Family: Cichlidae
Butterfly Cichlid — a Cichlidae from Central America, assertive but manageable with space and structure. Reaches 12.4–18.2 cm; singly, in pairs, or as a harem — never crowded. 22–28 °C.
A Cichlidae species native to Central America: Hypsophrys nicaraguensis lives bottom-dwelling over lakes and slow rivers with structure. Assertive but manageable with space and structure. Adults reach 12.4–18.2 cm. In a community tank it pairs well with Other cichlids of similar size and temperament.
Intermediate difficulty. Assertive but manageable with space and structure; singly, in pairs, or as a harem — never crowded.
Hold 22–28 °C and keep it stable — 22–28 °C manually curated 2026-09-20 (was GBIF-derived). Heater required for stable tropical warmth.
Full size is 12.4–18.2 cm. Minimum tank: 397 L, with open swimming space along its bottom-dwelling habits.
Accepts all foods; emphasise quality over variety. Vary the menu — quality flakes or pellets plus frozen or live foods.
Yes, with care. Assertive but manageable with space and structure — pair it with Other cichlids of similar size and temperament — Balance aggression across the tank and skip Delicate planted-tank species — Uprooted and outcompeted.
Comes from Central America: lakes and slow rivers with structure. Expect still to gentle current and moderate.
Jumping is not a known issue; cover the tank anyway during water changes.
In the aquarium: cave or substrate spawner with prolonged parental care. Often striking; males larger and brighter.