Tropheus Moorii Ilangi (Tropheus sp. Ilangi) are a shoaling “colony” species found in a small bay a few kilometres from the Eastern entrance to Nkamba Bay in the southern part of Lake Tanganyika.  The Ilangi, as it is commonly referred to, is found in rocky environments in the oxygen rich waters of the lake.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts the world over regard the tropheus Ilangi as one of the most beautiful and sought after of the tropheus species.

Its shining yellow, orange and red colors make the Ilangi, as it is commonly referred to, one of the most sought after tropheus species in the hobby.

A variant known as the Orange Ilangi is found in Nkamba Bay, but it lacks the distinct contrasts between body and fin colors that Tropheus Moorii Ilangi possess.

Males Tropheus Moorii Ilangi tend to have a more turned up nose compared to the females who have a rounded nose and a greater slope. The males usually grow at a much faster rate than the females and display their adult colors sooner. The colors in the male Ilangi are bolder than in females, mainly because of their constant courting of the females. Adult males also have a deeper body, compared to the females more slim and streamlined physique. However, the best and surest way to sex the Tropheus species is by venting.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi are best kept in groups of at least ten to fifteen fish in a large tank decorated with rocks to create lots of area specific hiding places.   The aquarium should allow plenty of swimming room for the fish, have at least one powerhead to provide vigorous water movement, a good filtration system to oxygenate the water, and strong lighting to promote the growth of algae in the tank.

Ilangi like a dark sandy substrate with only 3 or 4 rocks on the bottom or heavily decorated with rock piles in areas separated by the sandy bottom. Proper rock placement is important to discourage territorial fighting. Some tropical fish keeping enthusiasts add hardy plants such as Echinodorus, Anubias, or Microsorium to the tank for aesthetics.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi School

*Tropheus Moorii Ilangi cichlids should really be kept with other Tropheus however, they are compatible with Petrochromis, Lamprologus, Tanganicodus, Julidochromis, Spathodus, Eretmodus, and Mbuna Malawi Cichlids.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi is mouthbrooder that is difficult to breed in an aquarium environment.   The biggest problem is getting the females into spawning condition.  The males are active, persistent, and quite aggressive in their courting attempts to coax the females into spawning. And, they never cease to tire of their attempts. For this reason you should never keep Ilangi in a 1:1 ratio in any size tank. The best way to keep this species is in colonies of ten or more individuals or as a second choice; one male to 3 or more females.

When the male succeeds in his attempts to coax a female into spawning, the female takes the unfertilized eggs into her mouth where they are fertilized by the milt of the male. This happens when she closely follows the male at his anal fin until he releases his milt into the females mouth. After fertilization is completed, the female carries the eggs in her mouth until they hatch out. During this period she will not feed. The fry can be fed crushed Spirulina flakes or newly hatched baby brine shrimp until they are capable of taking care of themselves.

In their natural environment, tropheus Ilangi feed on algae, crustaceans, and small aquatic insects that thrive in the algae rich waters of the bay. In an aquarium environment the most critical aspect of Ilangi care is feeding.   They require a diet of Spirulina based flakes, algae flakes, nori algae, fresh Romaine lettuce, spinach, and an occasional “treat” of live or frozen daphnia or brine shrimp. Feeding Tropheus Ilangi protein rich foods like bloodworms, animal hearts, etc. on a regular basis will lead to “Malawi bloat” or internal parasites which can lead to death.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi are always difficult to obtain from tropical fish keeping shops and because of their rarity and demand are quite pricey. The king of the Tropheus are usually available from importers or specialty breeders at a size of 1 1/2″ to 4″.

Tropheus Moorii Ilangi

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderately Difficult
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 77F-82F, pH 8-9.2, dH: 8-22
Max. Size: 6″
Color Form: Yellow, Orange, Red
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility: *
Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5+ years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (Metriaclima callainos) hail from the sandy shallows and deeper rocky waters of lake Malawi, Africa and is known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Blue Cichlid, Zebra Malawi Cichlid, Cobalt Blue Mbuna and Cobalt Zebra.

The entire body of the male Cobalt Blue Zebra is a consistent light blue color with no faint zebra banding.  There are four orange egg shaped spots on the anal fin, which become important during breeding.   Females are a lighter gray blue color throughout.

Metriclima estherae is a very similar species that has a blue version that is often misidentified as Metriaclima callainos. The two species can be differentiated by the faint horizontal banding on Metriclima estherae.

Male Pearl Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (Metriaclima callainos)

There are several other African zebra color variations that include the Red or Cherry Zebra (which is colored red/orange), the Pearl Zebra (which is a pearl white color), and the Orange Blotch Zebra (OB), which has black blotches on a pink orange background.

Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids are a long lived, relatively semi aggressive species, that do best in community aquariums with a dark sandy bottom , plenty of small loose rocks or gravel for burrowing, and enough rocks, caves, and tunnels for the fish to set up separate territories.

They also need plenty of room for swimming, so a 55 gallon or larger tank is mandatory. Like all mbuna, Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids enjoy having plants in their tank, but because they constantly rearrange the substrate will uproot them and eventually have them as part of their diet.

Optimal conditions for keeping Metriaclima callainos is a water temperature of 75 to 80 degrees, and a pH balance as close to 9.0 as possible. Many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts use a laterite based substrate to help maintain the necessary high pH and alkalinity required for keeping these cichlids, but clean water and proper pH are extremely important in maintaining healthy mbuna aquariums.

In general, because of their aggressiveness, Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids should only be kept with other Mbunas. They are compatible with Auratus, Johanni, Kenyi, Lemon Yellow, Orange Blotch, Pindani, Red Zebra and only the Synodontis Catfish species.  They are usually too aggressive to keep with Peacock Cichlids and Haplochromis. In a 75 to 100 gallon tank, a grouping of 10 or more mbunas is recommended to spread out aggressive behavior.

The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid is a maternal mouth brooder that build nests in the bottom substrate from small rocks when they are ready to breed.

To achieve the best results, its best to keep one male with three or more females. When the male is ready to breed, his colors

Male Pearl Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (Metriaclima callainos)

become enhanced and he will establish a territory in the tank.

When a female is ready to spawn, she will enter his territory and begin to aggressively interact with the male until she releases a couple of eggs into the gravel nest or on a flat rock. She will immediately pick the eggs up into her mouth, while the male displays the egg like spots (which are the same size and color as the real eggs) on his anal fin. The female will nip at the egg like spots on the males anal fin, to stimulate him into releasing his sperm into the water. When the sperm reaches the female, the real eggs that she picked up in her mouth become fertilized. This process continues until she has between 10 to 50 fertilized eggs in her mouth.

The female will keep the eggs in her mouth for about a week until they all hatch out.  For up to a month, the fry will seek safety by rushing into the females mouth at any sign of danger.  During this period, she will usually not eat any food until the fry are able to fend for themselves. Once the fry can take care of themselves, the female stops letting them into her mouth. The fry can be fed crushed flake food, daphnia or baby brine shrimp. The entire brooding process is apparently very stressful for the female which is why most breeders remove the female to a separate brooding tank.

