From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Rainbow Cichlid
Herotilapia multispinosa
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 7 – 8
- Min. tank size
- 110 L
- Lifespan
- 7-10 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- easy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Herotilapia multispinosa |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Origin: | Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | easy |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 15.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 2+ together |
| Varieties: | No cultivated colour strains — the wild-type fish is what is sold, and its colour varies enormously with mood and condition, from a plain olive-gold to a deep gold with a black lateral stripe and dark bars in breeding dress. That variability is part of the name; a settled, breeding rainbow cichlid looks like a different fish from the pale specimen in a shop tank. Taxonomy has moved repeatedly. The species appears as Cichlasoma multispinosum, Herotilapia multispinosa and Archocentrus multispinosus in different sources, and Herotilapia was a monotypic genus erected specifically for it on the basis of those tricuspid teeth. Related Central American cichlids in the hobby include the convict cichlid, similar in size and considerably more aggressive; the honduran red point; and the various Cryptoheros and Amatitlania species. Among all of them the rainbow cichlid is the mildest and the most herbivorous, which makes it the best starting point for anyone wanting a Central American pair in a moderate tank. |
| Lifespan: | 7-10 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium
- Min Tank:110 L
- Substrate:Sand or fine gravel; rocks, caves and robust planting
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe (may dig a little when spawning)
- Filtration:Moderate to high
Rainbow Cichlid (Herotilapia multispinosa) is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae. It is native to Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras). The rainbow cichlid is the Central American cichlid you can actually keep in a normal tank. Most adults reach 7 to 8 cm, though the species can grow to 12 to 15 cm, which puts it at a fraction of the size of the Texas cichlids and severums it shares a continent with. It has a genuine anatomical peculiarity: unique tricuspid teeth, three-pointed and adapted for scraping filamentous algae off rocks. No other Central American cichlid has them, and they reflect a diet with far more plant matter in it than the family norm. It is comparatively peaceful for a cichlid, tolerant of hard alkaline water at pH 7.0 to 8.0 and 9 to 20 dGH, and extremely tolerant of temperature — 21 to 36 °C (70–97 °F) in nature. Its parental care is exceptional: 500 to 1500 eggs and four weeks or more of fry guarding.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 2+
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Rainbow Cichlid
Matched on family, then category, then water type