Nicaragua cichlid
A gold-and-blue Central American cichlid that is far more peaceable than its twenty-five-centimetre length suggests, and one of the few large American cichlids whose eggs are non-adhesive and left loose in a cave. The female is the more colourful of the pair.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
- Adult size
- 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in)
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- pH
- 7–8.4
- Hardness
- 8–22 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 400 L (106 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 150 cm
- Swimming zone
- Bottom
- Social
- Pair
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Hardy, long-lived and unusually mild for its size. The requirement is a large tank with fine sand, and the diet needs to include plant material.
Rocky lake margins and river reaches with sand and stone, in warm hard water.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Nicaragua cichlid
- Scientific name
- Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, Cichlasoma nicaraguense, macaw cichlid, moga
- Former or synonymous names
- Cichlasoma nicaraguense, Copora nicaraguensis
Adult size and growth
20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 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 large cichlid that grazes and digs across the whole floor rather than holding one corner. Floor area is what it uses.
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 water, warm and hard. The species tolerates a wide band and this one follows the habitat.
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 | 24–30 °C (75–86 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7–8.4 | 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 | 400 L (106 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 150 cm long × 50 cm deep | A large cichlid that grazes and digs across the whole floor rather than holding one corner. Floor area is what it uses. |
| 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, rounded rock and caves. It sifts substrate constantly, so fine sand rather than gravel is the working requirement. |
Behaviour
- Sifts sand continuously through the gills, working across the tank floor in slow passes.
- Pairs move their non-adhesive eggs around the cave floor, which looks like the clutch being disturbed and is normal.
Telling males from females
Females are the more brightly coloured, with an intense gold body and a blue-green sheen; males grow larger, develop a nuchal hump and are plainer.
Feeding
Takes a substantial proportion of plant material and detritus in the wild, and a vegetable-heavy diet keeps it in better condition than a protein-heavy one.
- Diet type
- Omnivore
- Staples
- Sinking cichlid pellets, Blanched courgette, Frozen mysis, Spirulina flake
- Avoid
- Mammalian meat
Breeding
- Strategy
- Non-adhesive eggs laid loose in a cave and tended by both parents
- Difficulty
- straightforward
- Parental care
- guarding
Almost unique among Central American cichlids in laying eggs that do not stick. The parents gather and move them rather than fanning a fixed clutch.
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 | high | 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 | low | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | 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.
- Coarse gravel prevents the sifting behaviour and can damage the gill rakers over time. Fine sand is a husbandry requirement here rather than a preference.
- Its comparative mildness leads to it being kept with fish that are not mild. It is a large cichlid that will be bullied by a jaguar or a midas, which is an unusual direction for a fish this 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
- Atlantic slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, including Lakes Nicaragua and Managua
- Habitat
- Rocky lake margins and river reaches with sand and stone, in warm hard water.
What the checklists say
5 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 | 2 | 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.
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 | Hypsophrys nicaraguensis | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Atlantic slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, including Lakes Nicaragua and Managua | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 20–25 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 10–15 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 24–30 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7–8.4 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 | ≥ 400 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 150 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. 5 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 2 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.
- 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 25 cm. Most of the difficult rehoming cases are fish sold small that were always going to become impossible.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Forms pairs and is comparatively tolerant of other large cichlids outside breeding. This is one of the few fish of its size that can share a tank with other Central Americans without the arrangement being an experiment.