Jaguar Cichlid

Looks how to spot one

Large, powerful predatory cichlid

A big, muscular cichlid with a silvery to golden-green or purplish body covered in dark spots and blotches, like a jaguar's coat, and a dark stripe running back from the eye. Males grow bigger and carry long, pointed fin tips.32

Personality what they are like

A confident, territorial predator that sees small fish as food; only for experienced keepers with a very large aquarium.21

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Strong and active, and it needs plenty of room to swim and patrol its territory.2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Strong filtration, turning the water over four to five times an hour, with frequent water changes.2

Home where they are happiest

A minimum of about 120 x 38 cm (around 200 litres) for young fish, and far larger for full-grown adults; rocks, wood and caves to mark territories. Water about 23 to 25 C is suggested for aquariums (FishBase lists 25 to 36 C in the wild), pH roughly 6.0 to 8.7, hardness around 6 to 18 dGH.21

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Mainly carnivorous: large pellets plus frozen fish, shrimp and other meaty foods.21

Company who they like around

Pairs raise their young together and guard the fry for several weeks; usually kept alone or as a pair.21

The story where it all began

Günther described the jaguar cichlid in 1867, naming it after Lake Managua in Nicaragua, where the type specimen came from. In its homeland it is valued both as a food fish and a sport fish, and it is a well-known aquarium species for big tanks.13

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (assessed February 2020)1

Taxonomy

Described by Günther in 1867 as Heros managuensis; also placed in Cichlasoma, Herichthys and Nandopsis3