Adult Cobalt Blue Zebras are primarily vegetarians and need a vegetable based diet. They will eat flake foods, leafy seaweeds, Spirulina flakes, cichlid pellets and freeze dried or frozen foods. They should not be fed a constant diet of protein rich foods like live worms or live brine shrimp. These foods can bloat and kill the fish, but an occasional treat of krill, plankton, or frozen brine shrimp will be eagerly accepted and should cause no harm.

True Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids are hard to find and pricey when available for purchase; usually as juveniles between 1″ to 1-1/2″ or as young adults at 4″ – 5″.

Male Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (Metriaclima callainos)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderately Difficult
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 72-83° F, KH 10-15, pH 7.8-8.6
Max. Size: 5 – 6″
Color Form: Blue, White
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility:  OK with other Mbunas
Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The Afra Edwardi, Cynotilapia zebroides (Cobue) is a dwarf Lake Malawi Mbuna cichlid found in Cobwe’, Mozambique.   In their Natural Habitat, Cynotilapia zebroides are found in the deeper to intermediate rocky regions and open waters of the lake.  They are also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Orangeback Mozambique, Edwardi afra, Orange Backs, or Microchromis zebroids “Cobue”.

Until recently, Cynotilapia zebroids “Cobue” was known as Cynotilapia afra “Cobue”; sometimes spelled cobwe’.

Except for their diminutive size and the fact that they have unicuspid teeth instead of bicuspids; Afra are very similar to the “zebra types”.   Because of their dental work, the Afra is also known as the dogtooth cichlid.

Depending on where they are collected from, Afra cichlids from different locations can look very different from each other.

Adult Male Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – Cobue)

Adult Female Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – Cobue)

The male Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – “Cobue”) is quite colorful.   Juvenile males have yellow orange stripes over a blueish to purplish body.  As they reach adulthood, the backs of the males become a bright yellow, with a yellow/orange forehead that gradually blends into white or purple/blue beneath.  Five or more vertical black stripes cover the body through the dorsal fin.  The pectoral and anal fins become black rimmed with yellow or white and their caudal fins have are blueish to translucent, edged with black on top and below.  Males also have egg like spots on their anal fins.

Juvenile female Afra Edwardi tend to be less colorful. They have a light brown body with a yellow edge on their dorsal fin. As the reach adulthood, the body color deepens and develops a blueish tinge with faint vertical stripes.

Juvenile Male Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – Cobue)

Juvenile Female Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – Cobue)

Keeping and raising Orange Backs is not difficult.     Cynotilapia zebroides – “Cobue” are best kept in a 55 gallon or larger aquarium with a dark sandy or fine gravel substrate and plenty of holey rock for shelter and hiding places.    These cichlids are cave dwellers that spend a great deal of their time on or close to the bottom.   Afra Edwardi are non aggressive towards other cichlids and mix well with most other mbuna that are not of the same color.

They can be kept with Haplochromis, some of the Lake Victorian cichlids, and with some Peacocks as long as they have plenty of rock caves in their tank.  They should not be housed with other Mbuna of the same or similar color and are only aggressive towards they own kind when spawning or staking out their territory.  Like most fish, they benefit from weekly water changes equal to 15% of the tank volume.

Afra Edwardi are maternal mouthbrooders that breed in mixed sex groups when they reach 2″ to 2 1/2″ in size.   In an aquarium environment they can be bred in a tank as small as 15 to 20 gallons, but larger tanks give better results.  For the best results, keep two males in a tank with 4 to 6 females.   Although they are easy to breed, males can sometimes be tough on the females.

The dominant male will be more colorful than the other males and when ready to breed will flutter and shake around the female to entice her to spawn.   During this period, the males colors become vibrant and his fins become more flared.   When ready, the female will deposit her eggs in various locations on the rocks in the tank.  The fertilized egg is immediately scooped up by the female and held in her mouth.  This process is continued until spawning is completed, at which time the male seems to lose interest and goes about his business.

The female holds the eggs in her mouth for approximately 3 weeks and during this time does not eat.   After the eggs have hatched, most breeders strip the fry from the mother to raise them in a separate rearing tank.   The fry are colored light gray and can be fed crushed flake food and live or freeze dried daphnia.

As adults, they should be fed a varied diet of live, frozen, or freeze dried daphnia, krill, brine shrimp, Spirulina Flakes, New Life Spectrum pellets, or other small Cichlid micro pellets.

Adult Male Afra Edwardi (Cynotilapia zebroides – Cobue)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Moderately Easy
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 75-81° F, pH 7.8-9.0, KH 15-25
Max. Size: Male 3 1/2″, Females 3″
Color Form: Yellow, Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Relatively calm mbuna cichlid
Origin: Cobwe’, Mozambique; Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

The White Tail Acei (Pseudotropheus acei “ngara”) is a shoaling Mbuna cichlid found in the Ngara and Karonga areas of Africa’s Lake Malawi, that is closely related to the Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii).

All Acei have vivid, bright colors that are generally blue to deep purples and violets that become darker and more electric blue around the face of the fish. The fins of all species range from cream to sunshine yellow, which makes them an outstanding looking fish in any aquarium.

In the wild, several varieties of Pseudotropheus sp. “Acei” exist throughout the Lake Malawi but the most common form sold in tropical fish keeping shops is the variety from the Nkhata Bay and Bandawe area. These cichlids are colored a sparkly dark blue and have yellow fins.

White Tail Acei (Pseudotropheus acei “ngara”)

Another acei variety from the Ngara and Karonga area are sold as “White Tail Acei”. These fish are colored a paler blue and have white fins.

The last acei variety comes from the South Rukuru River, Ruarwe and Senga Bay and are usually very pale in color.

Pseudotropheus acei “ngara” has flat teeth and are pale blue in color with white fins and spots, “dummy eggs”, located on their ventral fins. The spots on the males tend to be brighter than those on the females. Males and females are colored alike but the males grow larger (up to 6″ in length) than the females.

White Tail Acei prefer living among sandy, rock filled shorelines that are easily accessible to sunken logs, tree roots and bogwood. They have flat, cuspid like teeth that allow them to feed on crustaceans and harvest epixylic or epilithic algae from submerged bogwood, logs, tree roots, and rocks. In their natural rocky bottomed habitat, they prefer living in smaller groups of 3 to 10 individuals however, schools of 30 to 50 or more fish are commonly found surrounding large logs or sunken bogwood.

In an aquarium environment they should be housed in at least a 55 gallon tank with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, a few rocks, some Java Fern,

White Tail Acei (Pseudotropheus acei “ngara”)

hygrophila, vallisneria and anubias and a piece of sunken bogwood to mimic their natural environment. It is important to maintain a pH above 8.0 and a water hardness of 10-12 DH when introducing bogwood into the tank and a water temperature between 78°to 82°F.

Acei are very active and good natured by mbuna standards. They occasionally stage mock fights with their tank mates but usually stay out of full fledged battles.  In an aquarium environment they do well with L. caeruleus, Gephyrochromis moorii, and other “mild mannered” Mbuna.

Although male and female White Tail Acei are very similar in color and possess the “dummy eggs” on their ventral fins, the easiest way to differentiate between sexes is their behavior. Males are more standoffish while the females tend to be more calm and in their natural environment, the females quietly follow behind the large schools.

