minkley's cichlid
Herichthys minckleyi
Cichlid endemic to Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico, reaching 17.5 cm and threatened with extinction.
Also called: ciclídeo-de-cuatro-ciénegas, mojarra de Cuatro Ciénegas, minkley's cichlid, cuatro ciénegas cichlid
- maximum
- 18 cm
who is the minkley's cichlid
Cichlid of the family Cichlidae reaching 17.5 cm. It is endemic to Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico, and lives in freshwater without migrating. Water temperature is between 23 and 25 °C. Adults eat snails and small fish. It needs plant cover and stones to hide in. The female guards the brood. It lives in a single location, which makes it very restricted. The Spanish common name, mojarra caracolera, refers to its habit of eating snails. It is threatened with extinction and appears in the aquarium trade.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the minkley's cichlid.
identification
Freshwater cichlid reaching 17.5 cm, living only in Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico. The other Mexican Herichthys, such as bartoni and labridens, are from the Pánuco basin, so they do not meet it. The location is the main clue for identifying it.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Endemic to Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico, in freshwater.
Habitat: Freshwater of Cuatro Ciénegas, between 23 and 25 °C, with plants and stones to hide in.
rules for the minkley's cichlid
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It poses no danger to anglers, but the fin spines can prick the hand. As it is threatened with extinction, release it quickly and carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01445, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Herichthys minckleyi (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Herichthys minckleyiNames by country and language.