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Illustration of Ciclídeo-do-Balsas
fishing forecast

ciclídeo-do-balsas

Amphilophus istlanus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the ciclídeo-do-balsas

how to recognize it

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.

Also called: ciclídeo-do-balsas, mojarra criolla, mojarra del Balsas, mojarra

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Freshwater, near the bottom and in the water column, on the Pacific slope of Mexico.

Endemic to Mexico, on the Pacific slope, in freshwater.

rules for the ciclídeo-do-balsas

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

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%.

more about 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.

Family: Cichlidae · omnivore

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Amphilophus istlanus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Amphilophus istlanusNames by country and language.