When ready to spawn and interested male will “shimmy” at the females until one shows interest. Mating is accomplished on a flat rock where the pair swims together shaking, and lightly nipping at each other. The female will eventually deposit her eggs and the male will almost immediately fertilize them. A “normal” spawning can be anywhere from 20 to 80 eggs.  In typical mouth brooder fashion, the female will gather up the eggs into her mouth and hold them there for several weeks until hatched. During this time the female will not eat.

To get the maximum yield from the spawn, many breeders remove the female or the male from the tank during the holding period until hatching is complete. Males tend to “bump” the females causing them to swallow their young.

Although the White Tail Acei is an omnivorous species, they prefer plenty of vegetation in their diets. They are fine with plants such as Java fern, hygrophila polysperma or other hygrophila, vallisneria, and anubias but when you plant them in your tank, it will be occasionally grazed on. The staple for Pseudotropheus acei “ngara” should be a high quality spirulina flake food, Spirulina, cichlid sticks, algae wafers and an occasional treat of live or frozen brine shrimp.

White Tail Acei are sold by tropical fish keeping shops as adults or as juveniles when they attain a length of 1 1/2″ to 2″.

White Tail Acei (Pseudotropheus acei “ngara”)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Mildly aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 78 – 82° F, pH 7.8-8.6, DH 10-12
Max. Size: Male 6″
Color Form: Yellow, Blue
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Relatively calm Mbuna cichlid
Origin: Ngara and Karonga area; Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate

The Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii) is a Lake Malawi species that is found near Msuli Point, predominantly at Senga Bay, in the southern end of the lake.

Orange Top Moori are also referred to by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Yellow Tail Acei, White Tail Acei, and G. Moori. They are a close relative to the White Tail Acei (Pseudotropheus acei “ngara”) where people at Ngara have seen thousands of individuals swimming together.

In the wild, Orange Top Moorii have only been seen over open sandy bottoms where most Mbuna cichlids normally do not reside. They prefer living in depths of 20-83 feet in small groups of 3 to 7 individuals where one fully colored male becomes the dominant male of the group.  Juveniles live just outside of the rocky areas over sandy bottom.

Male Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii)

Male Gephyrochromis moorii are colored light blue to silver white at the bottom of the body and a golden brown to a bright orange at the upper part of the body.

Females are predominately brown with a yellow tinge and a yellow belly.  Male Orange Top Moori are always larger than females of the species.

Gephyrochromis moori have strong flat teeth that they use to chew food loose from the sandy bottom or from rocks.  They seem to enjoy rummaging around in the substrate, so sand or fine gravel in an aquarium environment is a must.

In an aquarium environment, Orange Top Moorii should be housed in at least a 70 gallon tank with a fine gravel or sandy bottom substrate littered with a few small stones.   As long as the water hardness can be maintained, the addition of some driftwood can be a plus to mimic their natural environment.

Orange Top moori are one of the calmer members of mbuna that can be housed in a small group of one male to multiple females; a colony of

Female Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii)

multiple males and multiple females and with other calmer cichlid species.   Always house more females than males to prevent fin nipping.

When breeding, Gephyrochromis moori set up temporary territories where they will keep other males from entering.   After breeding, they do not maintain their territories.

Breeding activity consists of the female laying her eggs which are almost immediately fertilized by the male.   The female then gathers the eggs up into her mouth where they remain until hatched.  After hatching, the young are expelled from the mouth of the female but will quickly return in the event of danger.

Young Female Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii) with fry

Generally 40 to 50 offspring result from a breeding.  Fry can be fed crushed cichlid sticks or baby brine shrimp until they are able to eat standard fare

Orange Top Moori are omnivorous but prefer lots of vegetation in their diet.

Java fern, hygrophila and anubias will be eagerly grazed on if planted in the tank but high quality flake foods, spirulina, cichlid sticks, algae wafers and an occasional treat of live or frozen brine shrimp are all readily accepted.

Gephyrochromis moori are not common in most tropical fish shops and are usually mixed in with other juveniles and sold as a “mixed cichlid”.  When they are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, they are usually sold unsexed from 1 1/2″ to 2″ in size.

Male Orange Top Moori (Gephyrochromis moorii)

Minimum Tank Size: 90 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 73.4-82.4° F, pH 7.8-8.6, KH 15-25
Max. Size: Male 5 1/4″, Females 4 1/2″
Color Form: Yellow, Gray
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Relatively calm mbuna cichlid
Origin: Near Msuli Point; Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced

Eastern Happy (Astatotilapia calliptera) are found in Lakes Malawi, Chiuta and Chilwa; the Lower Zambezi, Buzi, Pungwe and Save River systems, and near Thumbi East Island in Lake Malawi.  They are also recognized as Haplochromis callipterus by some tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and are commonly called the Eastern Bream, Eastern Happy or Calliptera.

Eastern Happy (Astatotilapia calliptera)

The Eastern Happy cichlid has blue lips and a black to dark brown line that runs through the eye, which is a common trait of Lake Victorian cichlids (i.e.angled black markings through the eye and on the operculum) and which is why Astatotilapia calliptera is often misidentified as Astatoreochromis alluaudi.

The males are usually a greenish to yellow hue with red and blue highlights.

Female Eastern Happy (Astatotilapia calliptera

The females are smaller in size and remain a fairly subdued greenish gray color.  Juveniles of the species are difficult to differentiate between.

Unlike some Lake Malawi cichlids, Astatotilapia calliptera are found in the more vegetated areas of the lake in shallower water, and also in the rivers and streams around the lake.

The Eastern Happy cichlid is considered to be a relatively peaceful cichlid for Lake Malawi however, males are highly aggressive towards the same species when sufficient space is not provided.  Sufficient space for two male Astatotilapia calliptera is about a 125 to 150 gallon tank, which is much larger than what is required for the average Malawi cichlid.  As long as their tank mates do not share their appearance or species, and as long as they are similar in disposition and size, they should be fine housed together.

Astatotilapia calliptera should be housed in an aquarium of at least 75 gallons that is furnished with a sandy substrate and a lot of rock caves to mimic their natural environment.  These cichlids prefer a lot of open space and should be provided enough room for them to swim around freely in the tank. Live plants can be added to the tank decor with the understanding that they may occasionally become part of the Eastern Happy‘s diet.

Eastern Happy cichlids are mouthbrooders that are relatively easy to breed in the aquarium. The female will lay several batches of eggs on a substratum which the male then fertilizes.   Almost immediately after fertilization, the female will collect the eggs into her mouth where she incubates them for 12 to 14 days at 79 degrees F.   After the eggs hatch out, the female releases the young and both of the parents will guard the fry for 5 to 7 days.   When danger poses a threat, the female scoops up the fry into her mouth until the threat passes.

In their natural environment, Eastern Happy cichlids are mouthbrooders that feed on algae, plankton, plants, invertebrates, and small fish. In an aquarium environment, they should be fed a variety of live, frozen, and freeze dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, earthworms, mysis shrimp, ghost shrimp, or small feeder fish as well as high quality vitamin enriched flake foods and pellets.   Always feed them what they can consume in a few minutes, once or twice a day instead of feeding them a single large portion.

Eastern Happy cichlids are available as juveniles and as adults in size from 1 1/2″ to 5″.

