Blue Tilapia
Oreochromis aureus
Jaguar Guapote
Parachromis managuensis
About
The jaguar guapote is a large, sturdy freshwater cichlid, one of the biggest and fiercest hunters in its family. Males grow much larger than females and carry longer fin extensions.
Also known as: jaguar cichlid, managua cichlid
How to tell it apart
Several Central American cichlids share this deep, robust body. The jaguar guapote is set apart by the black eye stripe running to the gill cover, combined with the row of large dots along its side.
Appearance
The body is silvery or golden-green to purple, with a darker mossy green along the back, a purple sheen on the sides, and a whitish or yellowish belly. A row of large black dots runs along the lateral line, the sensory stripe along its side, and a black stripe runs from the eye back to the edge of the gill cover. The fins often turn dark to black, especially when the fish is ready to spawn.
Habitat
This cichlid lives in lakes, ponds, and springs across Central America, from Honduras to Costa Rica. It favours cloudy, muddy-bottomed water in warm lakes, including water low in oxygen, but is also found over sandy bottoms covered in plant debris.
Did you know?
Its scientific name honours Lake Managua in Nicaragua, the lake the first specimen used to describe the species came from.
Log it in Into the Blue
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