as a few of you are aware i purchased 2 cichlasoma ornatums that are about 1.5 inch and will hopefully grow up and become stunning fish in my tank. for those that dont know of these cichlids they are very rarely available and apparently have not been imported into the UK for about 25 years.... Ross at Oddball express in stafford has managed to get hold of a few and i have been fortunate enough to bag a couple of specimins from him 
thanks to Nelly here is a bit of info about them. there doesnt seem to be much on the net about them as not many people get the chance to keep them so i guess there are pretty much unreported in the aquarium environment.
"Cichlasoma" ornatum
Also described by Regan (1905), "Cichlasoma" (Amphilophus) ornatum is another species, like "C." atromaculatum, that has been misidentified in the hobby for reasons of its sheer rarity. Loiselle (1981), in his benchmark two-part article on South American cichlasomines, suggests that "C." ornatum resembles the Jack Dempsey ("Cichlasoma" octofasciatum) and that "its behavior and maintenance requirements are identical in all significant respects to those of the Jack Dempsey, with the proviso that C. ornatum appears somewhat less aggressive than C. octofasciatum in the cichlid community tank." It is also, according to Loiselle (1980), "less liberally marked with iridescent spangling than is that old aquarium favorite. Unlike the Dempsey, C. ornatum undergoes dramatic behaviorally related color changes."
It is my opinion that the fish Loiselle describes is most likely a Jack Dempsey morph or some other species, and not "C." ornatum. I say this for two reasons: 1) Stawikowski and Werner (1988) offer photos of a fish they believe to be "C." ornatum alongside photos of "C." atromaculatum � they don't look like Jack Dempseys, and 2) I had the privilege (thanks to Carl Ferraris) of examining the types at the California Academy of Science this past summer and they look just like the Stawikowski and Werner photos and not like Jack Dempseys, even allowing for some fading of the color in preservative.
They look much like "C." atromaculatum in shape and overall appearance, have incomplete black bars (on the midsection and ventral aspect) and spots, including the dorsal-anal-caudal fin triad like the atros. Unlike the atros, they have an overall reddish-salmon pink base color (bordering on brown in preservative), and the "face" (operculars and preoperculars) is peppered with iridescent spots, as are the soft dorsal and anal fins. Unlike Jack Dempseys, there are no obvious spangles on the bodies of the 4- to 6-inch individuals I examined, but the black blotches/bars are quite distinctive on the pale brown body.
The fish is found in southwestern Colombia and in northwestern Ecuador (Eigenmann 1924). The ones pictured in Stawikowski and Werner (1988) were from the Rio Esmeraldas from Colombia.
Eigenmann (1924) describes them thusly: "general coloration olive-green, lighter on operculum below eye, three yellow streaks from anterior corner of eye to gape; silvery yellow spots on operculum; dark green vertical streaks. Pectorals and ventrals clear light yellow; dorsal tipped with deep crimson; transverse streaks or dots of clear light blue mixed with colorless patches. Caudal and anal similar, latter with considerable orange or deep yellow. Caudal ocellus black." The maximum recorded size for wild specimens is 10 inches (Eigenmann 1924), much like "C." atromaculatum.
In the same monograph, Eigenmann (1924) describes a new subspecies, Cichlasoma ornatum gephyrum from the Rio San Juan and the Rio Dagua systems in western Colombia . He asserts: "its coloration is so peculiar that it might well be a hybrid between C. atromaculatum and C. ornatum." He goes on: "Remains of cross-bands occur especially along back and middle of sides, many of the scales of the bands below the middle have black bases; axil black, centers of scales otherwise largely light; soft dorsal, caudal, and posterior half of soft anal with translucent spots...small (blue?) spots on cheeks and opercles, a black spot on base of upper half of caudal, a black spot on bases of soft dorsal and anal near the ends of these fins." Eigenmann (1924) figures both "C." ornatum and his new sub-species (Plate 31) and they do look different in the sketches.
Loiselle (1980) suggested that "this cichlid differs sufficiently from that species (i.e., "C." ornatum) in color pattern to warrant full specific rank," but also records that it is "not imported to date." In fact, Eigenmann (1924) concedes that small specimens "might be considered as belonging to C. atromaculatum, if there were not a number of specimens of the latter species of equal size from the same place with the perfectly characteristic color of C. atromaculatum." Stawikowski and Werner (1988) point out that the scale and fin counts overlap � they believe that "C." ornatum gephyrum is simply a geographical morph of "C." ornatum.
