🔥 Red Devil / Midas / Midevil Cichlid – (Amphilophus sp. Hybrid) – Captive-Bred Large Central American Cichlid

The Red Devil / Midas / Midevil Cichlid is a large, powerful, highly intelligent Central American-type cichlid known for its intense personality, brilliant orange-to-red coloration, strong territorial behavior, and impressive interaction with its keeper.

These fish may display:

• Bright orange
• Deep red-orange
• Yellow
• Cream
• White
• Peach
• Red-and-white
• Dark juvenile coloration that changes dramatically with age

Because the aquarium trade has extensively crossed Midas Cichlids (Amphilophus citrinellus) and Red Devil Cichlids (Amphilophus labiatus), fish sold under names such as:

• Red Devil
• Midas
• Midevil
• Red Devil / Midas

cannot always be reliably assigned to one pure species without documented breeder lineage.

For this product, the safest identification is:

Amphilophus sp. Hybrid

This listing is for a:

CAPTIVE-BRED RED DEVIL / MIDAS / MIDEVIL-TYPE CICHLID

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🔎 Quick Facts – Red Devil / Midas / Midevil Cichlid

• 📛 Trade Names: Red Devil, Midas Cichlid, Midevil Cichlid
• 🔬 Product Identification: Amphilophus sp. Hybrid
• 🧬 Type: Captive-Bred Midas / Red Devil-Type Cichlid
• ⚠️ Lineage: Exact parentage should not be assumed unless documented by the breeder
• 🐟 Family: Cichlidae
• 🌿 Stock: Captive Bred
• 📏 Current Size: Approximately 7 inches
• 🌎 Ancestral Region: Central America
• 🇳🇮 Midas / Red Devil Ancestry: Primarily Nicaragua
• 🇨🇷 Midas Range Also Includes: Costa Rica
• 💧 Water Type: Freshwater
• 📏 Adult Planning Size: Approximately 10–14+ inches depending on lineage and sex
• 🏠 Minimum Adult Aquarium: Approximately 75 gallons for one fish
• 🏠 Preferred Single-Adult Aquarium: 90–125+ gallons
• 💕 Pair Aquarium: Approximately 125–180+ gallons with careful monitoring
• 🌡️ Temperature: Approximately 76–82°F
• 💧 pH: Approximately 6.5–8.0
• 💦 Hardness: Moderate preferred; adaptable when conditions are stable
• 💨 Oxygenation: Good
• 💩 Bioload: High
• 🍽️ Diet: Omnivore
• 🦐 Animal Foods: Important as part of a balanced diet
• 🌿 Plant / Spirulina Foods: Recommended
• 😠 Temperament: Highly Territorial / Aggressive
• 🐠 Best Housing: Often safest as a single centerpiece fish
• 🧠 Behavior: Highly interactive and intelligent
• 🪨 Décor: Heavy and securely positioned
• 🌱 Plants: Usually not recommended
• 🥚 Breeding: Substrate Spawner
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Parental Care: Biparental
• ⚠️ Hybrid Fertility: May be fertile
• ⭐ Care Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• 📦 Shipping: Special reusable / heavy-duty shipping bag required for current large specimen

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🚨 Important Taxonomy Correction

The names:

MIDAS CICHLID

and:

RED DEVIL CICHLID

do not scientifically refer to the same species.

The true:

Midas Cichlid

is:

Amphilophus citrinellus

The true:

Red Devil Cichlid

is:

Amphilophus labiatus

They are closely related but:

THEY ARE DIFFERENT SPECIES

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🟠 Midas Cichlid – Amphilophus citrinellus

The scientifically recognized Midas Cichlid is:

Amphilophus citrinellus

Its native range includes portions of:

• Nicaragua
• Costa Rica

including the San Juan drainage and lakes such as:

• Lake Nicaragua
• Lake Managua
• Lake Masaya
• Lake Apoyo

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🔴 Red Devil Cichlid – Amphilophus labiatus

