Midas Cichlid – Amphilophus citrinellus

Freshwater Midas Cichlid habitat Atlantic slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica (San Juan River drainage, including Lakes Nicaragua, Managua, Masaya, and Apoyo). Majorly Midas found in lakes. You can also go to a slow-flowing river. Size upto 35cm, Aquarium Temperature ranges from 70 to 77°F or 21-25°C
 
 

About Pearly Midas Cichlid

• Several colors which include Gold, ma, Red-head, and tiger
• Midas can be found in lakes and sometimes lower bed of the slow-flowing river 
• Midas Cichlid Size is about 35cm, 
• They are territorial and aggressive Cichlids.
• They like to make holes or tunnels ( Burrowing )
• commercially produced Fish
• They are omnivorous and always good to feed live foods. 
• Midas Cichlid Amphilophus citrinellus first described by Gunther in 1864
• The average Lifespan is 10 to 12 years or more. It depends upon how well they took care
• Once they introduced to Aquarium, they will have more solidly colors
• Midas Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to discourage predators

The scientific name of Midas Cichlid

 
 
Their scientific name is The Midas Cichlid Amphilophus citrinellus (previously Cichlasoma citrinellum).
 
 

How to identify Midas Cichlid

• The Size of the Midas is about 35cm. 
• Midas Cichlid is a naturally camouflaging dark brown.
• They have Grey to Black body with six dark bars
• They have a large black scar on the side’s
• In Midas, the Popular color morph is a creamy and sometimes spotted yellow-colored specimen
• They have similar colors like Red Devil Cichlid

The behavior of Midas Cichlid

• Temperament Territorial, very Aggressive and Predatory
• They can be kept alone or in pair  
• larger tank required, Larger than 55 gallons for one Midas and a pair 125 gallon or more 
• If you want to save more Fish with them its good to keep them in a tank capacity of around 200 gallons
• If you keep them in the smaller tank, they will kill and eat all fishes, so it’s not advisable to keep them in a smaller tank
• They are diggers and plants. they can eat all plants and shred them
• make sure all equipment you installed in Aquarium is well protected as they can destroy them 
• They are predatory, so all other Fish in the tank should be more extensive in Size otherwise will be eaten by them.

Diet for Midas Cichlid

• They are omnivorous, and it’s always better to feed them varieties of food. 
• Live Food is still better for Fishes, and if that’s not possible, then frozen food is also good. 
• Flake food
• Pellets
• Freeze-dried krill
• Frozen bloodworms
• Earthworms
• Night Crawlers
• Crickets
• Sometimes can feed them with vegetables 
• Lettuce
• Blanched cucumber
• Vitamins and Supplements

 
 
Try to feed them in smaller portions instead of large amounts. 
Always better to feed them 3 to 4 times a day. Give some supplements regularly to keep them healthy. 
 
 

Midas Cichlid Tanks Aquarium (Tank ) Condition 

• They need 55-gallon Aquarium if you are keeping one, and if planning to keep pair, you must go for at least 125 gallons fish tank, and if you are planning to hold more Fish, then the fish tank should be around 200 gallons. 
• Aquarium with Midas need moderate water movement and a powerful filtration system. 
• If you want to keep them in good health and retain their color, You have to maintain an adequate oxygen level.
• As stated before, you have to keep all Aquarium installations protected; otherwise, they will destroy them. Keep your filtration system and other things well covered.  
• Easy to maintain this Fish if someone able to change the water regularly. 
• Clean your Aquarium regularly. If possible weekly so that there is no deposition of nitrate and phosphates in the Aquarium
• The Aquarium’s bottom should be of fine sand and keep rocks and wood to provide more hiding place in Aquarium.

Midas Cichlid Tank Setup Guide 

• tank temperature ranges from 70 to 77°F or 21-25°C
• the temperature should be a little higher in the breeding period 
• water PH should be in the range 6.6-7.3 pH
• maintain water hardness between 10 to 20 dH
• Need at-least 55 gallons tank for single Fish and pair more than 125-gallon tank and if planning to keep more Fish and want to try mixing then should go for 200-gallon water fish tank.
• They can jump out of Aquarium, so please make sure your Aquarium lid is tight.
•  It’s always better to replace 30% of the water every week to keep water chemistry right. Suppose water and food are good. The Colour of the Fish will be okay. 
• Keep rocks and cover the bottom so that they not able to topple Aquarium. 
• Always keep a check on the carbonate hardness of the water. 

 
 
if one takes care of these three things, you will notice 
 

• color of Fish is good
• they ill not get a disease
• they will live longer 
• and do all their activities, and you will love them 

Breeding Midas Cichlid 

•  Can make Caves made out of rock formations or flowerpots.
• Pair swims in circles around each other and slapping each other on the side with their tail fin. At the same time, their mouths are wide open.
• he female will then float in front of the Male and rub her side across the Male’s nuchal hump
• Males are more aggressive, and females are calm and take care of eggs. The Male will do this to the female, which results in the nuchal humps growing larger. It can take between 2 to 5 weeks and sometimes even six weeks. 
• Males tend to be aggressive towards females at this time. One has to protect the female from getting hurt. for this can divide so that Male not able to attack female 
• Hatching of eggs takes around 2 to 5 days. 
• once eggs laid, both parent will guard their fry
• If you take away eggs, Male will become more aggressive towards females and hurt females, so it’s better not to take eggs from the Aquarium. 
• Parents will eat un-hatched eggs, and the rest will swim by their side. 
• One should change water frequently in the first few weeks. preferably three times a week to keep fry healthy 

Midas Cichlid Common Disease 

• They are prone to infections like all other freshwater Fish.
• Another common problem is Ich. If this happens, try to maintain proper copper levels in Aquarium.
• Like HLLE – Head and Lateral Line Disease) that large cichlids are prone to be expected as many fail to keep adequate water condition in a tank.
• once should maintain nitrate and phosphorous levels in the Aquarium
• always use Bio-Filters so that can maintain water chemistry 
• To avoid illness, one should keep water hardness and clean water of the Aquarium regularly to avoid.
•  Other diseases that can impart this Fish are skin flukes, parasitic infestations, fungal infections, and bacterial infections.

Is Midas Cichlid right for Aquarium…?

• Beginners try to avoid keeping this Fish. Yes, if you have experience in keeping Fish can certainly a great addition to your Aquarium.
• This Fish is for intermediate and experienced cichlid keeper only. 
• They need at least a 55-gallon tank for single Fish and at-least a 125-gallon fish tank for a pair, and if planning to keep different types of fishes, you require atleast a 200-gallon water tank. 
• The Aquarium needs regular maintenance. 

if you think you can manage these things and love aggressive Fish in your Aquarium, can go ahead and keep them