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No federal permit to keep

Twoband cichlid

Vieja bifasciata

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Vieja bifasciata, also known as the twoband cichlid or red-spotted cichlid, is a large and colorful freshwater fish native to Mexico and Guatemala.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Twoband cichlid — Photo: (c) Schrodiskitten, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Photo: (c) Schrodiskitten, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 11.8 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 60 in long and 24 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 11.8 in / 30 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 79–86°F (range recorded for this species).
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a herbivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 81–84 °F, pH 7–8.5.
Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Like others in the genus, C.”
Diet: “Most accurately described as a herbivorous detrivore.”
Tankmates: “This is a large and moderate to very aggressive cichild, varying from individual to individual.”
Breeding: “All studied members of Vieja are bi-parental substrate-spawners and provided you have sufficient space are not too difficult to breed.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is found from the River Grijalva and Usumacinta basins in western parts of Mexico and Guatemala. It belongs to the family Cichlidae, which includes many popular aquarium fish.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Vieja bifasciata” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits calm waters of lakes, lagoons and lower river valleys with slow to moderate flowing current. Feeds mainly on bottom detritus and vegetable matter but will eat most all forms of plant life from algal filaments to terrestrial plants.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 79–86 °F (26–30 °C).
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 79–86 °F.

FishBase species summary: Vieja bifasciata

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 94°F (up to 97°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 64°F (down to 58°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	74–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	73–75% on average (driest month about 67%)
Rainfall	about 2268 mm a year

Measured at 48 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Vieja bifasciata, also known as the twoband cichlid or red-spotted cichlid, is a large and colorful freshwater fish native to Mexico and Guatemala. It is found from the River Grijalva and Usumacinta basins in western parts of Mexico and Guatemala. It belongs to the family Cichlidae, which includes many popular aquarium fish. Vieja bifasciata can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length and has a deep-bodied shape. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Vieja bifasciata is a sexually dimorphic fish, meaning that the males and the females have different physical characteristics. Males have a prominent nuchal hump on their forehead and are larger, brighter colored. Females are smaller, duller, and have a rounded genital papilla. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Inhabits calm waters of lakes, lagoons and lower river valleys with slow to moderate flowing current. Feeds mainly on bottom detritus and vegetable matter but will eat most all forms of plant life from algal filaments to terrestrial plants. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources11.8in

FishBase 16411.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 16711.8

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources80–85°F

FishBase 16479–86

Seriously Fish species profiles 16781–84

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7–8.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677–8.5

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
5 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.