Rough purchase size 4-5cm.
The synspilum is a colorful cichlid from Guatemala, Belize and the lower part of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is located in southern Mexico. There are three different color forms of this fish found in these areas. A green form, which is found in Chiapas, Mexico is green and turquoise with pinkish-red below the mouth and in front of the pelvic fins. An orange form is found in the central and southern part of Belize, which is orange all over with a turquoise anal fin, white below the mouth and in front of the pelvic fins. The last form is the most regularly seen in shops. This form has an orange upper-body, turquoise lower body including the anal fin, pinkish-red below the mouth and in front of the pelvic fins. All color forms have large black splotches along the lateral line from midway to the caudal fin. They also have a numerous amount of smaller black spots spread over the body and fins.
No two synspilums are colored exactly alike. Males synspilum grow nuchal humps (similar to the Cyphotilapia frontosa), which are considered the largest of all North and South American cichlids. Males will grow 12 to 15 inches and females will stay a little smaller. Could this cichlid grow bigger given the best living conditions? I don't know, but they probably can.