Hypsophrys nicaraguensis


Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, the moga, is a species of cichlid native to the Atlantic slope of Central America, from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. The species is a popular aquarium fish and is traded under a variety of common names that include nickie, parrot cichlid, macaw cichlid, butterfly cichlid and nicaraguense. In Costa Rica it is known as a vieja.

Feeding

Hypsophrys nicaraguensis is able to protrude its jaw to 3.8% of its standard length limiting its diet to only 1% evasive prey.

Classification

The species was formerly the only representative of its genus, and is part of family Cichlidae in subfamily Cichlasomatinae. However, the Poor man's tropheus, formerly Neetroplus nematopus, has also been placed into the genus Hypsophrys, as Hypsophrys nematopus.

Conservation

It occurs in the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge.