Rondonacara hoehnei is distinguished by having only four pores on the dentary (vs. five in other tribes of the Cichlidae, except Heroini) and three anal-fin spines (vs. more in Heroini). It differs from all members of Cichlasomatini by presence of transversal streaks originated at the insertion of spines and softs rays of dorsal fin in live specimens, preserved ones retains just the proximal portion of the transversal streaks (vs. absence). Furthermore, it can be diagnosed from species of Acaronia (Myers, 1940), Bujurquina, Krobia, Andinoacara and Tahuantinsuyoa by having the longitudinal stripe of the flank horizontally oriented, ending directed to caudal-fin base (vs. dorsally displaced, ending directed to the end of dorsal-fin base); from 'Aequidens' paloemeuensis Kullander & Nijssen, 1989, 'A'. potaroensis, Cichlasoma and Aequidens by having the caudal-fin base spot on the middle of the fin (vs. dorsally displaced with major part of spot occurring above lower lateral line); from species of Cichlasoma and Aequidens by presence of a conspicuous suborbital bar (vs. suborbital bar transformed into a spot located below orbits [cheek spot sensu Kullander (1983)], and caudal-fin base spot not ocellated (vs. ocellated); from species of Ivanacara Römer & Hahn 2007, Laetacara Kullander, 1986, Nannacara Regan, 1905 and Cleithracara Kullander & Nijssen 1989 by the lack of scales on preopercle (vs. with scales); from species of Cleithracara, Ivanacara, and Nannacara by having two supraneuralia (vs. 1), and from members of Laetacara by the possession of uniserial predorsal squamation (vs. triserial) (Ref. 101427).