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No federal permit to keep

Blackbelt cichlid

Vieja maculicauda

Also known as Maculicauda

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Vieja maculicauda also known as the blackbelt cichlid, is a cichlid fish species native to Central America from Southern Mexico to Panama.

Intro from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 10 in

WaterFreshwater, brackish

HabitatLives in freshwater and brackish water

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 48 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.8 in / 25 cm).
Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
Temperature: 79–82°F (range recorded for this species).
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a herbivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 47 × 15 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–81 °F, pH 6–8.
Behaviour: temperament territorial.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Blackbelts like a sandy or fine gravel substrate.”
Diet: “Almost exclusively herbivorous, although like most fish it still does best with a degree of protein in the diet.”
Tankmates: “A fairly aggressive cichlid, should only be housed with similarly aggressive, similar sized fish.”
Breeding: “The Black belt Cichlid becomes sexually mature at around 15 centimetres in size, or at least 6 months old.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater and brackish water, in rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits lakes and rivers but migrates to the extreme lower sections of the lower river valleys where current is slow. Prefers muddy and sandy bottoms and lives among submerged trees and logs for protection. Thrives well in shady bank areas of rivers. Able to tolerate brackish and marine conditions. Feeds on benthic detritus consisting of vegetable matter, both aquatic and terrestrial plants, seeds and fruits.
Water it lives in	Freshwater / brackish water, 79–82 °F (26–28 °C).
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 79–82 °F.
It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.

FishBase species summary: Vieja maculicauda

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 67°F (down to 61°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	73–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	78–84% on average (driest month about 74%)
Rainfall	about 2429 mm a year

Measured at 79 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Spawns in an open water and produces about 600-1000 fry per spawning. Both parents participate in caring the young. — FishBase
Biology	Inhabits lakes and rivers but migrates to the extreme lower sections of the lower river valleys where current is slow. Prefers muddy and sandy bottoms and lives among submerged trees and logs for protection. Thrives well in shady bank areas of rivers. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources9.9in

FishBase 1649.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources75.5–81.5°F

FishBase 16479–82

Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–81

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported6–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–8

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 15 in (about 54 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding; Aquaculture=commercial)
17 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.