WHAT THE ??????

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:14 pm

Okay, I caught a weird fish out of the retention pond behind Kane's on my 15 minute break (on a bone zara puppy). I dont have a camera so I couldn't take a pic. I got home yesterday and researched as to what it was and It looked IDENTICAL to the Mayan Cichlid...only problem is the mayans are not this far north....are they???? I am certain it was one but is that weird that it was there

The fish was identical to this pic even the size....

http://www.lake-okeechobee-fishing.com/ ... -30-04.jpg

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:41 pm

Looks alot like a Peacock something.

Pretty thangs.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:07 pm

mayan ciclid is what the fish is called, but those are only supposed to be farther south

mudfish · Post by **mudfish** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:15 pm

Firstly; duuude, we are south. Secondly, how many times have you read or heard of dumbasses bringing up exotic fish species in aquariums only to release them into our ecosystem that have so many similarities, they make it a new home?

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:28 pm

Im talking Miami area south....but I do understand your point....

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:01 am

I have caught them in Naples and thought that was about as far north as they get as they can't take cold. Sure you didn't catch a tilapia?

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:40 pm

DaveR wrote:I have caught them in Naples and thought that was about as far north as they get as they can't take cold. Sure you didn't catch a tilapia?

I'm positive, I searched for a few hours and looked closely at every detail and the mayan ciclid was identical to the one I caught, even up to the spot toward the tail (as seen in pic above) I am 99.9% it was the ciclid.

JayB · Post by **JayB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:52 pm

Mayans and Peacocks were intentionally released into South Florida waters. The theory was the cold weather would keep them to south. Can you say Global Warming?

Oscars, Plecs, and other species were released by hobbyists and flooded fish farms.

Interesting, we are so concerned about invasive species unless they are fun to catch. Then we happily throw them into our waters with no concern of the effects.

I think it was the most disastrous environmental move since the straightening of the Kissimmee River.

J

rev · Post by **rev** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:51 pm

We have Mayans in residential canals in Merritt Island. If they can live there, they can probably live the Tampa Bay area. Just sayin'.

BrianW · Post by **BrianW** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:33 pm

I'm just wondering where i can find a shirt like that......

Silverspoon · Post by **Silverspoon** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 7:44 am

here you go!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Grabbabootie-Pinch- ... dZViewItem

Xyloxo wrote:I'm just wondering where i can find a shirt like that......

bluebill · Post by **bluebill** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:40 pm

Rooster and all.

I have caught the same fish, Mayan Cichlid, in a canal in Cape Coral so its not much of a stretch for them to be in Tampa. I do not think you could mistake it for a Peacock or an Oscar.

The Mayan may be a bit more cold tolerant than the Butterfly Peacock. I wish the Peacocks were here in Lee County and I believe they have made their way as far west in the Taniami canal to the Collier County line.

I caught the Mayans on a small plastic bait on 1/8 oz jig head. they were aggressive on the take and very good fighters.

bluebill

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:07 pm

Yes, they are great fighters, and they hit the zara puppy (all white) like crazy

peeled drag out as well. Still trying to get him again tho, they are evasive and should not be in there. I also have a camera on its way so I can post pics if I get him again 8)

bluebill · Post by **bluebill** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:29 pm

The following link gives more info on Mayans and shows a rough mapping of their spread in south florida from 1983 to 2001

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/FISH/Gallery/D ... chlid.html

bluebill

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:48 pm

They're spreading like wildfire

hopefully these cold fronts will knock them out....until someone else with an aquarium dumps them in the ponds because they don't want them anymore.

bonefishwhisperer · Post by **bonefishwhisperer** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:11 am

they are here to stay...they are everywhere around here...they are brothers of the peacock bass which is actually a cichlid...AKA the "freshwater snapper" they can be seen with their little baitball of tiny babys and can be very aggresive taking big flys and even topwater...they are obviously moving north...there is no limit and they beg you to eat all you catch but I would say they are the #1 population of freshwater fish now down here...tilapia probably second...when I go freshwater fishing I see fish that are NOT on the species list all the time...last time I seem albino catfish

Paddle-Fishing.com

WHAT THE ??????

WHAT THE ??????

Mayan Cichlid

More on Mayans