CENTRAL AMERICAN CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily ( Cichlasomatinae )
Continued…
Genus Amphilophus.
— Amphilophus citrinellus [Gunther, 1864] — Midas Cichlid, Lemon Cichlid. Synonyms: Cichlasoma citrinellum; Archocentrus, Herichthys, Heros citrinellus; Heros, Cichlasoma basilaris, basilare, granadense; Erythrichthys citrinellum. (Eng- Lemon Cichlid, Midas Cichlid). Inhabits riverine and lacustrine biotopes of Central America, including Nicaraguan volcanic lakes, Rio San Juan river basin. 35 cm, in aquarium 17-25 cm. Body is massive.
Coloration is variable. This species has a rich spectrum of diversity in color, physique, and the formation of a convex forehead in males. The main coloration is silver-gray with vertical black stripes. All fish are born black-gray, then depending on the ratio and distribution of chromatophore cells, some of them change color to various shades of yellow and red from pale golden and pink to orange-red (“Gold” morph), while others remain brownish-gray.
Mixed coloration is also possible – in the form of gray spots in the “gold” morph. Due to the death of some pigment-containing cells, the fish may look as if it has molted. There are golden-yellow and red-yellow variations. There are also a number of other variations, mainly due to targeted breeding. Adult specimens are light yellow to orange-yellow, may have black spots on the flanks and fins. Unpaired fins are bluish. Juveniles are yellowish-gray to dark gray-blue, with 6-7 dark transverse stripes on the flank and a dark spot in the middle.
Males are larger than females, with a deeper body, and possess a large adipose hump on the forehead. In appearance, A. citrinellus are quite similar to the related species Amphilophus labiatus, especially juveniles. Characteristic features of A. citrinellus are a shorter “pig-like” snout, as opposed to the “fox-like” one in A. labiatus, relatively small lips, and a convex forehead. The profile (especially in adult specimens) has a depression at eye level.
Aggressive, territorial species. Their maintenance requires large aquariums with a capacity of 200 liters or more for a single pair of fish. In a spacious aquarium, they get along with large, “tough” fish, but during the spawning period they can be very aggressive, and may even kill females. A spacious aquarium with numerous shelters (bogwood, rocks, caves) securely installed on the glass bottom is required. Keeps to the middle and upper water layers.
Substrate – fine pebble or gravel. They dig in the substrate and uproot plants, for which reason it is better not to keep plants in an aquarium with cichlids. Lighting should be bright. Fish are not demanding regarding water composition. Filtration, aeration, and weekly water changes are necessary. To achieve a bright red coloration (instead of the natural pink or orange), fish are fed special carotene-containing foods and feed additives. They eat snails, small fish, insect larvae, worms, and require plant-based supplementation.
Mature at 10-14 months. One of the problems of pairing is that males often reach sexual maturity earlier than females and, without reciprocation, kill them. Fish spawn on a substrate. In nature, fish feed newborn fry with skin secretion that appears on their flanks by the time the fry hatch and begin free swimming. Some pairs do this in aquarium conditions as well. Parents can care for the fry for up to 4 months. During the parental care period, parents display fry-like striping. Lifespan up to 15 years. dH 5-25°; pH 6.8-7.8; T 24-27°C.
— Amphilophus labiatus [Guenther, 1864] — Red Devil Cichlid, Large Lipped Cichlid. Synonyms: Cichlasoma labiatum, lobochilus, dorsatum, froebeli, erythraeum; Herichthys, Heros labiatus, lobochilus; Amphilophus erythraeus, froebelii. (Eng- Large Lipped Cichlid, Red Devil Cichlid). Uruguay, Nicaragua, Brazil, lakes Nicaragua and Managua. In the aquarium 17-25 cm. Wild fish have a rather drab gray color, with some showing orange or red hues. Hybridization in the hobby has reached such an extent that it is difficult to find purebred fish.
Color forms include: brownish-gray with and without dark spots, white, gray, as well as various shades of yellow, orange, and red from pale golden and pink to orange-red. Adorned with black spots, and most importantly, fleshy lips – these protruding, as if puffed-up lips distinguish specimens caught in natural waters.
Mature males are generally larger and sleeker than females, featuring a more spectacular occipital hump on an amber-yellow head, with a black vertical bar passing through the eye. These humps only develop during the breeding season in nature, but in aquariums many specimens retain a huge bump permanently. The flanks feature shimmering pearly blue spots. Bright blue dots adorn the head, and the dorsal and caudal fins are decorated with bright blue and red stripes.
In the male, the tips of the dorsal and anal fins are elongated. Females are much smaller, almost half the size, and less colorful, with broad black vertical bars on a light brown background. Large black rounded spots in the middle part of the body. Their dorsal fin is short and rounded with only a hint of red and blue color. Juveniles are gray-yellow with dark dots. Young A. labiatus and A. citrinellus are difficult to distinguish. One of the color variations received an independent scientific description and, due to its striking red coloration with black spots, is called the Red Devil.
Aggressive, territorial species. Keeping more than one male in any aquarium is impossible, regardless of their size. Females have a hierarchy with a dominant female that chases others away from a small occupied territory. If a female is not ready to spawn, she can put up serious resistance to the male. Males generally do not mark a territory. A spacious aquarium with numerous shelters providing visual barriers (rocks, caves, large flower pots) is required, and they should be sturdy as the fish will try to move them anyway.
You can try anchoring plastic plants with rocks, but do not expect them to stay there for long. Heaters and any other equipment are best hidden behind rock structures, and very strong suction cups should be used on any piping. The filter itself must be large and efficient to clean the mass of biological waste produced by this greedy, messy fish. A heavy lid is necessary to prevent jumping out of the aquarium during moments of excitement, which will be frequent.
Keeps to the middle and lower water layers. In a spacious aquarium, they get along with other large cichlids. Smaller fish are regarded as food. Substrate – pebble or gravel. Large amounts of substrate will be moved around the aquarium daily. Aeration, filtration, and large water changes are required. Will attempt to eat anything that looks edible. Despite their massive heads and large jaws, they have difficulty eating large pieces of food, so pieces of mussel or earthworms should be chopped up.
To achieve an intense red coloration, fish are fed special foods (“Astacolor”, “Red Parrot”) or sweet bell pepper (paprika) along with brine shrimp. Breeding is very difficult because males beat females to death when introduced to the aquarium. Eggs are laid on a pre-prepared substrate (flower pot, flat stone) located in hard-to-reach places for other fish species. Parents guard the clutch and later the fry. dH 5-30°; pH 6.0-8.0; T 24-26°C.
Identification: Large Lipped Cichlid — Amphilophus labiatus.
Amphilophus robertsoni, sagittae, xiloaensis, zaliosus.
Amphilophus longimanus, Amphilophus macracanthus, Amphilophus nourissati. 
