Scientific Name: Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
Common Name: Nicaraguan Cichlid
Adult Size: 6 inches
Life Expectancy: 8+ years
Habitat: Central America; Nicaragua
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
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Temperature Range: 75 - 82°F
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pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
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Water Hardness: 5 - 15
Temperament: Mildly aggressive and is a territorial fish, but compared to other Central American Cichlids of the same size it is fairly non-aggressive.
Diet/Nutrition: Omnivore; in the wild, they feed on a variety of small invertebrates, insects, and plant matter. In captivity, provide a balanced diet with high-quality pellets, flakes, and occasional live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and small invertebrates.
Breeding: The couple will start digging out a big pit in the substrate, often under a rock or inside a cave. The eggs are then deposited and fertilized in this pit. The eggs are not sticky and can therefore not be attached to the walls or roof of a cave. In most cases, only about 20-50% of the eggs will hatch; normally within three days and the fry will be free swimming after 4-5 more days. Both sexes are devoted parents; the female will fan fresh water over the eggs and guard eggs and fry, while the male will protect the territory around the spawning site from any intruders. Once the fry has consumed the yolk sac, they can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp.
Gender: Males have iridescent bands in the caudal fin, even from a young age, and these bands are absent in females.