The scientifically recognized Red Devil is:

Amphilophus labiatus

Its native range is more restricted and is primarily associated with:

• Lake Nicaragua
• Lake Managua

in:

NICARAGUA

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⚠️ Do Not Label Both Species Amphilophus citrinellus

A product described as:

Red Devil / Midas / Midevil – (Amphilophus citrinellus)

creates a taxonomy problem because:

• Midas = A. citrinellus
• Red Devil = A. labiatus
• Midevil = aquarium hybrid / mixed-line terminology

Therefore, unless the breeder has confirmed a pure species, the safer product identification is:

Amphilophus sp. Hybrid

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🧬 What Is a Midevil Cichlid?

“Midevil” is an aquarium-trade term commonly used for fish associated with:

MIDAS × RED DEVIL

breeding.

The name combines:

MIdas

with:

DEVIL

to create:

MIDEVIL

However:

MIDEVIL IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC SPECIES

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⚠️ Exact Parentage Should Not Be Invented

Not every fish sold as:

• Midevil
• Red Devil / Midas
• Red Devil
• Midas

comes with a documented pedigree.

Commercial aquarium strains have been crossed for many generations.

Unless breeder records confirm the parents:

DO NOT GUARANTEE AN EXACT RED DEVIL × MIDAS CROSS

The safest description is:

MIDAS / RED DEVIL-TYPE AMPHILOPHUS HYBRID

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🧬 Why Accurate Identification Matters

Pure:

Amphilophus citrinellus

and:

Amphilophus labiatus

are legitimate natural species.

Hybrid fish are also excellent aquarium animals, but they should:

BE SOLD HONESTLY AS HYBRIDS

when their lineage is mixed or uncertain.

This protects:

• Pure species lines
• Breeder records
• Aquarium genetics
• Future buyers

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🎨 Appearance

Captive Midas / Red Devil-type fish can develop spectacular coloration.

Common colors include:

• Orange
• Red-orange
• Yellow
• Gold
• Peach
• Cream
• White
• Red-and-white

Some specimens retain darker:

• Gray
• Brown
• Black
• Barred

coloration.

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🔄 Color Can Change Dramatically With Age

One of the most fascinating characteristics of this group is:

COLOR MORPHING / FADING

Young fish may begin life:

• Gray
• Brown
• Black
• Barred
• Mottled

and later transform into:

• Orange
• Yellow
• Red
• Cream
• White

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⚠️ Not Every Fish Will Fade

Do not assume every dark juvenile will eventually become:

BRIGHT ORANGE OR RED

Color development depends on:

• Genetics
• Parentage
• Age
• Diet
• Sex
• Hormonal development
• Environment

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🟠 Wild Midas Fish Are Often Not Orange

One common misconception is that all wild Midas Cichlids are bright orange.

In fact, most wild Amphilophus citrinellus retain:

• Gray
• Brown
• Dark
• Cryptic

coloration.

Only a portion of wild Midas individuals develop the bright:

XANTHIC / GOLDEN-ORANGE MORPH

so familiar in aquariums.

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🧠 Highly Intelligent Cichlid

One of the greatest attractions of these fish is their:

PERSONALITY

Many individuals learn to:

• Recognize their keeper
• Follow people around the aquarium
• Anticipate feeding
• Approach the glass
• Defend their territory from unfamiliar people
• Interact with aquarium objects

This is why they are frequently described as:

WET PETS

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⚠️ Individual Personality Varies

Some fish become:

• Extremely interactive
• Bold
• Curious

while others may be:

• More defensive
• More aggressive
• More secretive

Each fish has an individual temperament.

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😠 Aggression – Very Important

Midas, Red Devil, and Midevil-type cichlids are known for:

EXTREME TERRITORIALITY

A mature specimen may aggressively defend:

• The entire aquarium
• Caves
• Rocks
• Feeding areas
• Breeding territory

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🚨 Often Safest Kept Alone

For many adult specimens:

SINGLE-FISH HOUSING IS THE SAFEST OPTION

A single large fish can make an outstanding centerpiece animal without the compatibility problems created by tankmates.

