Lyon's Cichlid

About

Found along the Pacific drainage of Costa Rica and Panama, Amphilophus lyonsi is a mid-sized cichlid that doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves in the hobby. In the wild it lives in moderately flowing rivers over sandy substrates, where it roots around for seeds, aquatic insects, and bottom detritus. A foraging lifestyle that translates directly into its behavior in the aquarium. Expect a fish that likes to dig and rearrange things, so lightweight decorations and uprooted plants are par for the course. As Central American cichlids go, it sits in an interesting middle ground: not as aggressive as some of its larger relatives, but still assertive enough that tankmates need to be chosen with some care. Keeping it with other robust fish of similar size tends to work out better than pairing it with anything small or timid. A 40-gallon tank works for a single specimen, but a pair or a community setup will benefit from more space and plenty of hiding spots to break up sightlines. With proper care this is a long-lived fish, and its manageable adult size makes it a reasonable project for a keeper with some cichlid experience who wants something a bit off the beaten path.