Herotilapia multispinosa also known as the rainbow cichlid is a tropical freshwater Central American fish of the cichlid family. It is found in Atlantic slope of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica from Río Patuca (Honduras) south to Río Matina (Costa Rica), and the Pacific slope of Nicaragua and Costa Rica from Río Guasaule south to Río Tempisque. Specimens are also reported from the Río Choluteca in the Pacific of Honduras. This species is found in lakes and swamps with muddy bottoms, where it uses its specialized teeth and only 3.5% jaw protrusion to feed mostly on algae. It is commercially important as an aquarium fish. 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.