s main color becomes light brown, while the head and lower body become completely black, and a large copper-colored spot appears on the belly. Similar to C. septemfasciatus.
Moderately aggressive species, especially during the breeding period. Keeping it with other Central American cichlids is only possible in a sufficiently large aquarium so that each species has enough space to form territories. Better kept with middle and upper water layer fish. Aquarium with plants, driftwood, and cave-like shelters. Does not damage plants. The water must be well oxygenated. Eggs are laid in caves. Females herd the fry while the male guards the territory. dH 15-25°; T 23-26°C; pH 7.0-8.5.
— Cryptoheros spilurus [Gunther, 1862]. Synonyms: Cichlasoma spilurum, immaculatum; Archocentrus, Heros spilurus. (English – Blue Eye Cichlid, Jade Eyed Cichlid). Inhabits rivers and lakes along the Atlantic slope, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala. Male up to 12 cm, females 8-9 cm. Body is egg-shaped, back is high, ends of dorsal and anal fins are elongated. The forehead line rises steeply; with age, males develop a fatty hump. Coloration varies depending on mood, level of irritation, and fish health.
Main coloration ranges from olive-green to yellowish-brown with a bluish-gray tint; upper body and head are gray-brown, belly is olive-green. All body scales are large with a greenish-blue sheen. Gill covers and lower body from the midline down are emerald-green, scales with black-blue edges and a blue tint form a reticulated pattern. Across the body run 7-8 dark bands or shapeless spots, which disappear with age, and the entire body turns green with a blue sheen. Several black-blue spots on the flank.
Dorsal and anal fins are long with pointed ends, greenish-blue with a smoky tint and a narrow dark gray border along the edge. Caudal fin is rounded, greenish with a gray border. Ventral fins are elongated, green; pectoral fins are smoky. In the male, the dorsal and anal fins are longer, sharper, and colored reddish, while in the female they are yellow. Males are larger, more brightly colored, and have a more convex forehead.
The female is significantly smaller than the male and paler in color. The transverse stripes in the female are the same as in the male, but during the spawning period, they turn black and become more distinct. Fins are shorter and rounded at the ends. Gill covers range from golden to green. The female’s main decoration is a large round black spot in the center of the dorsal fin, bordered by a bright blue wide shiny stripe.
During spawning, males turn green with a metallic sheen, throat and gill covers are golden, tail base and caudal fin are bright green-turquoise to blue. Ventral fins turn pitch black. Females are brownish-green with a metallic sheen and three distinct vertical black spots on the belly. While guarding fry, both parents have a pale coloration with dark vertical stripes. Fry are gray-green. Albino and xanthic forms exist.
Fish are territorial; pairs form at a young age from a group of fish. Males often fight among themselves over a female. It is better to keep them in a group to reduce aggressiveness. In spacious aquariums, they get along well with both other cichlids and fish of other families, though they are pugnacious during spawning. In case of unsuccessful spawning, the male may kill the female.
In a large aquarium, they dig the substrate very little; plants with a strong root system and coarse leaves can be kept, as soft ones are eaten. The main thing is that they be hard-leaved, with a good root system — it is better to plant them in pots and cover with stones. Not picky regarding the chemical composition of the water. Aeration, filtration, and weekly partial water changes are necessary. Omnivorous, consuming live food — bloodworms, large daphnia, snails, small fish. The species is very resistant to diseases and lives a long time with good care.
Mature at 8-12 months. The main thing is to pick a suitable pair. If the female and male start fighting each other, the female must be removed immediately, and after some time, another one introduced. Eggs are laid on a substrate (substrate where they can dig a pit, on driftwood, a rock, on the ceiling of a flower pot). Parents care for the offspring, mainly the female, while the male guards the nest. Sometimes the male begins to fiercely chase and beat the female. dH 8-25°; pH 6.8-8.0; T 22-24°C.
Identification: Genus Cryptoheros — Cryptoheros cutteri, myrnae, spilurus.
Cryptoheros nanoluteus, Cryptoheros panamensis, Cryptoheros sajica.
Cichlasoma trimaculatum, Cichlasoma urophthalmus. 