In the absence of living specimens, the argument remains unresolved. It seems unlikely that this fish (not to mention "C." ornatum) will be available in the hobby anytime soon, unless avid hobbyists travel to the location and collect them.
The "C." ornatum photographed in Stawikowski and Werner (1988) apparently had been cherry-picked by a Dutch aquarist. However, I have never seen it on export lists from Europe (nor, for that matter, have I seen "C." atromaculatum). Given the apparent similarity to "C." atromaculatum, one might reasonably expect "C." ornatum to respond to the same aquarium conditions. I'm hopeful we will get to test that out one day.
---------
Family: Cichlidae (Cichlids)
, subfamily: Cichlasomatinae picture () by
( not available )
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name:
Max. size: 26.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 36377)
Environment: benthopelagic; pH range: 7
Climate: tropical; 24 - 27°C
Global Importance: aquarium: potential
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Distribution: South America: Patia River basin in Colombia, Durango and St. Javier rivers in Ecuador, all draining to the Pacific Ocean.
Biology: The stomachs of the type material contained broken shells of snails. Oviparous (Ref. 205)
here are a few teaser pics of adult ornatums
as a few of you are interested in the progress i make with them i have decided to set up this journal with their well being and development. i will try and post new pics every couple of weeks to hopefully capture any size difference and colour changes etc.
my water is medium/hard and the pH is about 7.6-7.8. the tank is kept at 26 degrees C and they share it with a small electric blue jack dempsey and at the minute a 3.5 inch nicaraguanese cichlid.
the fish were purchased on the 27/11/2010 and spent their first 4 days in an bare bottom rio 180. the first day or 2 they didnt seem interested in eating until i tried brineshrimp and bloodworms which they seem to go for. they are trying prima now and then but not really taking to it that well yet!
they are now in a smaller 2ft 90L tank that is planted with sand substrate and bogwood. they were very skittish in the bb 180 and now seem more settled in the 90L although still quite skittish. im not sure if this is how they are naturally or if its due to the fact that my tank has lights compared to the tank they were purchased from that had no lighting at all. im sure as they grow and in time they will become more secure.
im hoping to give them a better life in the 90L with very regular water changes until they get another inch or so bigger before putting them back in the 180 to grow out to full size hopefully.
the following pics were taken after 2 days in the rio 180 and as you can see they have the beggining of the green spots appearing on the face and gill plates, they also have a slight red tinge to the edge of the dorsal fin which isnt that obvious on the pics.
thanks to Nelly here is a bit of info about them. there doesnt seem to be much on the net about them as not many people get the chance to keep them so i guess there are pretty much unreported in the aquarium environment.
"Cichlasoma" ornatum
Also described by Regan (1905), "Cichlasoma" (Amphilophus) ornatum is another species, like "C." atromaculatum, that has been misidentified in the hobby for reasons of its sheer rarity. Loiselle (1981), in his benchmark two-part article on South American cichlasomines, suggests that "C." ornatum resembles the Jack Dempsey ("Cichlasoma" octofasciatum) and that "its behavior and maintenance requirements are identical in all significant respects to those of the Jack Dempsey, with the proviso that C. ornatum appears somewhat less aggressive than C. octofasciatum in the cichlid community tank." It is also, according to Loiselle (1980), "less liberally marked with iridescent spangling than is that old aquarium favorite. Unlike the Dempsey, C. ornatum undergoes dramatic behaviorally related color changes."
It is my opinion that the fish Loiselle describes is most likely a Jack Dempsey morph or some other species, and not "C." ornatum. I say this for two reasons: 1) Stawikowski and Werner (1988) offer photos of a fish they believe to be "C." ornatum alongside photos of "C." atromaculatum � they don't look like Jack Dempseys, and 2) I had the privilege (thanks to Carl Ferraris) of examining the types at the California Academy of Science this past summer and they look just like the Stawikowski and Werner photos and not like Jack Dempseys, even allowing for some fading of the color in preservative.
They look much like "C." atromaculatum in shape and overall appearance, have incomplete black bars (on the midsection and ventral aspect) and spots, including the dorsal-anal-caudal fin triad like the atros. Unlike the atros, they have an overall reddish-salmon pink base color (bordering on brown in preservative), and the "face" (operculars and preoperculars) is peppered with iridescent spots, as are the soft dorsal and anal fins. Unlike Jack Dempseys, there are no obvious spangles on the bodies of the 4- to 6-inch individuals I examined, but the black blotches/bars are quite distinctive on the pale brown body.
The fish is found in southwestern Colombia and in northwestern Ecuador (Eigenmann 1924). The ones pictured in Stawikowski and Werner (1988) were from the Rio Esmeraldas from Colombia.
