# red devil vs midas



## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

i bought this red devil, but have been looking online and i think it is a midas.

so what is the difference? can they be housed together? can they mate or is one meaner and not likely to mate?


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## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

Red Devils (RD) are Amphilophus labiatus and Midas are Amphilophus citrenellum.

I would quess that 98% of the RD sold in LFS are RD/Midas hybrids. The best way to get pure of either species is to buy them from reputable dealers. The RD was introduced in the US in the mid 1960's and the Midas in the early 1970's. Yours is heavy on the Midas in the body but the mouth from the top has the vee shape of the RD. When I first saw your other post, the first photo looked more RD until I looked at the profile photos and it definitely showed its Midas lineage.


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

what about the other questions. can they be housed together? since most are mixed, is it safe to say they can be housed together?

the reason is because i found another one and it is smaller and no hump really. i am thinking possible female but dont know. it has been returned three times and i would like to give it a home. i only want to try it if they can be housed together.

mine is much larger and has a milder temper, so i am thinking he will hold his own yet stay less agressive. any thoughts?


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## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Treat them as basically the same species. Same temperament, same size, diet, tank requirements, growth size...

The size of a hump on either fish is not a way to sex them. You'd need to vent it.

Introducing two that aren't babies is extremely difficult, and IMO shouldn't be done in anything less than a 6ft. tank - and only if you KNOW you have a male and female, or two females. What size is your tank?

In regards to your current fish, it does appear more midas (citrinellum). But its practically impossible to get a pure fish of either species from a store, so it's almost guaranteed to be a mix of the two species.


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## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

I have kept dozens of RD and Midas over the past 45 years with NO LUCK at keeping them together over extended periods of time even in 6ft tanks.

There is probably a reason that the one has been returned three times.


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## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

I had two i got in a trade that came from a 55 gallon. When i introduced them to my female to try and get a mating pair, they all started fighting. this went on for two weeks through the divider. When my female showed intrest i one of the males i'd remove that divider. It went good for a day or two then back to fighting. After 5 months of this ring around the rosey game I traded the males in at my LFS.

Moral of the story is, have a divider ready if you get the new rd, it's really had to pair up rd's at close to mature ages, and watch them closely. Oh and i forgot to add that they like to know down any and all dividers if given a chance, then they fight for 8 hours and you have sheeded fin soup in your tank. Moral, make a good divider out of egg crate.


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