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Topaz convict cichlid

Amatitlania myrnae

Also known as Cryptoheros myrnae, Myrna's cichlid, Topaz cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Topaz convict cichlid (Amatitlania myrnae)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
21 gal
80 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Caribbean slope, Costa Rica and Panama

Overview

The topaz convict cichlid is a small, softer-tempered relative of the common convict. It is a good choice once you have a little experience.

Did you know

The topaz convict cichlid is named for Myrna Lopez Sanchez, a Costa Rican ichthyologist and museum director who helped collect it. It is not named for anyone's wife, as is sometimes assumed.

Caring for the topaz convict cichlid

A tank of at least 21 gal (80 L) suits a pair of topaz convict cichlids, or more if you add robust tank mates. Give them a soft floor, driftwood, leaf litter and some caves for spawning, under dim light. They stay low in the water, digging and defending a cave.

Keep the water warm, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed a varied diet of pellets, flake, frozen foods and some vegetable matter.

The topaz convict cichlid is best kept as a single bonded pair. It is only moderately aggressive, mostly around breeding time. Give a pair a tank of their own, or careful tank mates that can keep clear of the nest.

It is a biparental cave spawner, and the pair cleans a cavity for the eggs. The eggs hatch in a few days, and the parents move the fry to a pit in the sand until they swim free. Breeding is of moderate difficulty.

Good to know

The topaz convict cichlid, Amatitlania myrnae, was once placed in the genus Cryptoheros, and it is also called Myrna's cichlid. Breeding fish deepen to a topaz-blue sheen, with a rosy belly beneath broken bars.

In the wild

The topaz convict cichlid lives in gentle, shaded rainforest streams on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica and Panama. The streams run over sand and leaf litter, with wood and rock for cover.

Common questions

What size tank does a topaz convict cichlid need?

A topaz convict cichlid needs at least 21 gal (80 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a topaz convict cichlid need?

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

What does a topaz convict cichlid eat?

A topaz convict cichlid eats a varied diet of pellets, flake and frozen foods, with some vegetable matter.

How big does a topaz convict cichlid get?

An adult topaz convict cichlid reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How does a topaz convict cichlid breed?

Topaz convict cichlids are cave spawners that clean a cavity for their eggs. The eggs hatch in a few days, and both parents move the fry to a pit in the sand until they swim free.

Related species