Cichlidae

Cryptoheros

20.00 cm

Males can max out at 20 cm. Females max out at a little under 10 cm.

Aggressive

Mostly aggressive to conspecifics, but will kill smaller fish during spawning.

Insectivore, Omnivore

152.00 L

90.00 cm x 45.00 cm

21.0 C - 28.0 C

Any.

Other

Extremely prolific. May possibly be the only polygamous Central American cichlid. Males will breed with multiple females and either collect all the fry from multiple mothers to raise themselves, or hop between families. Each female produces 200-500 fry that grow fast. Low demand for the species in the aquarium trade, so I will warn that you must REALLY want the species if you aren't willing to offload them to next to nothing. Females will go into breeding dress and dance for males using a series of tail slaps while swimming over the male. Breeds in warmer water. Females will go into a darker "courting" coloration prior to spawning. As a result of how long they have been in the hobby without reintroduction of wild stock to bloodlines, most captive bred bloodlines show some degree of infertility. I do not know of anyone maintaining wild bloodlines as of 2023.