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No federal permit to keep

Moga

Hypsophrys nicaraguensis

Also known as Nicaraguense

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Hypsophrys is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cichlidae, the cichlids.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Moga — Photo: Tomolyka at hu.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Tomolyka at hu.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 9.8 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.5 in / 16.5 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 73–97°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: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.

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 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 73–82 °F, pH 7–8, 8–20 dGH.
Behaviour: in a pair.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Provide plenty of cover in the form of rocks and other decor, such as bogwood or large flowerpots.”
Diet: “Will accept most things offered.”
Tankmates: “Relatively peaceful for a Central American cichlid of this size, but is still territorial and obviously grows quite large.”

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

The only species in this genus is Hypsophrys unimaculatus, the moga, butterfly cichlid, macaw cichlid, parrot cichlid or Nicaragua cichlid, a fish found on the Atlantic slope of Central America.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Hypsophrys” (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 rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabit lakes and rivers with slow to moderate currents, between 5 to 200 m elevation.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 73–97 °F (23–36 °C), pH 7–8, hardness 9–20 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 73–97 °F.

FishBase species summary: Hypsophrys nicaraguensis

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 67°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	78–84% on average (driest month about 76%)
Rainfall	about 2346 mm a year

Measured at 21 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	Hypsophrys is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cichlidae, the cichlids. The only species in this genus is Hypsophrys unimaculatus, the moga, butterfly cichlid, macaw cichlid, parrot cichlid or Nicaragua cichlid, a fish found on the Atlantic slope of Central America. — 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
Reproduction	Deposits eggs in sand depressions. Produces about 200-400 non adhesive eggs with females practicing communal care during the post spawning period (an unusual behavior referred to as "creching", ). A group of 3 or 4 females stand guard over their combined spawns, encircling the expanded group and do not allow any intruders or predators into the rearing arena. — FishBase
Appearance and size	Hypsophrys has a fusiform, laterally compressed body. The dorsal fin is supported by 18 or 19 spines and between 9 and 11 soft rays, while the anal fin contains 7 or spines and between 7 and 9 soft rays. There is a dark line which runs along the mid-flank, with a large black blotch located in the centre of the flank. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Inhabit lakes and rivers with slow to moderate currents, between 5 to 200 m elevation. Juveniles feed on aquatic insects, while adults feed on bottom detritus, seeds and leaves. Also naturally feed on snails and other mollusks, but will accept a variety of food in captivity. — FishBase
History and naming	Hypsophrys was first proposed as a monospecific genus by the Swiss-born American naturalist Louis Agassiz in 1859 when he named Hypsophrys unimaculatus, describing it only as "A second genus, resembling Chrysophrys, he called Hypsophrys unimaculatus", which would normally be regarded as invalid, as no distinguishing details were given. — 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 sources8.2in

FishBase 1646.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1679.8

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources73–89.5°F

FishBase 16473–97

Seriously Fish species profiles 16773–82

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 sources8.5–20dGH

FishBase 1649–20

Seriously Fish species profiles 1678–20

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).

Veterinary & husbandry research

[Larval development of Hypsophrys nicaraguensis (Pisces: Cichlidae) under laboratory conditions] Molina Arias A et al., Revista de biologia tropical 2011

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)
8 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.