TankBud

Chancho midas cichlid

Amphilophus chancho

Also known as Chancho cichlid, Pig cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Chancho midas cichlid (Amphilophus chancho)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
11.4 in
29 cm
Minimum tank
132 gal
500 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua

Overview

The Chancho midas cichlid is a big, aggressive Central American cichlid for a large tank of its own. It suits a keeper with some experience of big cichlids.

Did you know

The Chancho midas cichlid comes from Lake Apoyo, a young lake only about twenty thousand years old. The lake has already produced its own small flock of six closely related Amphilophus cichlids from a single founding ancestor. It is among the largest of the six.

Caring for the Chancho midas cichlid

Give a Chancho midas cichlid a long, heavy tank of at least 132 gal (500 L). Use rock and sturdy decor that a determined digger cannot topple, over a sand floor with some large rounded stones. Add rocky cover to break up lines of sight, and leave open swimming space.

It is an active fish that works the lower half of the tank, patrolling, digging and rearranging its patch of the bottom. Keep the water at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed a varied diet of sinking pellets, meaty frozen foods and some vegetable matter.

Keep it singly or as a single breeding pair, with no other cichlids sharing its space. It is aggressive and will not tolerate rivals, so choose tank mates with great care or keep none at all.

It is a substrate spawner, and breeding it is moderately difficult. A pair cleans a site and guards the eggs, and both parents defend the fry for weeks.

Good to know

The Chancho midas cichlid is one of the larger members of the Midas cichlid complex, in the family Cichlidae. Chancho is Spanish for pig, a nod to its bulk. It is assessed as critically endangered.

In the wild

The Chancho midas cichlid lives in just one place, the clear water of Lake Apoyo, a flooded volcanic crater in Nicaragua. The lake is warm, slightly hard and alkaline.

Common questions

What size tank does a Chancho midas cichlid need?

A Chancho midas cichlid needs at least 132 gal (500 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Chancho midas cichlid need?

A Chancho midas cichlid is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a Chancho midas cichlid eat?

A Chancho midas cichlid eats a varied diet of sinking pellets, meaty frozen foods and some vegetable matter.

How big does a Chancho midas cichlid get?

An adult Chancho midas cichlid reaches about 11.4 in (29 cm).

How does a Chancho midas cichlid breed?

Chancho midas cichlids are substrate spawners that breed as a pair. A pair cleans a site and guards the eggs, then both parents defend the fry for weeks. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Related species