Midas Cichlid

Distribution:
   The Midas Cichlid was described by Günther in 1864. They are found in Central America near the Atlantic slope in lakes of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, such as Lake Apoyo, Masaya, Nicaragua and Manaua. The waters they live in are slow and calm, where they feed on aufwuchs, snails, small fish, insect larvae, worms and other benthic creatures.

Status:
   This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The Midas Cichlid is a thick deep bodied fish. The male, when it matures, will develop a nuchal hump on the head. The female does not have this enlarged nuchal hump, though she does have a hint of one. They can live up to 12 years.

Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Pavaphon Supanantananont

   The Midas is really variable in color, and the color morphs that can be acquired are quite interesting. Through captive breeding some of the color morphs now available include orange, all yellow, all white, white and orange, or piebald. What is really interesting about a wild Midas Cichlid, is that once they are put in a tank, they lose the barred pattern that they naturally have. They have recently introduced a strain of Midas that retains the original bars of a wild caught specimen called a “Redhead Barred Midas”.
   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.
   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense “smells” in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being “sampled” for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to “smell” the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:
   The Midas Cichlid grows to a length of 10 - 14” (25 - 35 cm).

Care and feeding:
   Since they are omnivorous the Midas Cichlid will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Feed high quality cichlid pellets, krill, frozen bloodworms, earthworms, night crawlers, crickets, spirulina based foods, and carotene enhanced supplements. The do need vegetable based foods to prevent Hole in the Head disease.  Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day. Feeding in smaller amounts several times a day instead of a large quantity once a day will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   South American cichlids tend to be less aggressive than their african cousins, but space is very important. Larger South American Cichlids need a lot of room; 55 gallons for one female, 75 gallons for one male, and 125 gallons for a pair. If you are keeping them with other large fish, 200 gallons or more may be required. They do fine with low to moderate water movement and strong efficient filtration. Oxygen levels must be maintained for optimum color and health. They appreciate a bottom of fine sand and plenty of hiding places among rocks and wood. They are avid diggers and plants don't fare so well as they will be eaten or shredded. Make sure rocks are well bedded on the actual glass bottom of the tank to prevent toppling. Leave an open area in the center for swimming.
   The Midas Cichlid is a rewarding specimen for the aquarist as it is moderately easy to keep as long as the aquarium is large enough and the water quality is maintained. They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish, especially if water is stale and of poor quality and oxygenation. Ich is easily treated with an elevated temperature of 86° F for a few days. To help prevent the notorious 'Hole-in-the-Head' disease (HLLE - Head and Lateral Line Disease) that large cichlids are prone to. Do water changes of 10 - 15% weekly, more or less depending on stocking numbers. Hard water can also contribute to Hole-in-the-Head disease, so using driftwood can help pull the pH down if you have very hard water. Intestinal disease can be treated with metronidazol.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle and bottom areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 10 -20° dH
   Ph: 6.6 - 7.3
   Temp: 72 - 82° F (22 - 28° C)

Social Behaviors:
  The Midas Cichlid can be kept alone or in a pair. This fish is aggressive, yet in a large tank of at least 200 gallons can be relatively tolerant of other large South American cichlids of different species. In a small tank, this fish will become very aggressive, a 'predator' that can wipe out your entire tank.

Sexual Differences:
   Adult males are larger with extended dorsal and anal fins and a nuchal hump on the head. Females are much smaller without the nuchal hump.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Midas Cichlid is a cave spawner that needs slate, caves made out of rock formations, or flowerpots. They are sexually mature at 6 to 7”. The spawning ritual starts with the two fish swimming in circles around each other and slapping each other on the side with their tailfin while their mouths are wide open. The female will then swim in front of the male and rub her side across the male’s nuchal hump. The male will do this to the female as well which results in the nuchal humps getting larger. This can go on for 2 weeks to 6 months before they are done.
   A tank divider may be needed to protect the female if the male is to brutal. Some breeders have constructed a divider that the female can get through, but is too big for the male so she can get a rest. After the display is done, they will then start cleaning and digging down to the bottom of the tank, all the way to the glass. When you see this, remove the divider and watch to be sure that the ritual is truly over and she is safe.
   The female will lay her eggs and the male will fertilize them as she lays a few rows at a time. In 2 to 5 days, the eggs hatch and any unhatched eggs are eaten by the parents. The parents will then move the wigglers to another pit of gravel and 5 to 7 days later, the fry are free swimming. The male now becomes more protective to the point of considering the female a threat and may attack her, so you may have to put the divider up again. If you make the decision to remove the fry, the male basically freaks out and will attempt to spawn with the female again. The female is not ready and she can be killed very easily if not protected against him. It is better to just leave the fry with the male. See more about cichlid breeding in: Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Buy Convict Cichlid From LiveAquaria.com

Availability:
   The Midas Cichlid is usually available in fish stores and sometimes found online, and will run about $5.00 to $7.00 USD for juveniles. They can be special ordered if you are willing to wait. Make sure you examine them for defects before purchase.

Author: Carrie McBirney
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS