The red devil cichlid also known as Amphilophus labiatus, is originally from Central America. This cichlid is considered a medium to large cichlid often growing 10-12 inches in their lifetime. Males are often larger and develop a hump on their head as they age. First, please understand that I didnt write the article to deter anyone from owning this cichlid. I write this article to share with you the personality of the red devil cichlid in hopes that you will be more educated about this freshwater tropical fish and not be shocked when you see how aggressive it can be.
Many people bring home their new red devil cichlid not knowing the true personality it possesses. Red devil cichlids are usually purchased between 2-3 inches and will grow rather fast the first year or so. Many people start off by introducing their new cichlid to a community setup with other fish. During this first year, aquarium tank owners often start missing fish and having mysterious deaths in the tanks. Tank owners usually begin noticing fights breaking out and their red devil chasing other fish.
This is the time that most devil owners come to the conclusion that this cichlid may not get along with much of anything. If you are thinking this, you are just about right. The red devil often will not tolerate any tank mates. As they get older and larger, they usually become more aggressive. The time comes to where some owners actually trade in their fish if they local fish store will take them back. Over the years I have seen many large red devils in our local fish stores because they became too aggressive and the owners did not want to dedicate a tank solely for it.
I hope you choose to keep your red devil cichlid even if you have to dedicate an entire tank for just him. To keep the red devil cichlid happy, you need to provide plenty of hiding spots such as driftwood, rocks, caves, clay planting pots and artificial plants. Since red devils like to dig, live plants usually end up destroyed. If you attempt to introduce a mate for the red devil, do so with the lights turned out and keep an eye out for any aggression. I would recommend having a tank divider set up in the middle so that you can introduce the new mate on one side and keep your original red devil safely on the other side. This way they can get use to each other without killing one another. When you do put them together, watch closely and be ready to pull one and separate them. Often the red devil will not tolerate one of the opposite sex. If you wish to breed the red devil, I would strongly suggest purchasing multiple juveniles and raise them up together. Slowly begin removing the odd-fish-out until you notice a pair bond. This is hit or miss and often people have no success.
