Twoband Cichlid Vieja bifasciata (Vieja bifasciatum/s and Heros bifasciatus)

The Twoband Cichlid is also called the Redspeck and Red-spotted Cichlid. It can look similar to the Redhead, including having a red head, but the "two bands", unusually, are not on the body but on the face between the eyes. Unfortunately, one or both lines are often indistinct and there is often a third line on the brow. It sometimes has red specks on dorsal and tail fins.

It is native to slow-moving water and lakes of the Usumacinta and Grijalva river basins of western Mexico and Guatemala.

The larger, more colourful males are moderately aggressive, reach a length of 30cm and sometimes develop a "nuchal" hump. Males can have turquoise, blue, green, white, orange, pink and yellow body colours.

Diet is mainly vegetarian. When breeding, like other Vieja species, the male defends the territory and the female tends the eggs, fanning and cleaning them, removing debris and any mouldy eggs.