redhead cichlid
Vieja melanurus · Cichlidae · omnivore
Cichlid of lakes and the lower Usumacinta River, in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, up to 35 centimeters. It is found as a sport fish and an aquarium fish.
Also called: ciclídeo-cabeça-vermelha, mojarra paleta, redhead cichlid
- maximum
- 35 cm
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
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.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the redhead cichlid
who is the redhead cichlid
The redhead cichlid is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae, up to 35 centimeters. Native to the Atlantic slope of Central America, it occurs in the Usumacinta River basin, in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. It lives in lakes and in the lower valley of the river, with some tolerance to brackish water, in a tropical temperature range of 24 to 30 degrees. A single spawning produces 300 to 500 fry, and the species reaches maturity at about 10 centimeters. In fishing, it is cited as a sport fish and is of interest to 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 redhead cichlid.
fun facts
- It can produce up to 1,000 eggs and reaches maturity at about 10 centimeters.
identification
A robust, laterally compressed fish with the typical shape of Central American cichlids and spines on the dorsal fin. The common name, redhead, points to the most visible sign: a reddish head. To recognize the species in the region, also look at the place: lakes and the lower Usumacinta, where it lives with some tolerance to salt.
where found
Atlantic slope of Central America, in the Usumacinta River basin, in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.
Habitat: Lakes and lower river valleys, with some tolerance to brackish water.
rules for the redhead 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.
The dorsal spines cut: hold it by the body, away from the fin, 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 = 2.97; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Vieja melanurus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Vieja melanurusNames by country and language.
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: