Red Devil Cichlids are quite beefy, which only adds to their intimidating appearance. Their dorsal and anal fins are pointed. Both of those fins are very pronounced and have a “swept” look to them. This helps to provide speed and agility in the water.
Males and females look very similar, but there are some slight differences.
The most noticeable is a nuchal hump on males. Males tend to develop a prominent forehead hump in captivity. In the wild, the hump usually becomes visible during the breeding season only. Males are often a bit bigger as well and have pointed genital papilla.
When it comes to color, there’s a lot of variety with this fish species. In the wild, you’ll usually see brown or grey Red Devil Cichlids. Considering the dark and murky waters of Nicaraguan Lakes, the coloration helps the fish blend into the environment in moments of trouble. Some more vibrant colors are found in the wild, too.