Amphilophus trimaculatus – Three Spot Cichlid
Amphilophus trimaculatus was described in 1867 by Günther. Amphilophus is a compound of Amphi = on both sides and Lophus = thickening, referring to the thick lips of the type species of this genus, Amphilophus labiatus. Trimaculatum is composed of Tri = three and maculatum = spots. Thus “the fish with the three spots”.
Synonyms
Amphilophus trimaculatum, Heros trimaculatus, Cichlasoma trimaculatus, Cichlasoma mojarra, Cichlasoma centrale, Cichlasoma gordonsmithi, Cichlasoma cajali, Cichlasoma trimaculatum.
Description
Although this fish is the basis of a world-famous, cq. infamous hybrid, “the Flowerhorn,” there is less literature available regarding Amphilophus trimaculatus than one might expect based on this commercial success. The Flowerhorn is a creation from Asia, where it is more or less in the cultural habit to produce all sorts of exorbitant morphologies. The Flowerhorn is a hybrid with a disproportionately large forehead hump combined with as gaudy a color pattern as possible. The level of hybridization and the number of species involved in the creation of flowerhorns is unclear but that Amphilophus trimaculatus is part of it is certain and it is believed, that Amphilophus citrinellus, Amphilophus labiatus and Vieja melanurus are also involved in this genotype.
The three spots, which should be the hallmark of Amphilophus trimaculatus, are not always visible and usually there are even more. Perhaps a more striking feature is the position of the first spot. Namely, it is on the shoulder and thus not in line with the rest. Normally such spots are at the intersections of transverse bands with the mid-lateral stripe. So it looks like the fish has started a second lateral stripe as we also see it in Trichromis salvini. And the similarities with Trichromis salvini do not end there. What to think, for example, of the sloping forehead profile, the compressed body, the underdeveloped mouth, the tricolor, transverse bands on the nose and not to forget the great temperament. Not for nothing does Günther in his first description of Heros trimaculatus begin with the remark ” Allied to Heros salvini.” But although it would not be for the first time that the phylogenetic tree is revised, in this case it will not happen for the time being because Amphiliphus trimaculatus is classified under Amphilophines and Trichromis salvini under the Herichtyines.
Its range is large and so is its morphological variety. Breeders in recent years have selected a lot on shades of red. This is how e.g. the Pyro-Trimac originated, an aquarium strain (not to be confused with a hybrid) with an increased proportion of red. In the wild Amphilophus trimaculatum the red is also already present but less pronounced. Besides red eyes and a red zone under and behind the gills , many variants have red in the fins, especially in the dorsal fin. But there are also variants that are almost green (Rio coatan), or completely yellow (Rio Tehuantepec) .
The three spots are lightly edged and so could be called “ocelli’s” or peacock eyes. The animals grow large, the males up to 40 centimeters, the females by 25 centimeters. The latter, color intensely dark especially in the lower half of the body during the breeding season. Males develop a light forehead hump.
Behavior
Very aggressive.
Diet
Omnivore. Plant food in the form of plants, algae and detritus as well as animal food in the form of insects and their larvae, snails and crustaceans
Origin
Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras.
Distribution
The total range of Amphilophus trimaculatus extends over the coastal areas of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras on the Pacific side. From Laguna Coyuca in the state of Guerro (Mexico) in the northwest, all the way to the basin of the Rio Goascorán, border river between El Salvador and Honduras.
When it comes to habitat preferences, you could call this fish the Pacific equivalent of C. urophthalmum. Amphilophus trimaculatus is also a typical resident of coastal areas, but on the Pacific Ocean.
Occasionally we receive reports that A. trimaculatus also occurs in the headwaters of Atlantic rivers. Willem Heijns has once filmed A. trimaculatus in an inlet river of the Coatzacoalcos. This provides an interesting discussion. Did Pacific fish naturally enter the rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean, or is human activity behind this? The distance between the Atlantic and Pacific is only small in “the Isthmus.” Especially if we are talking about each other’s upper reaches. These can approach each other to within a few kilometers, although there may still be a complete mountain peak between them. Tectonic movements, however, can cause what is known as “river denudation,” causing a river to flow in the opposite direction. Such a process in itself would not be strange in a seismologically active area such as Central America. For now, however, most experts hold the occurrence of A. trimaculatus in Atlantic rivers to anthropogenic causes. This fish prefers stagnant (lagoons lakes) or slow-flowing water and will not seek the upper reaches by itself.
As a side effect of Flowerhorn breeding, millions of hybrids end up in inland waters of Southeast Asia every year. They pose a serious threat to native flora and fauna. In Lake Matano in Sulawesi, for example, wild Flowerhorns are causing an ecological disaster. The animals have multiplied explosively in 10 years. The striking thing about these animals is that they have lost all their hybrid features in a few years. So these hybrids are barely distinguishable from wild H. trimaculatus and that last bit of red in the fins a predator can have out within a few generations. This indicates not only the environmental problems surrounding Flowerhorn production but also the difficulty of distinguishing A. trimaculatus from so-called “low grade Flowerhorns” based on morphology.
The Aquarium
As young fish, between 10 and 20 centimeters, these fish can still be kept in spacious aquariums (at least 2 meters). However, older animals, especially the males, become so intolerable in the long run that they can often only be kept individually or with very large other fish such as catfish.
As for the layout of the aquarium, the fish have, to put it gently, their own preferences. Especially during the breeding season the animals behave like true bulldozers. They can turn an aquarium completely upside down in a short time. Aquarium plants are not an option for this reason. One should also make sure that heavy rocks rest on the bottom plate and thus cannot be undercut. Parameters habitat, PH 6.4-7.0, GH 4-5, KH 4-6, Temperature 26-30 Celsius. (Conkel1997)
Breeding Amphilophus trimaculatus
Open substrate breeder. The main problem in breeding A. trimaculatus is often the unmitigated aggression of the male towards his partner. It therefore works best if they grow up together in a small group and are given the opportunity to form their own pairs. If you do want to pair them up as adults, the use of a water-permeable partition is actually indispensable. The partition should be left in place until the animals have become accustomed to each other and are in a breeding mood. Only then can the partition be removed and the pair can begin breeding.
However, there are also breeders who simply leave the wall in place. The female deposits her eggs close to the wall and the male tries to fertilize them through the wall. Of course a large part of the clutch remains unfertilized in this way but when one considers that these clutches can consist of more than 1000 eggs , the question is whether this can be considered a disadvantage or an advantage.
The female guards the eggs and the male guards the territory. Depending on the temperature, the eggs develop into larvae in 3 to 4 days, after another 5 to 6 days the yolk sac is used up and the young swim free. Then one can start feeding fresh artemia. At about 1 to 1.5 inches gradually switch to cyclops and only at about 3 inches again gradually, switch to finely ground dry food. Of importance here are the gradual transitions. So during these transitions one feeds both kinds of food. This gives the intestinal system of the fish the opportunity to adapt to the new food composition.
Video
Author
Rene Beerlink – NVC
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