TankBud

Jaguar cichlid

Parachromis managuensis

Also known as Managuense cichlid, Guapote

FreshwaterFish

Jaguar cichlid (Parachromis managuensis)
George Chernilevsky · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.0–8.5
Adult size
15.7 in
40 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Central America (Honduras to Costa Rica)

Overview

Keep one fish on its own or a single proven pair, nothing else, in a tank of 450 liters or larger. It is aggressive and territorial, holding the middle of the water column, and it eats any tankmate small enough to swallow. Hold the water at 24 to 28 C with a pH from 7 to 8.5, and fit a tight lid since a startled adult can shove the cover aside. Feed meaty foods like pellets for large cichlids, earthworms, and the occasional whole frozen item, and skip feeder fish to avoid disease. Strong filtration is not optional given how much waste a fish this size puts out.

In the wild

Jaguar cichlids come from warm lakes, rivers, and slow backwaters across Central America, from Honduras down through Costa Rica. These are large, open waters with sand or gravel bottoms, sunken wood, and rock, where a big predator has room to hold a territory. To match that, give them a tank of at least 450 liters with a fine sand or gravel floor they can dig, rockwork and caves to mark territory boundaries, and strong filtration to keep up with the heavy waste. Keep the water warm at 24 to 28 C and run the pH from 7 to 8.5.

Good to know

This is a large predatory cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching about 40 cm as an adult. It is a substrate spawner that breeds easily as a pair and guards the eggs and fry hard. A healthy fish can live well over a decade. Most in the trade are tank bred.

Did you know

The spotted, broken pattern that gives the jaguar cichlid its name shifts as the fish grows. Juveniles wear plain bars and blotches, then break up into the dense leopard-like spotting as adults, and a spawning pair often darkens right down to near black while guarding fry.

Common questions

What size tank does a Jaguar cichlid need?

A Jaguar cichlid needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Jaguar cichlid need?

A Jaguar cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.5.

How big does a Jaguar cichlid get?

An adult Jaguar cichlid reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).

Related species