he needs to know cycling = putting safe 'stuff' in the filter and killing bad 'stuff' from the water.
show him threads on cycling and how it has murdered many a fish if the aquarist does not know what cycling is.
i heard Midas cichlids can live for 10+ years in good conditions, but i guess the one in the pic is at least 2 years old, i want to say four because of the shaping. so its got a lot of life left in it and its not fair if its wasted by an unprepared owner, the owner has to truly love a fish like that! x
it would help to give him 50% of your media and get some more for yourself, then his tank will cycle quicker and your tank will have healthier fresher media.
what tank size does he have? x x x