Eigenmann (1924) describes them thusly: "general coloration olive-green, lighter on operculum below eye, three yellow streaks from anterior corner of eye to gape; silvery yellow spots on operculum; dark green vertical streaks. Pectorals and ventrals clear light yellow; dorsal tipped with deep crimson; transverse streaks or dots of clear light blue mixed with colorless patches. Caudal and anal similar, latter with considerable orange or deep yellow. Caudal ocellus black." The maximum recorded size for wild specimens is 10 inches (Eigenmann 1924), much like "C." atromaculatum.
In the same monograph, Eigenmann (1924) describes a new subspecies, Cichlasoma ornatum gephyrum from the Rio San Juan and the Rio Dagua systems in western Colombia . He asserts: "its coloration is so peculiar that it might well be a hybrid between C. atromaculatum and C. ornatum." He goes on: "Remains of cross-bands occur especially along back and middle of sides, many of the scales of the bands below the middle have black bases; axil black, centers of scales otherwise largely light; soft dorsal, caudal, and posterior half of soft anal with translucent spots...small (blue?) spots on cheeks and opercles, a black spot on base of upper half of caudal, a black spot on bases of soft dorsal and anal near the ends of these fins." Eigenmann (1924) figures both "C." ornatum and his new sub-species (Plate 31) and they do look different in the sketches.
Loiselle (1980) suggested that "this cichlid differs sufficiently from that species (i.e., "C." ornatum) in color pattern to warrant full specific rank," but also records that it is "not imported to date." In fact, Eigenmann (1924) concedes that small specimens "might be considered as belonging to C. atromaculatum, if there were not a number of specimens of the latter species of equal size from the same place with the perfectly characteristic color of C. atromaculatum." Stawikowski and Werner (1988) point out that the scale and fin counts overlap � they believe that "C." ornatum gephyrum is simply a geographical morph of "C." ornatum.
In the absence of living specimens, the argument remains unresolved. It seems unlikely that this fish (not to mention "C." ornatum) will be available in the hobby anytime soon, unless avid hobbyists travel to the location and collect them.
The "C." ornatum photographed in Stawikowski and Werner (1988) apparently had been cherry-picked by a Dutch aquarist. However, I have never seen it on export lists from Europe (nor, for that matter, have I seen "C." atromaculatum). Given the apparent similarity to "C." atromaculatum, one might reasonably expect "C." ornatum to respond to the same aquarium conditions. I'm hopeful we will get to test that out one day.
---------
Family: Cichlidae (Cichlids)
, subfamily: Cichlasomatinae picture () by
( not available )
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name:
Max. size: 26.0 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 36377)
Environment: benthopelagic; pH range: 7
Climate: tropical; 24 - 27°C
Global Importance: aquarium: potential
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)
Distribution: South America: Patia River basin in Colombia, Durango and St. Javier rivers in Ecuador, all draining to the Pacific Ocean.
Biology: The stomachs of the type material contained broken shells of snails. Oviparous (Ref. 205)
here are a few teaser pics of adult ornatums
as a few of you are interested in the progress i make with them i have decided to set up this journal with their well being and development. i will try and post new pics every couple of weeks to hopefully capture any size difference and colour changes etc.
my water is medium/hard and the pH is about 7.6-7.8. the tank is kept at 26 degrees C and they share it with a small electric blue jack dempsey and at the minute a 3.5 inch nicaraguanese cichlid.
the fish were purchased on the 27/11/2010 and spent their first 4 days in an bare bottom rio 180. the first day or 2 they didnt seem interested in eating until i tried brineshrimp and bloodworms which they seem to go for. they are trying prima now and then but not really taking to it that well yet!
they are now in a smaller 2ft 90L tank that is planted with sand substrate and bogwood. they were very skittish in the bb 180 and now seem more settled in the 90L although still quite skittish. im not sure if this is how they are naturally or if its due to the fact that my tank has lights compared to the tank they were purchased from that had no lighting at all. im sure as they grow and in time they will become more secure.
im hoping to give them a better life in the 90L with very regular water changes until they get another inch or so bigger before putting them back in the 180 to grow out to full size hopefully.
the following pics were taken after 2 days in the rio 180 and as you can see they have the beggining of the green spots appearing on the face and gill plates, they also have a slight red tinge to the edge of the dorsal fin which isnt that obvious on the pics.
as long as he can reserve them for me until i can get over to him in this crappy weather we currently have 
not unless you go and catch your own....! it may work with fish like tetras etc but not fish of this rarity 
