Nicaragua Cichlid (Macaw Cichlid)

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed in the majestic and calcareous Lake Nicaragua and along the Atlantic watercourses in Costa Rica. Thrives among the immense muddy expanses, basalt rock walls and shady forest banks where it hunts mollusks.

Taxonomy and Morphology: A unique chromatic colossus. Previously known as Cichlasoma nicaraguense. It has a bizarre shape, with a softly rounded head towards a very low lip and mouth oriented towards the ground. Notable size: old males touch 25 cm (10 inches) (heavy and stocky), females often less than half (12-15 cm / 5-6 inches).

Social Behavior: Considering the warmongering nature of most giant Central American cichlids (Midas, Green Terrors), the Macaw shines for docility. Absolutely peaceful and phlegmatic if the tank offers suitable hiding places. Coexists with small swordtails without seeing them as snacks, raging only with harsh defenses against boisterous fish during summer spawning.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Extraordinary pomp and iridescence. In rare cases of cichlids, the female is the holder of the most glorious livery. She has a body covered in metallic orange-gold, an iridescent neon jade-green forehead and a dazzling intense pink to fuchsia ventral spot and pearly blue spots. Males are much more faded, with a greenish base and a central black spot or broken stripe (depending on mood), but develop the imposing gibbosity or taurine deformed forehead.

Aquarium Setup: Being majestic lake or large river dwellers, they require very long urns (from 150 cm to two meters / 60-80 inches) set up roughly: wide sandy tracts on which to place and scatter heavy stones to outline the ground. Bogwoods lowered or intertwined to create huge hiding places. Appreciates large snail shells on the bottom if you can find them.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivore/Molluscivore (specialized hard chewers). Will voraciously devour any large cichlid granule (good brand vitamin-loaded cichlid sticks and flakes for the young), but will benefit from vegetable supplements, insects and love to crush small snail shells or raw mussel meat in thick frozen slices.

Water Quality: 'Hard' Cichlids from Central American lakes: Tap water par excellence. They demand hard GH with strong saline/calcareous concentrations (GH from 10 to 20) and high alkaline component of the pH (constant over 7.4). Tolerance to poor hygiene or anoxia of turbid water will lead to premature death and epidemic explosion of bulging eyes (Exophthalmos) and dropsy.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Prime model in large peaceful tap water calcareous tanks without bulky monsters. Golden roommate for schools of large colorful surface Platies mollies and excellent with the timid Firemouth (Meeki) and other peaceful Central American Cichlids. CANCELED any combination with the real and big psychopathic South American stone-breaking giants that would slaughter it out of spite.

Aquarium Breeding: A true rare behavioral prowess in the Central American environment: does not lay sticky (adhesive) eggs. They dig a large, big deep hole well hidden under a root and lay loose free eggs (non-adhesive and opaque) that roll asphyxiatingly on the ground while father and mother struggle to keep them together fanning the water. Exceptional exhibition for the scholarly aquarist.

Risks and Diseases: Lethal Hexamitiasis and rotting fin corrosion guaranteed at 100% in soft sweet waters, poor in hard calcareous nitrates or excessively filthy from undisposed infarction bioload (missed monthly water changes of 50%).