Nicaragua cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

The Nicaragua cichlid is a large, mostly peaceful fish from Central America, kept as a pair near the bottom of a big tank. Its care is of medium difficulty.

Caring for the Nicaragua cichlid

Give a pair of Nicaragua cichlids at least 75 gal (285 L), and add another 180 liters or more to mix in other cichlids. They hold to the bottom, where they sift sand and dig, so give them a soft sandy floor with rockwork, driftwood and caves. Stick to hardy attached plants such as Anubias, since loose plants get uprooted.

Keep the water hard and neutral to alkaline, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. Nicaragua cichlids are sensitive to organic waste and nitrate, so do frequent partial water changes. Feed a varied diet of quality pellets, frozen foods and some vegetable matter.

Keep them as a compatible male and female pair. They are mostly peaceful for their size but stay territorial, especially when breeding. They will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so this is not a community fish.

Males grow larger and develop a nuchal hump, while females stay smaller. Nicaragua cichlids are substrate spawners, and both parents give strong care. A pair excavates a pit and produces 200 to 400 eggs. Breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Good to know

The Nicaragua cichlid, Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, belongs to the family Cichlidae. Adults can live well over a decade in good conditions.

In the wild

Nicaragua cichlids come from the Atlantic slope of Central America, from Honduras and Nicaragua down into Costa Rica. Their range includes Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan drainage. They live over sand and rock, where they sift the substrate for food.

Common questions

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