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🐠 Tankmates Are Not Guaranteed

Some individuals tolerate appropriately sized:

• Large cichlids
• Large catfish
• Robust schooling fish

while another individual may:

ATTACK EVERYTHING PLACED IN THE AQUARIUM

There is no universally safe tankmate list.

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⚠️ “Equally Aggressive” Does Not Mean Compatible

Placing two aggressive fish together does not automatically solve aggression.

It can instead result in:

• Severe fighting
• Jaw injuries
• Missing scales
• Torn fins
• Eye injuries
• Death

Tankmates require:

VERY LARGE AQUARIUMS + CAREFUL OBSERVATION + BACKUP HOUSING

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📏 Adult Size

The pure Midas Cichlid Amphilophus citrinellus has scientifically documented individuals approaching approximately:

24.4 CM STANDARD LENGTH

Standard length excludes the full tail fin.

The true Red Devil A. labiatus has scientifically documented total lengths of approximately:

28.3 CM / 11.1 INCHES

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📏 Hybrid Adult Size

Because this product represents captive-bred:

MIDAS / RED DEVIL-TYPE FISH

rather than a genetically documented pure population, exact adult size cannot be predicted as precisely.

For responsible aquarium planning:

EXPECT APPROXIMATELY 10–14+ INCHES

depending on:

• Sex
• Genetics
• Parentage
• Nutrition
• Aquarium conditions

Large males may develop especially:

• Thick bodies
• Large heads
• Long fins
• Prominent nuchal humps

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⚠️ Do Not Promise 16 Inches

The previous page gives approximately:

13–16 INCHES

I would not present 16 inches as the normal expected adult size.

A safer customer planning range is:

10–14+ INCHES

while recognizing that exceptional aquarium hybrids can vary.

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🏠 Aquarium Size

For one mature fish:

75 GALLONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE MINIMUM

However:

90–125+ GALLONS IS PREFERRED

especially for a large male.

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📐 Footprint Matters

These fish are:

• Large
• Deep-bodied
• Powerful
• Highly territorial

so aquarium:

LENGTH + WIDTH

matter more than excessive height.

A long aquarium provides more useful swimming and territorial space.

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💕 Pair Aquarium

A compatible breeding pair should generally receive approximately:

125–180+ GALLONS

or larger.

Even bonded pairs can suddenly become aggressive toward one another.

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🚨 Always Have a Separation Plan

When keeping a pair, be prepared to use:

• Heavy-duty divider
• Separate aquarium
• Egg-crate partition
• Emergency holding tank

if one fish begins attacking the other.

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🪨 Aquarium Setup

A suitable aquarium can include:

• Heavy rocks
• Large caves
• Large ceramic structures
• Heavy driftwood
• Sand
• Fine rounded gravel
• Open swimming space

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⚠️ Secure Everything

These fish are powerful:

AQUARIUM REDECORATORS

They may:

• Dig
• Move substrate
• Push rocks
• Move wood
• Tip decorations
• Uproot plants

Heavy décor should be securely positioned.

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🪨 Do Not Balance Heavy Rocks on Loose Substrate

A digging cichlid can remove substrate from beneath unstable rocks.

This can cause:

• Rock collapse
• Aquarium damage
• Fish injury

Place major rock structures securely.

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🌿 Live Plants

Most delicate planted aquariums are:

NOT A GOOD MATCH

for large Amphilophus.

These fish may:

• Uproot plants
• Tear leaves
• Dig around roots
• Move decorations

Hardy plants protected within heavy containers may sometimes work, but success varies.

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🔒 Secure Aquarium Lid

Large Amphilophus can:

• Jump
• Splash
• Strike the surface
• Hit aquarium lids when startled

Use:

A STRONG, SECURE LID

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🌡️ Temperature

For captive Midas / Red Devil-type fish, a practical maintenance range is:

76–82°F

The pure species occur naturally across somewhat broader and warmer conditions.