Male Eastern Happy (Astatotilapia calliptera)

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 76-82° F, pH 7.5-8.5, KH 15-25
Max. Size: Male 5″, Females 4″
Color Form: Yellow, Gray
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Best kept in larger tanks with asimilar species
Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner to Advanced

The Hoplo Catfish (Hoplosternum thoracatum)is found in Brazil, Guyana, Martinique, Paraguay, Trinidad, Venezuela and throughout the Amazon River basin.  They are most frequently found in standing shallow waters that have a dense growth of plants.

The Hoplo Catfish (Hoplosternum thoracatum) is synonomus with Megalechis thoracata, Callichtys thoracatus, Hoplosternum orinocoi, Callichthys thoracatus, Callichthys longifilis, Callichthys personatus, Callichthys exaratus, Hoplosternum thorae, Hoplosternum longifilis, and Hoplosternum magdalenea.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts commonly defer to Hopolo catfish or Brown Hopolo as the most commonly used name in fish shops.

Hoplo Catfish (Hoplosternum thoracatum)

Hopolo Catfish are colored dark brown to dun with an almost black back and a whitish belly.  The entire body of the fish is dotted with black spots of varying sizes, and their first pectoral fin is usually colored a reddish brown at the edges.

During breeding, the belly of the male develops a blue violet sheen.  Males also develop enlarged, red pectoral spines with hooks at the tips that are used to defend their breeding territory against other males.

The Hopolo Catfish prefers a densely planted aquarium with a dark sandy or fine grained smooth bottom substrate, some driftwood, and plenty of open areas for them to dig and root around in.  The tank should have densely planted corners and floating plants to provide some shade, especially during breeding when they can become aggressive to other males.

Although the Hopolo Catfish is an extremely hardy air breather that can survive in the worst possible conditions, they are best housed in clean well filtered water with a neutral pH.

Hoplosternum thoracatum are frequently bred in aquariums however the males become pretty aggressive during breeding. Spawning is triggered by introducing cool water into the breeding tank to quickly lower the water temperature.  Males in breeding condition will build a bubble nest covered with floating plant material.  When the eggs are released by the female below the nest, the male fertilizes them, takes them into his mouth, and blows them up into the floating nest.

After spawning has been completed, remove the parents from the tank or the parents may eat the eggs or offspring.  The eggs generally hatch out after four days and after two more days, the fry should be free swimming.  Feed the fry baby brine shrimp or crushed pellets until they are able to eat adult foods.

Hopolo Catfish are easy to feed. In the wild, they eat insects, insect larvae, and detritus.  In an aquarium environment they will accept live, freeze dried and frozen foods, most types of sinking pellets, and uneaten flake foods.

Hopolo Catfish are usually offered for sale by tropical fish keeping shops when they are 1 1/2″ to 2″ in size.

Hoplo Catfish (Hoplosternum thoracatum)

 
Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 65-85° F, Up to 20°H , pH 5.5 – 8.3
Maximum Size: 7″
Color Form: Silver, Brown
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Great in community tanks
Origin: Throughout the Amazon Basin
Family: Callichthyidae
Lifespan: 5-8 Years or more
Aquarist Experience Lever: Beginner

The Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa) is a popular pelagic species native to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa where it inhabits the northern half of the lake. Although it is identified by its scientific name as Cyphotilapia frontosa; it is also known as Paratilapia frontosa and Pelmatochromis frontosus by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

The Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa) is closely related to Cyphotilapia gibberosa which is found primarily in the southern half of lake Tanganyika.

Frontosa Cichlids are seldom found close to shore. They are nocturnal feeders and in the wild live in large groups called colonies. They prefer living in the 95 to 165 foot depths where they only venture into shallower waters very early in the morning hours to feed on shoaling “Cyps” (Cyprichromis species).

Frontosa Cichlids are identified by their distinct 5 to 7 black vertical bar markings that adorn their white to blue body and head. Their trailing fins have a distinct blue hue to them and both sexes of the species develop a cranial hump which becomes more pronounced as the fish get older. Usually the frontal hump develops when the fish reaches maturity or is about 4 inches in length.

Although the cranial hump is often more pronounced in the males, the Frontosa Cichlid is a sexually monomorphic species and

Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa)

like many of the cichlid species found in Lake Tanganyika, distinct breeding colonies have developed into several different color morphs.

Frontosa Cichlids grow quite large and will outgrow a small aquarium.  They should be housed in at least a 90 gallon tank with a sandy or finely crushed coral aggregate and plenty of rocks aquascaped into caves for them to feel secure. They are easily spooked when sufficient rock work is not present to make them feel secure and because of their size, they have been known to create havoc in an aquarium when spooked.

For cichlids, this species is generally not aggressive and are unusually tolerant of other species. They are slow,lethargic, and generally make good candidates for a mixed species cichlid tank. And, they will usually get along with other semi aggressive fish.

Frontosa Cichlids are a shoaling species that in a single species tank, are best kept in groups of 6 to 8 fish. This requires a tank of at least 150 gallons and conditions that mimic the waters of Lake Tanganyika, generally hard and alkaline. A pH of 7.8 to 9.0, water temperatures between 79 and 82 degrees and a KH of 10-20 will keep them healthy.

Cyphotilapia frontosa are mouth brooders.

When males become sexually active, they turn “Kigoma” blue, especially around their snout.  The male selects a secluded open spot, often in a cave, where he passes with his fins folded until he gets a willing females attention.  He then releases his milt over the spot showing the female where to go to lay her eggs.  She will then pass over the spot with her fins folded, drop her egg and back up to pick it up into her mouth.  This procedure is repeated several times until spawning is completed.

The female holds anywhere from 20 to as many as 80 eggs in her mouth for a period of up to 5 weeks.  Even though the female will gather the fry into her mouth at the presence of danger after the eggs have hatched, its a good idea to separate the fry from the adults. Frontosa Cichlids are carnivores and any fish under 3 inches is considered food for adults.

In the wild Cyphotilapia frontosa are opportunistic feeders. They prey on the large schools of Cyprichromis species as they sleep. In an aquarium environment they should be fed small, live or frozen feeder fish, krill, ghost shrimp, mysis, and earthworms. Sinking carnivore pellets are also accepted but flake foods should be avoided.

In the aquarium hobby, most Frontosa Cichlids are captive bred specimens that are sold when they are between 1 1/2″ to 3 1/2″ in length.  Because they are considered a table delicacy, wild caught specimens are not commonly available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa)

Minimum Tank Size: 90 gallons
Care Level: Moderately difficult
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 79-82° F, KH 10-20, pH 7.8-9.0
Max. Size: 15 ”
Color Form: Tan, White
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Can be kept in groups of 1 male with 5 or more females.
Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 25 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate to Experienced

The Blue Moorii Cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii) is also referred to by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Blue Dolphin Cichlid, Malawi Blue Dolphin Cichlid, Hump head, Blue Lumphead, Hap moorii, and Humphead Mouthbrooder.

The Blue Moorii (Cyrtocara moorii); previously listed as Haplochromis moorii, is a rather large exotic species that comes from Lake Malawi in Africa. They frequent the sandy coastal areas throughout the lake and reside at depths between 10 to 50 feet. They are a shoaling species that feed on small benthic invertebrates which are often rooted out of the sandy substrate by Fossorochromis rostratus, some species of Taeniolethrinops, and other sand sifting Haplochromine cichlids.

The overall coloring of the Blue Moorii is a beautiful blue with varying amounts of black markings that are dependent on where each individual comes from. They have compact, somewhat elongated bodies with elongated snouts. Both males and females develop a large cranial bump on their heads as they age, which makes them excellent show specimens for a larger aquariums and lends to their “hump head” alias. Their cute pointed snout situated just below their cranial hump also lends to their Dolphin like appearance.

Blue Moorii Cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii)

Their Hump head name is often confused with the Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa) which is found in Lake Tanganyiika however this fish is easily identified by its six or seven broad black stripes over their white body.

The Blue Moorii is a polygamous, relatively peaceful species that can be quite aggressive with males of their own kind. The should be kept with one male in a tank with three or more females. They become highly territorial during spawning but unlike other cichlids, do not maintain their territory after spawning is completed.

Blue Mooriis are often called the “gentle giant” of the cichlid world. They can be kept in an all cichlid community tank with some of the more mildly tempered Malawi species, with Peacock cichlids of the Aulonacara genus, Frontosa, and with some of the larger haps of the same general size. In a single species tank, it is best to keep a single male with three or more females.

Blue Moorii can be also be kept with larger Synodontis Catfish but should never be included with any of the Mbuna species of Lake Malawi.

Crytocara moorii need a large long tank of at least 75 – 100 gallons, a sandy aggregate of argonite or crushed coral, plenty of rocks, caves and passageways to hide among, clean moderate water movement, and plenty of free swimming space. They require regular weekly water changes of 10 to 20% to keep them disease free.  All Malawi cichlids will deteriorate if they are not kept in clean, hard, alkaline water conditions however, poor water quality will quickly ruin the eyes of Blue Moorii.

The Blue Moorii cichlid is not easy to breed in an aquarium environment, which is why most specimens found in tropical fish

Blue Moorii Cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii) pair

shops are collected in the wild. Because they are difficult to sex, the best way to develop a breeding group is to house 8 to 12 juveniles in a tank and let them grow up together.

The reach sexual maturity when they are about 5 inches in length. Males will pick a breeding site and either dig a pit for the eggs or clean off a flat stone or piece of slate. When the site is considered ready by the male, he will display intense breeding colors to invite a willing female. When ready, a female will approach the site, lay her eggs, and the male will then fertilize them.

Crytocara moori are specialized mouth brooders and the fertilized eggs will be picked up by the female into her mouth for incubation. After the eggs have hatched, the female will continue to hold anywhere from 20 to 90 fry in her mouth until they are able to fend for themselves. The fry are usually released within 12 to 20 days when they are about 1/4″ long. On her own the female will not eat the fry but will hold them in her mouth at night or if she feels they are in danger; however once released, the fry will usually no longer return to the female.

Feed the fry baby brine shrimp and finely crushed carnivore flakes until they are able to eat adult foods. They are slow growers that should be given a high protein diet.

Adult Blue Moorii do best on a high protein diet of live, frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp, small pieces of chopped earthworms, fish or prawn, and a supplement of high quality carnivore pellets. They do best when fed several small portions daily instead of only once a day. Some tropical fish keeping enthusiasts feed their Blue Moorii chopped beef heart, however, meat from warm blooded animals has been known to cause serious digestive ailments in these fish.

When available for purchase, Blue Moorii are usually sold as juveniles at only 1″ to 1 1/2″ in size.

Male Blue Moorii Cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii)

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Care Level: Moderately difficult
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 73.0 to 82.0° F, dGH 10 – 18°N, pH 7.2-8.8
Max. Size: 10 ”
Color Form: Blue, Black
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Best kept in groups of 1 male with 3 or more females.
Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
Family: Cichlidae
Lifespan: 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate to Experienced

The Golden Mbuna (Melanochromis auratus) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Malawi Golden Chiclid, Auratus Chiclid, Golden Cichlid and Golden Pseudotropheus.

Golden Mbuna are endemic to the rocky shorelines of Lake Malawi in Africa. They occupy the rocky areas of the southern part of the lake from Jalo Reef, to the north of Nkhota Kota, and south along the western coast to Crocodile Rocks. They are noticeably absent from the eastern shore of the lake.

The Golden Mbuna is an elongated species with a rounded snout, a narrow mouth, and a continuous dorsal fin. They have closely spaced incisor like teeth that in their natural environment are used to feed on aufwuchs.  Like all cichlids, they have spiny rays in the rear parts of their dorsal, pectoral, anal and pelvic fins.

Male Golden Mbunas are colored very differently than the females.  Their backs are a golden to faded yellow and the rest of their body is black.   Their dorsal fins are almost a transparent yellow with black specks that almost form a horizontal line through the top.  A narrow yellow line outlined in neon blue runs from the gill area to the caudal fin through the middle of their body and their tail fins are black edged with yellow.  Their pelvic and anal fins are black trimmed in neon blue.

Female Golden Mubna

Female Golden Mbunas are gold colored with a black dorsal fin that is edged in gold. Except for their black back, the rest of their body is a golden color. They also have a black line that runs from just behind the eye to the caudal fin that is trimmed in white to blue. The rest of their fins are golden except for the tail fin which is white with black spots on the upper portion, and gold on the bottom.

Juveniles up to about 6 months have a golden belly with a white upper body and three horizontal black stripes down the middle, along the back, and one through the top of the dorsal fin.

Generally the males have gold and neon blue stripes over a black background, and females have black and neon blue stripes over a golden background.

The streams that flow into Lake Malawi have a high mineral content which along with evaporation in the lake results in very hard, alkaline water.

In an aquarium environment, this chemistry can be maintained by providing a crushed coral and aragonite sand substrate to increase water hardness and plenty of rocks in the tank for the fish to hide among.  They need a powerhead in their tank to provide moderate water movement, a strong efficient filtration system, and regular weekly water changes to mimic the clear, clear water conditions that they are found in.

Because Golden Mbunas are extremely territorial and aggressive, a tank of at least 55 gallons loaded up with plenty of rocks arranged to form passageways, caves, etc. is recommended. Arranging the rocks in separate, distinct piles will aid in keeping them in their own territory and reduce aggression.  Do not load up a tank of Golden Mbunas with live plants as they will quickly become food for the fish.

Golden Mbunas are obviously not good candidates for a community aquarium. They do best in a species specific tank but should not be housed with other peaceful cichlids. These fish are so aggressive that they will attack other species of Mbunas that are similar in shape or color and even similar looking males of other species. The best way to house these cichlids is to keep them in small groups of a single male and several females. When kept in smaller tanks, the male will attack and kill any other male in the tank and sometimes even females. In this scenario, the dominant female has also been known to kill subordinate males.

Keeping Mbunas in a tank of 120 gallons or even more will help to minimize aggression.

The Golden Mbuna is a maternal mouth brooder that is polygamous by nature, with a single male attending to several females. They have been bred in captivity and like other Mbunas, will spawn in the male’s territory.

