Common Names:
Jaguar cichlid, Jag, Manguense, Mang,

Scientific Name:
Nandopsis managuensis

Family:
Cichlid.

Geographical distribution:
Central America

Sexing:
The males are far more colorful than females. Markings are everything in the jaguar cichlid world.

Suitable Setup/Tank Conditions:
These fish, if kept as a pair, will need at least 75gallons of water. A tank of 5ftx2ftx2ft is a good size if you would like to keep a single specimen with other aggressive fish. Lots of rocks, caves, and plants are needed for these fish as they do like to hide and will need a place to sleep at night. If not given a place they will dig a nice BIG pit for themselves. A lot of people wonder why the plants get uprooted and torn apart, well it is mainly as they don’t have a place to call home and are making one. A ph of around 6.5 - 7.5 is good, but isn’t necessary if it has been acclimatized to your water at you lfs.

Size:
There isn’t a sure answer. Females grow to around 13/4inches and males can get to 15/16inches+. The biggest I have heard and seen a picture of is an 18inch monster but they are rare.

Temperature:
24-26oC (72-79 o F).

Breeding:
Before breeding starts, the male will establish a territory and breeding area (either a cave or flat surface). Typical courtship of gill flaring, fin displaying and body shaking and even fighting can follow. The Female will lay eggs in the carefully clean rock, or dug out pit in a cave, followed by the male to fertilize them. This will be done repeatedly until all the eggs are laid and fertilized. Both the male and the female will be very protective at this stage. Young adults can lay a few hundreds while large adults can have up to a thousand or more. The parents are very aggressive at this stage towards tank mates if there’s any and anything moving that comes near their tank. The mother usually tends the fry while the male guards the territory. Fry are free-swimming after a week. At this time, they can be newly brine shrimps and finely crushed flakes. A compatible pair will breed almost every month as long as they are given with high quality food including some live fish coupled with frequent partial water change.

Personal Experiences:
I have found them to be a good fish for a person wanting a fish that has the potential to be very aggressive and provide a challenge to keep with other fish. I am lucky another to have done this and to have had my pair lay eggs. I truly believe that these fish need to be fed live fish once a month or so, which is why I breed guppies. Feeding live fish will let the fish keeper see them acting naturally, hiding then darting out. You just don’t see this from feeding prawns or other prepared foods. My jags main diet is prawn, pellets and bloodworm. These guys can swallow a whole cube of bloodworm in 1second and have a massive appetite. I have my pair in with two big catfish and a green terror that keeps its distance. I have loads of filtration on my tank which is a must and are fed once every 3days or so. I strongly advise you to think before buying these fish. Ideally for the advanced aquarist.