TankBud

Honduran red point cichlid

Amatitlania siquia

Also known as Honduran red point, HRP cichlid, Siquia convict

FreshwaterFish

Honduran red point cichlid (Amatitlania siquia)
Haplochromis · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
114 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Cave spawner · Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Atlantic Honduras)

Overview

The Honduran red point cichlid is a small cichlid from Central America that pairs off and digs among rocky caves. It is easy to keep, and a good place to start if you want to watch cichlid parenting up close.

Did you know

The Honduran red point is often confused with the convict cichlid. It stays smaller, though, and is a little less aggressive.

Caring for the Honduran red point cichlid

Give a pair of Honduran red points at least 30 gal (114 L), or 200 L and up if you add other fish. Use a soft sand or fine gravel bottom, with plenty of rocky caves and hiding spots. They dig and uproot rooted plants, so use hardy ones like Anubias or Java fern tied to wood or rock.

Use a heater to keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C). Keep it slightly hard and alkaline, at a pH of 7.0 to 8.0, with moderate flow. Feed a varied diet of pellets, flakes and frozen foods.

Keep Honduran red point cichlids as a single bonded male and female pair. Cramming several pairs together only triggers fighting, and they are not a schooling fish. They spend most of their time near the bottom, digging and patrolling.

They are mostly peaceful outside breeding. Once a pair spawns, it turns territorial and aggressive while guarding the cave, so give tank mates room to stay clear.

Males reach about 3.9 in (10 cm), while females stay smaller at around 7.5 cm. They breed very readily and are one of the easiest cichlids to spawn for the first time. A pair picks a cave, cleans a flat surface and lays eggs with little prompting. Both parents guard the eggs and shepherd the fry around the tank.

Good to know

Amatitlania siquia is a dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae, and a very close relative of the convict cichlid. FishBase lists its standard length as 7.9 cm.

In the wild

Honduran red points come from the warm streams and rivers of Central America, across Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the Atlantic side of Honduras. They live over sand and rock, digging in the substrate and holding small territories around caves.

Common questions

What size tank does a Honduran red point cichlid need?

A Honduran red point cichlid needs at least 30 gal (114 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Honduran red point cichlid need?

A Honduran red point cichlid is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

What does a Honduran red point cichlid eat?

A Honduran red point cichlid eats a varied diet of pellets, flakes and frozen foods.

How big does a Honduran red point cichlid get?

An adult Honduran red point cichlid reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How can you tell a male Honduran red point cichlid from a female?

Males grow larger, to about 3.9 in (10 cm), while females stay around 7.5 cm.

How does a Honduran red point cichlid breed?

Honduran red point cichlids spawn readily in a cave. A pair cleans a flat surface for the eggs, then both parents guard the eggs and shepherd the fry around the tank. They are among the easiest cichlids to spawn for the first time.

Related species