During spawning, the males colors become intensely exaggerated.  The female will lay about 40 eggs which she immediately takes into her mouth.   She then stimulates the male by mouthing his vent until he discharges a cloud of milt into the water.   She then inhales the cloud of milt which fertilizes the eggs held in her mouth.   At a temperature of 82°, the eggs will hatch in about 21 days and the fry are guarded by the female for several more days until they are able to fend for themselves.

Feed the fry baby brine shrimp or finely crushed carnivore flake food.  The fry will reach 1″ in length within 3 months, and males will begin to display their colors between 6 and 9 months.

The more rocks, caves, crevices and passageways you have in your breeding tank, the better the chances are for survival of the fry.

Adult Golden Mbuna  are omnivores but in their natural environment have a very  herbivorous diet.  They will quickly eat any plant you place in their tank.    Feed them several small portions of fresh, dry, frozen,  or freeze dried meals of Spirulina, bloodworms, brine shrimp or other foods rich in vegetable matter to keep their colors at an optimum level.   Foods like beef heart or chopped worms can encourage digestive problems and should be avoided.

Golden Mubna can be anywhere from 1 1/4″ to 3 1/2″ when  available for purchase.

Male Golden Mbuna (Melanochromis auratus)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Care Level:
Temperament: Highly Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 73 – 82° F, pH 7.8 – 8.6, dGH 6 – 10
Max. Size: 5”
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Suitable for a species tank
Origin: Jalo reef to Crockodile Rock in Lake Malawi
Family: Characidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Tropical fish keeping of Cichlids has become increasingly popular in the aquarium hobby over the years for a variety of reasons. Cichlids are colorful, attractive, active, fun to watch, easy to keep and are generally quite durable fish.

Most species are very active and many are very personable; greeting their keepers, begging for food and displaying intriguing behavior.  These are just a few of the traits that make Cichlids a favorite of tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

The Cichlid family offers tropical fish keepers a wide variety of body shapes, a vast range of sizes, and some of the most beautiful body pattern coloration found in the the aquarium hobby.

Because Cichlids come in a diverse variety of sizes, shapes and colors; they appeal to a wide swath of tropical fish keeping

Peacock Cichlid

enthusiast worldwide. Their popularity in part is due to their remarkable complex and sometimes ritualistic behavior as they perform their parental duties. Even though some varieties require specialized care, most are easy to house in an aquarium environment with a minimum of effort.

The geographic distribution of Cichlids worldwide is vast. In the aquarium hobby they are classified as either “New World” or “Old World” Cichlids. They are most diverse in South America and Africa.

Although there are no Cichlids native to North America, (north of Texas), the Far East, or Australia; in the New World they are found in areas of south Texas to Argentina, in South America.

Old World Cichlids are distributed throughout Africa and parts of the Middle East including the Islands of Madagascar, Sri Lanka and those along the southern coast of India which is home to several species.   Africa alone is estimated to harbor at least 1,600 species.

Although there are no native Cichlid species north of Texas in North America,  in recent years many varieties have been introduced into the waterways and canals of Florida either by accident or deliberately.

Ciclids are not found in higher elevations but they are found in almost all other types of freshwater throughout their geographic range.   Lakes, ditches, canals, swamps, rice paddies and even mud puddles can hold Cichlids, and although most Cichlid species require warmer waters above 65 degrees and are shallow water dwellers, some species have been found in depths of over 300 feet in Lake Malawi and in the Congo River.

RedShoulderSeverum

Many types of Cichlids make great aquarium pets.   Some of the South American species such as Severum, Angelfish and the Dwarf Cichlids are relative peaceful and amicable and can be kept in a group.   Others are mildly to extremely aggressive and should be kept in a single species tank.

Some Cichlids display unique characteristics like the Goby Cichlid, featherfins, Tropheus genus, and the shell dwellers. Others from the Rift Lakes in Africa are prized for the colors.

Size matters, and some African and South American Cichlids reach impressive proportions that are not suitable for tropical fish keeping. The Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellarus) of South America is popular as a game fish and reaches lengths exceeding 30 inches.

The Kreibensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) from West Africa, the Dwarf cichlid (Papilochromis altispinosa) from South America, and

Kreibensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

a few other tiny secretive species generically called “dwarf cichlids” make excellent aquarium candidates.

Some species like the Mbuna of Lake Malawi are herbivores and others like the Pike Cichlids of the Amazon are carnivores.

Of the hundreds of species of Cichlids that are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts, none are live bearers.  All Cichlids are egg layers that provide some sort of parental care for their eggs and fry. With very few exceptions, most Cichlids are easy to breed.
Providing parental care is not the norm for most fish species but in the world of cichlids, the males will typically tend to their offspring.

Some species lay their eggs on plant leaves, rocks, logs, or on the substrate.  Parental care for these types consists of fanning and guarding the eggs and then caring for the fry (wrigglers) until they are free swimming. This guardianship can last for weeks to months in an aquarium environment. For most species of substrate spawners, both parents take part in caring for their young.

Apistogramma

Some species of Apistogramma are haremic.  This is when several females lay their eggs in separate caves that are in the territory of a single male.   Each female tends to her own young while the male protects the entire harem of caves from predators and other males.

Some Cichlids have unique spawning behaviors but few surpass the shell dwelling cichlids of Lake Tanganyika.

These cichlids lay their eggs inside an unused snail shell and the males, which are usually larger, stand guard at the entrance. Some males keep a “harem” of females, which are all in separate shells, in the territory which the he conscientiously guards.

Many species of Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria and some Lake Tanganyika cichlids are mouth brooders.   Typically, the female will lay her eggs and then suck them into her mouth where the male then fertilizes them.  The fertilized eggs remain in her mouth until the eggs hatch and sometimes even after that stage.

Mouth brooders are not limited to females.   Some species are bi-parental mouth brooders and a few are male mouth brooders.

Mouth Brooder

Some South American species lay their eggs on the substrate, guard them until they hatch and then mouth brood them until they can care for themselves.

Hundreds of species of Cichlids are currently available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and with few exceptions, most can be housed in an aquarium environment with a minimum of equipment in tanks ranging from 10 gallons to 500 gallons and up.

Although some species require specialized care and are not recommended for beginners, many others are easy to keep and breed.

Most all cichlids are devoted parents and watching a pair of rearing their young in your living room aquarium is a tough act to follow.

Rosy Red Tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus) Female

The Rosy Red Tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus) is a peaceful South American tetra that is often confused with Hyphessobrycon bentosi. It is found in the sluggish forest streams of Guyana and Suriname and is also called the Rosy Fin Tetra, White Finned Rosy Tetra, or Rosey Tetra by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

Rosy Red Tetras are only one of 30 species in the ” Rosy Tetra Clade” that have the same colors and body patterns. All are disk shaped and have light pink white bodies, red fins, and a conspicuous black spot on the dorsal fin (“flag”) that is usually underlined by a white or yellow tipped with white. All Rosy Red Tetras share a dark shoulder patch immediately behind their gill covers, which can be absent over a light substrate.

Male Rosy Red Tetras have a black elongated dorsal fin that sometimes has hints of white on the top edge. Females have rounder bodies and have white tipped dorsal, ventral and anal fins. The dorsal fins of the females are always smaller that males.