Stable temperature is more important than continuously chasing one exact number.

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💧 Water Parameters

A practical captive range is:

• 🌡️ Temperature: Approximately 76–82°F
• 💧 pH: Approximately 6.5–8.0
• 💦 Hardness: Moderate
• 💨 Oxygenation: Good
• ☠️ Ammonia: 0 ppm
• ☠️ Nitrite: 0 ppm
• 🔄 Nitrate: Keep as low as reasonably practical

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💩 High Bioload

A large Midevil-type cichlid:

• Eats heavily
• Produces substantial waste
• Digs substrate
• Disturbs debris

Strong filtration is essential.

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💩 Filtration

Recommended filtration may include:

• Large canister filters
• Sump filtration
• Strong biological filtration
• Strong mechanical filtration
• Prefilters

Maintain:

AMMONIA = 0

and:

NITRITE = 0

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🔄 Water Changes

Regular partial water changes are important.

The exact frequency depends on:

• Aquarium volume
• Fish size
• Feeding
• Filtration
• Stocking
• Nitrate production

Large adults frequently benefit from:

SUBSTANTIAL REGULAR WATER CHANGES

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🍽️ Diet – Omnivore

Midas Cichlids naturally consume a broad range of foods including:

• Aufwuchs
• Snails
• Insect larvae
• Worms
• Small aquatic animals
• Some fish
• Plant-associated foods

A captive hybrid should therefore receive:

A BALANCED OMNIVOROUS DIET

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🥣 Staple Diet

A high-quality:

LARGE CICHLID PELLET

should form the foundation of the diet.

Choose foods appropriate to the fish's size.

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🦐 Supplemental Protein

Suitable foods include:

• Krill
• Mysis shrimp
• Shrimp
• Insect larvae
• Earthworms
• Quality frozen foods
• Insect-based pellets

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🌿 Plant Component

Include some:

• Spirulina-containing foods
• Vegetable-containing pellets
• Peas
• Appropriate leafy greens
• Zucchini

for dietary variety.

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⚠️ Avoid an All-Meat Diet

Do not maintain these fish entirely on:

• Shrimp
• Beef heart
• Feeder fish
• High-fat meat

A varied diet is healthier.

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🚫 Avoid Mammal & Poultry Meat as Staples

Foods such as:

• Beef
• Chicken
• Pork

should not form a routine staple diet for a freshwater cichlid.

Use properly formulated aquatic foods instead.

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🚫 Feeder Fish Are Unnecessary

There is no nutritional need to use live feeder fish.

Feeders can introduce:

• Parasites
• Bacteria
• Disease
• Nutritional deficiencies

High-quality pellets and appropriate frozen foods are safer.

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🍊 Color-Enhancing Nutrition

Natural color can be supported with foods containing:

• Krill
• Astaxanthin
• Spirulina
• Quality carotenoid sources

However:

NO FOOD CAN GUARANTEE A COLOR MORPH THAT THE FISH DOES NOT GENETICALLY POSSESS

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🚫 Do Not Use Hormones to Promise Color

Color should develop naturally through:

• Genetics
• Age
• Nutrition
• Good husbandry

Do not promise that every fish will become:

• Red
• Orange
• White
• Yellow

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🧠 Enrichment

Large intelligent cichlids benefit from environmental enrichment.

This can include:

• Rearranging safe décor occasionally
• Target feeding
• Different appropriate foods
• Large movable aquarium-safe objects
• Visual interaction with the keeper

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⚠️ Avoid Small Objects They Can Swallow

Any enrichment object should be:

• Aquarium safe
• Too large to swallow
• Free of sharp edges
• Free of toxic coatings

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♂️ Male vs. Female

Sexing becomes easier as fish mature.

