The Jaguar Cichlid (Parachromis managuensis) is a large freshwater fish in the cichlid family. It is also known as the Managuense Cichlid and the Aztac Cichlid.
The Jaguar Cichlid has a yellow-bronze oval body, with vivid black spots. It has a series of large black dots running horizontally along the middle of its body.
It grows to about 35 centimetres (14 inches) long. The female is shorter than the male.
It is native to the rivers of Central America, from Honduras to Costa Rica to Lake Managua in Nicaragua. It prefers muddy, warm waters.
The Jaguar Cichlid is carnivorous, aggressive, and predatory. It eats other fish, as well as insects and earthworms.
The female Jaguar Cichlid lays 1,000-2,000 eggs. Both parents guard the eggs, which hatch after 5-7 days. Both parents protect their young by taking them into their mouth (they do not eat their young).
The young are called wrigglers and they cannot swim. They can swim after about 7 days.
[Location of photographs: Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia]
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM