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Scientific Name |
Amphilophus Citrinellus |
| Type |
Cichlid |
Family |
Cichlidae |
Subfamily |
Cichlasomatinae |
Other Names |
Cichlasoma Citrinellum, Mojarra Rayada, Amphilophus Cintrinellus, Lemon Cichlid. Often called "Red Devil" Cichlid, however the Red Devil is another species. |
Minimum Tank Size |
50 gallon for younger fish, larger for adults |
Tank Level |
Bottom, Mid dweller |
Care |
They are messy with very large waste and need frequent water changes. |
Behavior |
Aggressive, requires a territory such as a cave or rock it can claim as their own. Likes to dig. |
| Compatibility |
Will eat smaller fish. Aggressive and does best alone or in a pair of it's own kind. Very territorial and often fight with other fish. Be careful when keeping other fish with a Midas. |
Life span |
15 years |
Size |
9-15 inches (22-38 cm) |
Aquarium |
Large with some type of cave like shelter. Robust plants only (they will uproot them), flat or rounded, well bedded rocks. Needs powerful filtration, and lots of partial water changes. Will shift around things inside the tank on a daily basis. Anything placed in the tank should be heavy enough so the fish cannot move it, although he will try anyway. Be sure to have a cave-like hideaway, especially if you have more than one fish in the tank. A clay pot works well. Protect your heaters and filter system with a guard, he may try and attack it. |
Water chemistry |
Fresh Water |
pH |
7.0 - 8.0 |
Hardness |
dH: 5.0 - 25.0 (soft to hard) |
Temperature |
70° - 77° F (21° - 25° C) |
Feeding |
Omnivore (Need to eat greens in their diet) Wide range of commercial foods. Does well on small live food. Not a picky eater. Will try and eat almost anything. Will loose color if not fed properly. |
Sexing |
Males have a huge frontal hump. Males tend to be more well built than females. |
Breeding |
Eggs are laid on a rock which is pre cleaned. Both parents guard the eggs. The eggs hatch in 2-5 days. |
Origin |
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Central America, Southern Mexico |
Extras |
- |
