Cichlidae

Amatitlania

20.00 cm

Males can max out at 20 cm. Females max out at a little over 10 cm, probably more like 12.

Aggressive

The only known actively piscivorous member of Amatitlania. Will go after any "schooling/shoaling" species. More aggressive than A. nigrofasciata.

Insectivore, Piscivore, Omnivore

152.00 L

90.00 cm x 45.00 cm

21.0 C - 29.0 C

Any.

Other

Can handle a very wide range of parameters and temperatures, but will reproduce more readily at 28C give or take. If a large enough tank is provided, they will form colonies. A 152L tank is sufficient for a large pair. Do not keep with any smaller fish or other Amatitlania species. Females only color up in social settings as a sign of social rank. Idly a flat brown color. Females and younger males will go into breeding dress, showing the namesake seven (black) stripes over a white body (sometimes with blue highlights on the abdomen), though adult males will stop going into full breeding dress unless competing with threats of equal size. This is the barred variant, found along the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. Males show more yellow on their heads and seldom show any blue on their bodies.

Introduced in the early 2010s by Jeff Rapps, these are commonly mislabelled as A. myrnae from the Rio Estrella, which was also distributed by Jeff Rapps around the same time. It is very likely that a hobbyist bought both, got them confused, and sold one as the other. Very crucial to tell the difference, as myrnae is endangered, and septemfasciata is considered least concern by the IUCN. CARES lists septemfasciata as "vulnerable" however, which is probably more valid given the small area of their native range. A. myrnae is also several degrees less aggressive than septemfasciata. Can be distinguished from A. myrnae by the presence of bars when stressed or breeding, purple body/gold head coloration in males (as opposed to maroon-brown), lack of gold in body coloration in both sexes, as well as a flat iridescent blue sheen on the fins as opposed to blue speckling. Females will have orange body iridescence as opposed to gold. Females often have blue on their throats/chests as well, and while myrnae can as well, it is more frequently seen in septemfasciata.