Mature Males May Develop:

• Larger body size
• Longer dorsal and anal fins
• Larger nuchal hump
• More massive head
• More territorial behavior

Mature Females May:

• Remain somewhat smaller
• Have shorter fins
• Show a smaller or absent nuchal hump

However:

APPEARANCE ALONE IS NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE

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🧠 Nuchal Hump / Kok

Mature males may develop a prominent:

NUCHAL HUMP

sometimes called a:

KOK

The size varies considerably according to:

• Genetics
• Sex
• Hormones
• Breeding condition
• Age

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⚠️ Do Not Guarantee a Huge Hump

Not every male develops an enormous nuchal hump.

Do not promise:

GIANT KOK DEVELOPMENT

based on juvenile appearance.

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🥚 Breeding

Midas and Red Devil-type cichlids are:

SUBSTRATE SPAWNERS

and captive hybrids may also reproduce successfully.

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🪨 Spawning Site

A pair may select:

• Flat rock
• Large ceramic surface
• Cave wall
• Flowerpot
• Aquarium bottom
• Other hard surface

and clean it before spawning.

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🥚 Egg Production

Pure Midas Cichlids have been documented producing:

HUNDREDS OF EGGS

and large mature aquarium pairs may produce substantial clutches.

Hybrid clutch size can vary greatly.

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👨‍👩‍👧 Biparental Care

Both parents may participate in:

• Guarding eggs
• Fanning eggs
• Defending territory
• Moving larvae
• Protecting fry

Parental behavior can be extremely aggressive.

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🚨 Breeding Aggression

A breeding pair may become:

EXTRAORDINARILY AGGRESSIVE

toward:

• Other fish
• Aquarium equipment
• Hands
• Each other

Use caution during aquarium maintenance.

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⚠️ Pair Aggression Can Turn Suddenly

Even a previously compatible pair may experience:

SUDDEN SERIOUS AGGRESSION

after:

• Failed spawning
• Fry removal
• Hormonal changes
• Territory disruption

Always have a divider or alternate aquarium available.

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🧬 Hybrid Fertility

Midas / Red Devil-type hybrids may be:

FERTILE

and can produce additional generations.

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🚨 Hybrid Offspring Must Be Labeled Correctly

Offspring produced from this product should be sold as:

AMPHILOPHUS HYBRIDS

unless their complete documented parentage supports a more specific identification.

Do not sell hybrid offspring as:

• Pure A. citrinellus
• Pure A. labiatus
• Pure locality Midas
• Pure locality Red Devil

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🧬 Protect Pure Species Lines

Pure:

Amphilophus citrinellus

and:

Amphilophus labiatus

should be maintained separately from mixed aquarium lines when the goal is conservation of pure genetics.

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🌎 Conservation Status

Because this product is being identified as:

AMPHILOPHUS SP. HYBRID

it does not have an IUCN species-level conservation category.

For reference:

Pure Midas Cichlid – Amphilophus citrinellus

is currently assessed as:

LEAST CONCERN

Pure Red Devil – Amphilophus labiatus

currently does not have the same species-level assessment status used for the Midas.

These statuses should:

NOT BE ASSIGNED TO THE HYBRID PRODUCT

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🌎 Never Release Aquarium Cichlids

Large Amphilophus can survive and establish populations outside their native range in suitable climates.

Never release an unwanted fish into:

• Rivers
• Lakes
• Ponds
• Canals
• Streams
• Springs
• Storm drains

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🚨 Aquarium Release Can Create Invasive Populations

Non-native cichlids may:

• Compete with native fish
• Consume native organisms
• Defend breeding territories
• Alter aquatic communities

If you can no longer keep the fish:

• Rehome it
• Contact an aquarium store
• Contact an experienced large-cichlid keeper
• Contact an aquatic rescue

NEVER RELEASE AQUARIUM FISH INTO THE WILD.

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⭐ Why Keep a Red Devil / Midas / Midevil Cichlid?

