curve-bar cichlid
Herichthys labridens
Cichlid endemic to Mexico, from the Pánuco basin, reaching 25 cm and threatened with extinction. It lives in a warm karst spring.
Also called: ciclídeo-huasteco, mojarra huasteca, mojarra, yellow labridens, curve-bar cichlid
- maximum
- 25 cm
who is the curve-bar cichlid
Cichlid of the family Cichlidae reaching 25 cm. It is endemic to Mexico, in the Pánuco basin, and lives in a warm karst spring, Media Luna. This spring used to drain into the Río Viejo, which was blocked and diverted for agriculture. It coexists with Herichthys bartoni and with another Herichthys moved there, and it does not migrate. It is omnivorous and needs plants and stones to hide. The water is alkaline, with pH between 7 and 8.5. 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 curve-bar cichlid; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Freshwater cichlid from Mexico, up to 25 cm, living in a warm karst spring, Media Luna. It coexists with Herichthys bartoni, which reaches 18 cm, and is larger than it. Some of its common names refer to curved dark bars on the body. The warm spring is the main clue to its habitat.
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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, in the Pánuco basin, in a karst spring at Media Luna.
Habitat: Warm karst spring, with plants and stones to hide in.
rules for the curve-bar 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, release it quickly, with a wet hand.
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 labridens (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 labridensNames by country and language.
