[Jason_S]

Species Name: Cryptoheros sp. 'Honduran Red Point'

Common Name: Honduran Red Point Convict, Honduran Red Fin Convict, Blue Convict *see notes

Size: ~3" for females and ~4" for males. This is still a fairly new species so it remains to be seen if these fish can grow much larger.

pH: 7.0-7.8 though they can tolerate higher ph values provided they are properly acclimated. Mine are kept in a ph of ~8.2 and they are thriving.

Minimum Recommended Tank Size: 20 long or 29 gallons

Native Location: Central America

Temperature: 72-80F would be recommended though they can tolerate slightly higher temps.

Diet: Omnivore. This species is not picky about what they eat, but it is best to vary their diet as much as possible. A good staple pellet food is best with treats of frozen/freeze dried/live krill, brine shrimp, meal worms, blackworms, bloodworms etc.

Breeding: Pairs will form when males reach ~2.5-3" and females ~2". The female will lay eggs on a cleaned, flat surface and guard the immediate area while the male patrols the perimeter.

Gender Diffrences: Males will have a lighter, icy blue overall coloration and will develop red coloration in the dorsal, anal and caudal fins while the female will have a deeper overall blue coloration with little to no red in the fins.

Aggression: Not overly aggressive or territorial except when breeding. Not anywhere near the aggression level of regular Convicts and they will not do well with aggressive fish such as regular convicts. They are best kept with other small, somewhat peaceful species.

Notes: This species does not grow as large nor is it anywhere near as aggressive/territorial as the regular Convict Cichlid. In fact, this species is more closely related to other smaller Cryptoheros species such as C. nanoluteus than it is to the normal Convict. When the fish was first discovered, the group of collectors decided to call the fish "Honduran Red Points" as opposed to "Blue Convicts" so that hobbyists would not be confused into thinking it was the same species as the regular Convict. It is infact a separate species that has so far not been scientifically described.

***Special thanks to Rusty Wessel who was one of the collectors present at the founding of this species. I learned quite a bit of this information through several conversations I've had with him.

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