Rosy Red Tetras are a very peaceful species that are highly recommended for community aquariums. Because they are a shoaling species, they do best in groups of 6 or more and get along well with characins, gourami, angelfish, dwarf cichlids, the smaller catfish and loaches.  Like the closely related Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus); keeping an even ratio of males to females will provide you with a continuous display of males of extending their dorsal fins to the females.

Rosy Red Tetras prefer living in the lower half of the aquarium and will school, mix, and interbreed with other “Rosy” or “Bentosi” species. They prefer a densely planted, soft water tank with some rocks, floating plants, and pieces of driftwood or bogwood to mimic the slow flowing streams they are found in.

Like many tetras, the Rosy Red Tetra is an egg scattering species that spawns in their natural habitat in schools.   Females will scatter about 100 eggs, usually in the early morning hours over fine leaved vegetation.  They can be encouraged to spawn in the aquarium by providing a conditioned pair with soft (less than 3dGH), acidic (pH 6.0 or less) water and a darkened tank.  Remove the parents after spawning has occurred.   The fry will hatch out in 24-36 hours and when they become free swimming (3-4 days later), feed them infusoria, , or baby brine shrimp until they are able to eat finely crushed flake food.  The fry and eggs are light sensitive, so a dark tank is needed during the early stages of development.

Rosy Red Tetras are omnivores that readily accept flake foods, live, frozen or freeze dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex and daphnia.

When available for purchase, Rosy Red Tetras are usually 1″ in size.

Rosy Red Tetra (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, KH 4-8, dGH 12, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 1.6”
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Suitable for peaceful community tanks
Origin: Central Brazil, Bolivia
Family: Characidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) School

The Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) is found in the Paraguay, Guaporé, and Mamore river basins in Brazil and Bolivia.   In the aquarium trade, it is one of the more popular tetras sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and is sometimes confused with the Black Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi).

The Black Phantom Tetra has a tetragonal shaped body that is colored light grey.  They have a black blotch behind their gills which is surrounded by an iridescent silver edging that is characteristic of these tetras.  They also have a relatively transparent body which is how their common name (phantom) developed.

All the fins of male Black Phantom Tetras are black.  The females have a black dorsal fin with reddish colored pelvic, anal, and adipose fins.

Although Black Phantom Tetras are a social, peaceful species, the males are territorial and will defend their space in the tank by presenting themselves with their dorsal and anal fins fully extended.   Their dark colors become more intensified and the edging of the body patch stands out more prominently during these displays.

Unlike many of the other schooling tetras who prefer living in large shoals, Black Phantom Tetras seem to prefer living in smaller groups of 4 or 5 individuals.  This makes them perfect candidates for smaller community aquariums as long as sufficient space is provided for males to stake out their territories.

Black Phantom Tetras do best in a densely planted aquarium with a sandy substrate, some rocks, driftwood or bogwood,  and a few floating plants to mimic their native environment.  They should be housed in groups of 6 or more in a slightly acidic, soft water aquarium, with subdued lighting.

These tetras are egg scatterers and like other tetras will eat their eggs if they are not removed from the breeding tank after spawning.

To breed Black Phantom Tetras, place a pair that has been conditioned on live foods (daphnia, brine shrimp, microworms) into a dimly lit breeding tank with some breeding mops or fine leaved plants, and a few floating plants.   The water should be very soft and the pH should be dropped down to around 5.5.

The female will usually scatter around 300 eggs at random throughout the tank.  When spawning has been completed, remove the parents or they will devour their eggs.   After the eggs hatch, it will take about four or five days before the fry are free swimming.   At this time feed them infusoria and baby brine shrimp for a couple of weeks until they are able to eat finely crushed flake food.

Adult Black Phantom Tetras are easy to feed and will readily accept quality flake foods, micro pellets, live or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms or freeze dried bloodworms and
tubifex.

When offered for sale, Black Phantom Tetras are usually 1/2″ to 1″ in length.

Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-83° F, KH 4-8, dGH 12 – 20°N, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 2”
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Suitable for peaceful community tanks
Origin: Central Brazil, Bolivia
Family: Characidae
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Black Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

The Black Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Black Skirt Tetra, Petticoat Tetra, High-fin Black  Skirt Tetra, and Black Widow Tetra.

The Black Tetra is a peaceful, shoaling tetra that is found in the Paraguay and Guaporé River basins of southern Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia.  It is sometimes confused with the Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) which is an entirely different species.

The Black Tetra gets its name from their translucent black coloring. It has a somewhat tetragonal body shape which is greyish to silver in color, and fades from almost black at the tail to a light silver at the nose.  They have two prominent, black, vertical bars that appear just behind the gills. Adults develop long flowing black fins.

Recently, genetically modified Black Tetras under the generic name GloFish Black Tetras have become available in shades of bright green, orange, purple, and pink.

Black Tetras are a hardy addition to any peaceful community aquarium.  Being a shoaling species, it does best in groups of at least 6 or more fish and gets along well with other tetras, Danios, Corydoras, etc.

In a community aquarium they need a densely planted tank with a sandy substrate, some rocks and driftwood to give them a sense of security.  It is a mid level swimming fish that likes plenty of hiding places, so give them some rock caves and higher growing plants for them to hide among.

The Black Tetra is one of the more common species that is widely available for purchase.  They are egg scatterers that reach sexual maturity at two years of age and will lay their adhesive eggs among the plant leaves in the aquarium.   Like most other species, they will eat their eggs if they are not removed from the tank.

For optimal breeding, place them in a tank with slightly acidic water and some fine leaved plants like Cabomba, or a breeding mop, and minimal water movement.   After the eggs are fertilized, remove the parents from the breeding tank.  When the eggs have hatched and the fry are free swimming, feed them baby brine shrimp, daphnia, or finely crushed flake food.

In their natural habitat Black Tetras feed on small insects, crustaceans, worms, and plant matter.

In an aquarium environment they readily accept quality flake foods, micro pellets, live or frozen brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, daphnia, freeze dried bloodworms and tubifex.

When available for purchase, Black Tetras are usually 1/2″ to 1″ in size.

Black Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, KH 4-8, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 2½”
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Suitable for peaceful community tanks
Origin: South America
Family: Characidae
Lifespan: up to 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Target Puffer (Tetraodon leiurus)

The Target Puffer (Tetraodon leiurus) aka Twin Spot Puffer or Eyespot puffer, is found in both flowing and standing waters of the lower Mekong river region of Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Indonesia, in both freshwater and brackish environments.

They have been found in the Chad basin, Niger, Volta, Gambia, Nile, Geba and Sénégal Rivers.

The Target Puffer (Tetraodon leiurus) is commonly misidentified as the Thai Puffer (Tetraodon barbatus).

Tetraodon Leiurus has eyes with a silver sheen like appearance for irises that are outlined in red.  In addition there is a colored eye spot near their tail which can range in color from an orange to purplish color.   The Thai Puffer (Tetraodon barbatus) is similar but lacking in color.

Both the Target Puffer (Tetraodon leiurus) and Thai Puffer (Tetraodon barbatus) are highly aggressive fish that are best housed in a single species tank or if need be, with fast swimming fish that stay to themselves.   They are notorious fin nippers.

