TankBud

Umbee cichlid

Kronoheros umbrifer

Also known as Cichlasoma umbriferum, Blue speckled monster

FreshwaterFish

Umbee cichlid (Kronoheros umbrifer)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
21.7 in
55 cm
Minimum tank
238 gal
900 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Rivers of eastern Panama and western Colombia

Overview

The Umbee cichlid is one of the largest and most formidable New World cichlids, an intelligent, hard-hitting predator. It suits only experienced keepers.

Did you know

The Umbee cichlid's genus name pairs Kronos, the child-devouring Titan of Greek myth, with the cichlid root heros.

Caring for the Umbee cichlid

An Umbee cichlid needs at least 238 gal (900 L), and it is a serious, long-lived commitment. Provide heavy-duty filtration and large, well anchored rock and wood that it cannot easily topple. It patrols the bottom and lower water and will rearrange anything loose.

Keep the water warm and neutral to slightly hard, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed meaty foods and large sinking items. Never offer live feeder fish, which risk disease.

It is aggressive, so keep a single fish or a proven pair. Few tank mates are safe with it, and many keepers house it alone.

It is a biparental substrate spawner, with both parents fiercely guarding a large brood. Breeding is of medium difficulty.

Good to know

Kronoheros umbrifer, long known as Cichlasoma umbriferum, is the largest cichlid across its Panama and Colombia range. In the wild it can grow beyond its usual adult size, with fish reported to nearly 80 centimeters. It is a heavy fish, blue-speckled over a dark body. Its genus was separated out in a 2016 revision of Central American cichlids.

In the wild

The Umbee cichlid lives in deep pools of rivers from eastern Panama into western Colombia, including the Atrato and Magdalena systems. It is found in warm, roughly neutral water.

Common questions

What size tank does an Umbee cichlid need?

An Umbee cichlid needs at least 238 gal (900 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Umbee cichlid need?

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

What does an Umbee cichlid eat?

An Umbee cichlid eats meaty foods and large sinking items. Never feed it live feeder fish, which risk disease.

How big does an Umbee cichlid get?

An adult Umbee cichlid reaches about 21.7 in (55 cm).

How does an Umbee cichlid breed?

An Umbee cichlid is a biparental substrate spawner. Both parents fiercely guard a large brood, and breeding is of medium difficulty.

Related species