Lyon's Cichlid (Amphilophus lyonsi)

The Lyon's cichlid (Amphilophus lyonsi) is a heavily coveted species by Central American cichlid enthusiasts for a variety of reasons. They are known to be less aggressive compared to others in their genus and also grow to a smaller size making them more manageable in captivity. What also draws keepers in is both the rarity and beautiful coloration. Mature and settled Lyon's cichlids display vibrant, yellow, orange, red, pink colors along with red eyes and iridescent blue scales. All of this combined with them being listed as an endangered species and being on the CARES list makes this species a must have for cichlid keepers.

  Originally, Lyon's cichlids were described as Cichlasoma lyonsi in 1966 by Gosse after the first specimens were collected by King Leopold of Belgium in Costa Rica, being named after the then Cosul of Belgium, E. Lyons. Later on, the species was redescribed as Amphilophus lyonsi after being reevaluated by Kullander in 1996. In the wild, Lyons's cichlids were known to be found along the Pacific slope of Costa Rica such as in the Coto River and in Panama such as in the Dupí River. They were found specifically in the lower sections of these rivers where the water is warm, has a neutral pH, has low to moderate hardness, has a slow current, and is set above a soft sand substrate. Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction, wild populations shrank over time to the point it was thought that the Lyon's cichlid was extinct in the wild. Thankfully, a population was found in the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica in 2022, though it is not large enough to pull them out of their endangered status. This has also placed the Lyon's cichlid on the CARES list in the hopes hobbyists can possibly aid in keeping the species alive.