ciclídeo-do-balsas
Amphilophus istlanus
Cichlid endemic to Mexico, from the Pacific slope, reaching 30 cm and caught commercially.
Also called: ciclídeo-do-balsas, mojarra criolla, mojarra del Balsas, mojarra
- maximum
- 30 cm
who is the ciclídeo-do-balsas
Cichlid of the family Cichlidae reaching 30 cm. It is endemic to Mexico and lives on the country's Pacific slope, in freshwater, near the bottom and also in the water column. During the breeding season, males develop large nuchal humps. Each spawning has about 500 eggs. It lives in water at 24 to 28 °C, with pH from 8 and low hardness. It is not known whether the species migrates. It is caught commercially throughout its range.
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 ciclídeo-do-balsas; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Freshwater cichlid from the Pacific slope of Mexico, up to 30 cm. The most striking sign is the male during the breeding season, which develops large nuchal humps. On the same Pacific slope, further south, lives Astatheros macracanthus, which reaches 25 cm and extends to El Salvador; its larger size and the male's hump help tell them apart.
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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 Mexico, on the Pacific slope, in freshwater.
Habitat: Freshwater, near the bottom and in the water column, on the Pacific slope of Mexico.
rules for the ciclídeo-do-balsas
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. Hold it by the body, with a wet hand, and release it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02138, b = 3.05; 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: Amphilophus istlanus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Amphilophus istlanusNames by country and language.
