Care
As the name suggests, this fish was discovered on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras by Rusty Wessel. Here they inhabit rivers and streams with gravelly substrate and moderate to strong current. The aquarium should be large enough to allow any tankmates to escape the potential breeding territory of a single pair, with a much more spacious tank required for multiple specimens. There should be plenty of hiding places amongst driftwood and rocky caves, and flower pots laid on their side are also much appreciated. If plants are desired, choose tough species such as Java Fern (Microsorum sp.) or Anubias sp. tied onto the wood, as plants rooted in the substrate will be dug up. Filtration should be efficient with areas of moderate water movement, along with some quieter resting spots out of the current. Although clearly close to Convicts, 'HRPs' are considerably less aggressive and can usually be maintained as a compatible pair as long as suitable target fishes are present to give them a common enemy. Companions can include shoaling fishes such as Buenos Aires tetras and livebearers such as Swordtails and Goodeids, other cichlids should be of similar size and temperament but avoid keeping this fish alongside close relatives such as other Amatitlania or Cryptoheros, to avoid hybridisation.
A gold form of this fish has been produced, which may have arisen through crosses with the pink strain of Convict. It maintains the iridescence seen in normally coloured fish and this also seems to be a feature of the short-bodied hybrid traded as the Polar parrot cichlid. Away from the obvious hybrids, you may see this fish labelled as HRP or Blue Convict.
Feeding
Omnivorous. Try to keep it varied with good quality flakes, small sinking pellet foods, and a mixture of frozen foods such as white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis and chopped prawns and cockles.
Breeding
Substrate spawner. Will choose a preferred spawning site at one of the caves, often digging small pits near the entrance. Whilst the female is busy cleaning the spawning site, the male patrols the perimeter, ready to defend against any intruders that may, or may not, be present. When ready, the female will swim over the spawning site in a series of dry runs, after which she will begin depositing eggs. The male immediately follows behind her and fertilises them. The act of spawning has been known to continue for well over an hour in some cases, after which time, the female will start hovering above the eggs, fanning them with her pectoral fins. The male resumes his sentry duty, guarding the perimeter once more. If kept in a larger mixed community type setting, other fish usually cotton-on pretty quickly that it's best to stay well away from the protective parents and this prevents the pair taking out their protective urges on one another. After 3 or 4 days, the eggs should hatch into wrigglers, and the parents will move them into one of their prepared pits. The wrigglers will initially feed on their yolk sacs, and should become free swimming after another 4 or 5 more days. Baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii), microworms, or egg layer first foods should be offered at this stage, followed by crushed flake after a week or so. The parents will continue to herd them from pit to pit until they are ready to make their own way.
