The Rio Grande cichlid is a native member of the Cichlid family of fishes, which also includes the exotic tilapia, according to the TPWD. The distribution of the Rio Grande cichlid in Texas appears to have originally been limited to the lower reaches of the Rio Grande. However, a number of populations have been established in river drainages of the Edwards Plateau, including the San Marcos, Guadalupe, San Antonio, and Colorado rivers.