High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The rainbow cichlid (Archocentrus multispinosus) is a tropical freshwater Central American fish of the cichlid family. It was formerly the sole species of the genus Herotilapia, but has since been reclassified to the species Archocentrus, based on a study by Juan Schmitter-Soto. However, a 2008 study led by Oldrich Rican suggested that the Rainbow Cichlid is actually more closely related to the Jack Dempsey (genus Rocio) and the cichlids of the genus Astatheros than to the other Archocentrus cichlids, and thus should be moved back to the genus Herotilapia. This cichlid is native to both the Atlantic slope and the Pacific slope of Central America, ranging from Costa Rica to Honduras and Nicaragua. This species is found in lakes and swamps with muddy bottoms where it uses its specialized teeth, a defining characteristic of this monotypic genus, to feed on algae. The rainbow cichlid prefers a pH range of 7.0–8.0, water hardness of 9-20 dGH and a temperature range of 21–36 °C.