These fish combine:

• 🔥 Brilliant orange, red, yellow, cream, or white coloration
• 🧠 Exceptional intelligence
• 👀 Strong interaction with their keeper
• 💪 Large, powerful body
• 😠 Fearless personality
• 🪨 Fascinating digging and territory-building behavior
• 🥚 Impressive breeding behavior
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Strong parental care
• 🐟 Large centerpiece-fish presence

into one of the most interactive large cichlid experiences available in the aquarium hobby.

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⚠️ Important Considerations

Before purchasing:

• Midas and Red Devil are not the same scientific species.
• Midas Cichlid = Amphilophus citrinellus.
• Red Devil Cichlid = Amphilophus labiatus.
• Midevil is an aquarium hybrid / mixed-line trade term.
• Do not list both pure Red Devil and pure Midas as A. citrinellus.
• This product is best identified as Amphilophus sp. Hybrid unless breeder lineage proves otherwise.
• This listing is for captive-bred fish.
• The current specimen is approximately 7 inches.
• Adult size depends on lineage.
• Plan for approximately 10–14+ inches.
• A 75-gallon aquarium should be considered the minimum for one adult.
• 90–125+ gallons is preferred.
• Pairs require much larger housing and careful monitoring.
• These fish can be extremely aggressive.
• Single-fish housing is often safest.
• No tankmate is guaranteed safe.
• Provide heavy, secured décor.
• Expect digging and aquarium rearranging.
• Maintain approximately 76–82°F.
• Maintain pH approximately 6.5–8.0.
• Use powerful filtration.
• Maintain ammonia and nitrite at zero.
• Feed a balanced omnivorous cichlid diet.
• Use quality pellets as the dietary foundation.
• Supplement with appropriate aquatic and insect protein.
• Include some plant-based foods.
• Avoid feeder fish.
• Do not rely heavily on mammal or poultry meat.
• Color may change dramatically with age.
• Do not guarantee orange or red coloration.
• Do not guarantee a huge nuchal hump.
• These fish are substrate spawners.
• Parents can become extremely aggressive when breeding.
• Hybrid fish may be fertile.
• Hybrid offspring must remain identified as hybrids.
• Protect pure A. citrinellus and A. labiatus breeding lines.
• Never release aquarium fish into natural waterways.

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🧬 Taxonomy & Identification

There are three different labels involved in this aquarium product.

Midas Cichlid

Amphilophus citrinellus (Günther, 1864)

Red Devil Cichlid

Amphilophus labiatus (Günther, 1864)

Midevil / Mixed Red Devil-Midas Type

Amphilophus sp. Hybrid

Because this product combines the Red Devil, Midas, and Midevil trade names without a documented pure-species pedigree, the safest product identification is:

Red Devil / Midas / Midevil Cichlid – (Amphilophus sp. Hybrid)

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🧬 Hybrid Identification Disclaimer

“Midevil” is an aquarium-trade designation rather than a recognized species.

Unless breeder records establish the exact parents:

DO NOT INVENT A PRECISE HYBRID FORMULA

Maintain the fish as:

Amphilophus sp. Hybrid

and label any offspring accordingly.

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🚚 Live Fish Shipping

Live fish are professionally packed for safe transport.

Shipping availability depends on:

• Fish size
• Destination
• Weather conditions
• Carrier availability
• Applicable state and local regulations

The current large specimen requires:

A SPECIAL REUSABLE / HEAVY-DUTY SHIPPING BAG

Larger specimens may also require:

• Larger insulated shipping boxes
• Additional water
• Multiple protective bag layers
• Specialized packing
• Airline cargo shipping depending on fish size and destination

Please review our Shipping & Payment Information and Live Arrival Guarantee / DOA Policy before ordering.

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⚠️ Buyer Responsibility

Customers are responsible for confirming that this Amphilophus hybrid may legally be purchased, possessed, transported, and received in their state or local jurisdiction before ordering.

Never release aquarium fish into natural waterways.