false firemouth cichlid
Cribroheros robertsoni
Freshwater cichlid from the Atlantic slope, from Mexico to Honduras, reaching 19 cm and used in aquariums.
Also called: ciclídeo-hondurenho, klanki, mojarra hondureña, false firemouth cichlid
- maximum
- 19 cm
who is the false firemouth cichlid
Cichlid of the family Cichlidae reaching 19 cm. It occurs on the Atlantic slope, from the Coatzacoalcos River in Mexico to Honduras, through Guatemala and Belize. It lives in rivers and lakes, in the lower and middle reaches, where the water flows slowly, over soft bottoms of sand, mud and small stones. It spawns in shallow depressions dug in the sand: the pair clears the site and guards the area around it, driving off intruders. It is caught commercially and also sold for 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 false firemouth cichlid; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Small cichlid from the Atlantic slope of Central America, up to 19 cm, living in rivers with slow current and soft bottoms. In the same region, Petenia splendida reaches 50 cm and Vieja bifasciata reaches 30 cm, so size helps tell it apart. It guards a territory around the nest and drives off intruders.
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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
Atlantic slope of Mexico, from the Coatzacoalcos River to Honduras, with records in Belize and Guatemala, in freshwater.
Habitat: Rivers and lakes with slow current, in the lower and middle reaches, over a bottom of sand, mud and small stones.
rules for the false firemouth 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. 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 = 0.01445, 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: Cribroheros robertsoni (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cribroheros robertsoniNames by country and language.
