Midas cichlid
A thirty-centimetre Central American cichlid that turns from grey to gold or orange as it matures, develops a large nuchal hump in males, and is among the most powerful and destructive fish kept in home aquaria. It recognises its keeper and it will still rearrange the tank.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Amphilophus citrinellus
- Adult size
- 25–33 cm (9.8–13 in)
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Temperature
- 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
- pH
- 6.8–8
- Hardness
- 8–22 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 700 L (185 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 180 cm
- Swimming zone
- All levels
- Social
- Solitary and territorial
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Physically hardy and entirely dependent on a tank most people cannot house. A thirty-centimetre cichlid that lives fifteen years and breaks equipment is a long-term structural commitment.
Lake shores and slow rivers with rock and sand, in warm hard water with abundant molluscs and detritus.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Midas cichlid
- Scientific name
- Amphilophus citrinellus
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Amphilophus citrinellus, Cichlasoma citrinellum, red devil, midas
- Former or synonymous names
- Cichlasoma citrinellum
Adult size and growth
25–33 cm (9.8–13 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 10–15 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
A fish of thirty centimetres that digs, moves rock and pursues anything it dislikes for the length of the tank. Nothing smaller than this leaves any part of the floor unclaimed.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: Nicaraguan lake and river water, warm and moderately hard. The species tolerates a wide band and the figures here reflect the habitat rather than a narrow requirement.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Hard alkaline water
Water draining limestone, gypsum or volcanic mineral — Central American rivers, karst springs, hard-water lakes.
These species are usually easy in hard tap water and difficult in the soft, acidic water the hobby treats as the default. The commonest failure is the keeper softening water that did not need softening.
- Conductivity
- 300–900 µS/cm
- Flow
- moderate
- Dissolved oxygen
- moderate
- Seasonality
- moderate
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 23–29 °C (73–84 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 6.8–8 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 8–22 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Minimum volume | 700 L (185 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 180 cm long × 60 cm deep | A fish of thirty centimetres that digs, moves rock and pursues anything it dislikes for the length of the tank. Nothing smaller than this leaves any part of the floor unclaimed. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Sand and heavy rock founded on the tank base. Equipment inside the tank has to be assumed to be a target; heaters in particular are broken by this species with some regularity. |
Behaviour
- Excavates the substrate down to the glass in places and relocates rocks it can move.
- Learns to associate a person with feeding and behaves noticeably differently towards familiar and unfamiliar people at the front of the tank.
Telling males from females
Males are considerably larger and develop a prominent fatty nuchal hump, most marked in breeding condition. Females are smaller with little or no hump.
Feeding
Eats molluscs, plant material and detritus in the wild. A high-vegetable pellet suits it better than the meat-heavy diet its size suggests, and it is very easily overfed.
- Diet type
- Omnivore
- Staples
- Large sinking cichlid pellets, Mussel, Prawn, Earthworm, Blanched courgette
- Avoid
- Mammalian meat, Live feeder fish
Breeding
- Strategy
- Adhesive eggs on a cleaned rock, guarded intensely by both parents
- Difficulty
- straightforward
- Parental care
- guarding
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | near-certain | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | near-certain | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | none | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | uproots | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- The name red devil is applied both to this species and to Amphilophus labiatus, and much aquarium stock is of mixed ancestry. Adult size and temperament vary accordingly.
- Established outside its native range in warm regions, and one of the species most frequently surrendered to aquarium clubs and public aquaria once it reaches full size.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- The Atlantic slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, including the Nicaraguan great lakes
- Habitat
- Lake shores and slow rivers with rock and sand, in warm hard water with abundant molluscs and detritus.
What the checklists say
8 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 5 | A checklist states the species arrived here with human help. That is not a statement that it is established, harmful or illegal. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 3 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Legal status and responsible practice
Restriction note
Recorded as established in warm regions outside its native range, including parts of Asia and the southern United States. Restrictions vary by jurisdiction and should be checked before acquisition or disposal.
Never release aquarium life into the wild
Aquarium animals, plants, and aquarium water must never be released into ponds, rivers, canals, drains or the sea — not even in a country where the species is sold freely. Released fish and invertebrates establish populations that displace native species, and released plants and water carry pathogens, parasites and fragments capable of spreading without any animal at all. If you can no longer keep an animal, rehome it through an aquarium society, a retailer that accepts returns, or another keeper.
- Rehome through a local aquarium society, a specialist retailer or another keeper.
- Unwanted plants go in household waste or a hot compost heap, never in a watercourse or a garden pond.
- Never empty a bucket of tank water into a drain that discharges to open water.
- If an animal is beyond rehoming, ask an aquatic veterinarian about humane euthanasia rather than releasing it.
Legal status is recorded from the sources named and was correct on the verification date shown. Rules change, and sub-national rules often differ from national ones. Check the current position with the relevant authority before acquiring, selling or moving any animal or plant.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Amphilophus citrinellus | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | The Atlantic slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, including the Nicaraguan great lakes | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 25–33 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 10–15 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 23–29 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 6.8–8 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 8–22 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 700 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 180 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 8 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 5 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Native, introduced and invasiveThis record carries an invasive or legal note, and those are five separate claims that are easy to read as one.
- Scientific and trade namesThis species has been published under more than one accepted name.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- Rehoming an animal you can no longer keepThis animal reaches 33 cm. Most of the difficult rehoming cases are fish sold small that were always going to become impossible.
Group size and social behaviour
Kept alone or as a bonded pair, and the pair bond can fail violently. It is one of the fish for which a single-specimen tank is a normal and reasonable arrangement rather than a deprivation.