Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Rainbow cichlid

No federal permit to keep

Rainbow cichlid

Herotilapia multispinosa

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Herotilapia multispinosa (previously: Archocentrus multispinosus) also known as the rainbow cichlid is a Central American freshwater fish of the cichlid family.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 6.9 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 36 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.7 in / 17 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 70–97°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 7–8.
Hardness: 9–20 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A grazer on plants and algae: base the diet on vegetable foods (algae wafers, blanched vegetables, spirulina). FishBase classes it as a herbivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 35 × 15 in (roughly 27 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, pH 7–8, 0–20 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Sand subtrate should be used, although this fish would actually prefer a muddy bottom which would pose a challenge to the aquarist.”
Diet: “Feeds mainly on detritus in nature, including a great deal of algae and other plant matter.”
Tankmates: “A peaceful cichlid, especially by Central American standards, which will appreciate tankmates of a similar disposition.”
Breeding: “Best spawned is a separate breeding tank.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is found on the Atlantic slope of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica from Patuca River (Honduras) south to Matina River (Costa Rica), and on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica from Guasaule River south to Tempisque River. Specimens are also reported from the Choluteca River on the Pacific side of Honduras.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Rainbow cichlid” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in lakes, mangroves. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits lakes and swampy areas with muddy bottoms. Feeds on considerable ooze, detritus and filaments of algae.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 70–97 °F (21–36 °C), pH 7–8, hardness 9–20 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Grazing on aquatic plants.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders, maternal parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 70–97 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Herotilapia multispinosa

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 65°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	78–84% on average (driest month about 77%)
Rainfall	about 2802 mm a year

Measured at 32 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Herotilapia multispinosa (previously: Archocentrus multispinosus) also known as the rainbow cichlid is a Central American freshwater fish of the cichlid family. It is found on the Atlantic slope of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica from Patuca River (Honduras) south to Matina River (Costa Rica), and on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica from Guasaule River south to Tempisque River. Specimens are also reported from the Choluteca River on the Pacific side of Honduras. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Wild diet	The rainbow cichlid is an omnivore. In the wild, it mostly eats flocculent detritus, with a preference for filamentous algae, simple algae, and diatoms. It can also prey on smaller fish and insects. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Reproduction	The larvae were attached to aquatic swimming plants because most oxygen is near the surface of the pool. Later female looks after the young, male defends the territory. This updates previous information from. — FishBase
Appearance and size	The rainbow cichlid can reach 12–15 cm (4.7" - 6") in length, but most adults are around 7–8 cm. The fish is generally yellow, with hints of reds and browns. A line of black central spots runs from the eye to the base of the tail. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Inhabits lakes and swampy areas with muddy bottoms. Feeds on considerable ooze, detritus and filaments of algae. Forms pairs; both sexes territorial. — FishBase
History and naming	The rainbow cichlid was first described in 1867 by Albert Günther and was then placed in the genus Heros, a synonym of Cichlasoma. In 1903, it was removed from the Cichlasoma and placed in its own new genus Herotilapia, solely on the basis of its unique tricuspid teeth, an adaptation to eat filamentous algae. It was then called Herotilapia multispinosa. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.8in

FishBase 1646.7

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.9

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Reported70–97°F

FishBase 16470–97

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources7–8

FishBase 1647–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677–8

Water hardness

Average of sources4.5–20dGH

FishBase 1649–20

Seriously Fish species profiles 1670–20

Minimum tank footprint

Reported35in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16735

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 35 × 15 in (about 27 US gallons).

Veterinary & husbandry research

The influence of magnetic fields on the early ontogeny of the rainbow cichlid Herotilapia multispinosa (Günther, 1867) Piesiewicz R et al., Zoological letters 2026

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
5 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.