The Target Puffer does best in a densely planted aquarium with a sandy or very fine gravel substrate aquascaped with some pebbles and driftwood roots for them to hide among.   Like all puffers, the Target Puffer is a messy eater and susceptible to changes in water quality. They need to be provided with highly filtered water without too much current.

Target Puffers are easy to feed and will accept live ghost shrimp, snails, and frozen or freeze dried krill, clam, shrimp, crab legs and other molluscs from the fresh seafood counter. Like most other puffers,they should be fed a steady diet of hard shelled foods to prevent their fused from overgrowing.

The Target Puffer is considered rare among tropical fish keeping enthusiasts but juveniles and young adults are sometimes available from specialty fish shops at around 2″ in size.

Target Puffer (Tetraodon leiurus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 73-82° F, 8 – 12 dH, pH 7.0 – 7.5
Max. Size: 5″
Color Form: Green, Tan, White, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Southeast Asia
Family: Tetraodontidae
Lifespan: 6 – 8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Male Loricaria Catfish (Loricaria sp.) Rio Atabapo

The Crying Whiptail (Loricaria sp. `RIO ATABAPO`) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Loricaria Columbia or Colombian Loricaria (Loricaria sp. `Colombia`).

The “Crying Whiptail” name is derived from the two black stripes that run on top of the head and through the eye of the fish that resemble large tears.

Crying Whiptails are similar to Rineloricaria spp. but but are differentiated by their more feathered sucker mouths.  This is more evident in adult specimens.   The sucker lips of the male Crying Whiptail is always larger than those of the females.

The species is easily identified by the two distinctive parallel black lines that start at the snout and end just before the dorsal fin. They have a black blotch on the dorsal fin that sometimes takes up the entire dorsal fin and runs down into the body.   Two additional broad black lines are noted on the caudal penduncle with a single broad line in the middle of their caudal fin.   Well conditioned adult fish usually display a filament on top of their their caudal fin.

The Crying Whiptail was initially discovered in an unnamed river north of the town of Villavicencio, southeast of Bogota, Colombia however;  the species has since earned its nickname (Loricaria sp. `RIO ATABAPO`) which suggests that it was found further east in the Rio Atabapo, Venezuela.   This particular species is collected in a river that is only 5m to 30m wide, with rocks and a few sandy zones.

Crying Whiptails are peaceful bottom dwellers that in their natural habitat, dig themselves into the sandy substrate of the river bottom.  They are very peaceful fish, easy to keep, and should not be housed with any aggressive species that could outcompete them for food.

In an aquarium environment, they require a long (4′ or wider) sparsely planted tank, with plenty of open fine sandy areas on the bottom for them to bury themselves.   The tank should be aquascaped with a few river rocks and a piece of bogwood or two to mimic the river conditions they are found in.

Crying Whiptails are mouth brooders which is why the lips of the males are larger than the females.   The males care for their eggs by keeping them underneath their head, torso, and in their mouths.  Females will usually deposit 60 – 100 eggs per spawning and the male will hold the entire clutch of eggs in their mouths at one time.

The young will hatch out after 16 days.   Raising the fry is not a problem with this species.   They will eat tablets and brine shrimp as soon as their yolk sacs are absorbed.

Crying Whiptails are easy to feed and will eagerly accept commercially prepared tablets, bloodworms, brine shrimp or other meaty frozen foods.   Vegetables and algae are not on their diet.

When available for sale, Crying Whiptails are usually 3″ to 4″ in size.

Loricaria Catfish (Loricaria sp.) Rio Atabapo

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 74-83° F, 6° KH, pH 6.4 – 7.6
Max. Size: 7 – 8″
Color Form: Brown, Black
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Excellent in peaceful community tanks
Origin: Orinoco River, Atabapo Colombia
Family: Loricariidae ycipitidae
Life Span 8-12 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Green Spotted Puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridis)

The Green Spotted Puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridis) is also known as the Spotted Green Puffer or Leopard Puffer by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

It is found in the freshwater rivers, lakes, streams and flooded areas of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines as well as the brackish waters of these coastal areas.

The Green Spotted Puffer has a beautiful rich green coloration on top with dark spots and a whitish belly.   It has cute a pug like face with slightly bulging eyes and a small mouth that gives it a curious expression.   Although they are curious, playful, extremely active and when housed alone will come to recognize its owner, they are territorial and aggressive toward their tank mates.

Green Spotted Puffers (Tetraodon nigroviridis) are often confused with its close relatives the Green Puffer or Ceylon Puffer (Tetraodon fluviatilis), and the Freshwater Spotted Puffer (Tetraodon schoutedeni).

All three are spotted with very similar coloration, but the Green Spotted Puffer is more rounded and ball shaped, while the Green Puffer (T. fluviatilis) is more elongated.   These two puffers are relatively common in tropical fish keeping however, the Freshwater Spotted Puffer (T. schoutedeni) is rare and has not been available for years.

The Green Spotted Puffer is often sold as a beginners fish and is frequently housed in community tanks with disastrous results. Like all puffer fish, the Green Spotted Puffer is aggressive and at a minimum, a fin nipper.   They can be housed in a community tank with other active species such as Arius catfish, Scats, Monos, mollies or archerfish, but placing them with slow moving or long finned species is a recipe for trouble.

Green Spotted Puffers can successfully be kept in groups of 4 to 5 fish in larger aquariums if there are plenty of hiding places provided.  Keeping them in large groups dissipates the amount aggression that is displayed between individual fish.

Green Spotteed Puffers should be kept in a densely planted aquarium of at least 20 gallons, with a sandy substrate and plenty of rocks, driftwood, twisted roots, and branches for cover and plenty of swimming area.   If you want to keep more than one fish or some other species with them, a well planted 55 or 60 gallon aquarium is a better choice.   Plant the aquarium with hard leaved plants.  Soft leaved plants will become part of their varied diet.

These little puffers are amazing jumpers and require a totally enclosed lid.   During the rainy season, Juvenile puffers will jump from puddle to puddle searching for food and then return to their pond or river.   The addition of floating plants into the tank is recommended to diffuse light and minimize their jumping.

Because these puffers are so sensitive to deteriorating water conditions, they require heavy filtration and regular partial water changes.

Although Green Spotted Puffers are considered a true freshwater species, this is true only as juveniles.   As the mature, they will require a more brackish water or marine environment.   Marine salt will increase their longevity in freshwater.

In their natural habitat, Green Spotted Puffers are constant hunters and feed on mollusks, invertebrates, crustaceans, plant matter and fish scales.   In an aquarium environment, they do well with on live or frozen bloodworms, ghost shrimp, shelled crab legs and shrimp, clams, brine shrimp and a continuous diet of snails to keep their teeth ground down.   They require several feedings of small amounts per day; no more than they can quickly consume.   These puffer fish are constant grazers and if allowed, will literally eat themselves to death.

Spawning in an aquarium environment has been accomplished with these puffer fish but only in brackish water.   They should be provided some slate or smooth flat rocks on the bottom of the tank where the female will lay approximately 500 eggs.  The male will guard the eggs until they hatch out in about 7 days.

Prior to hatching, the male excavates a pit in the sandy substrate and moves the fry to this area where he continues to guard them.   The fry have an exceptionally high mortality rate and are reportedly difficult to raise, but can be fed baby brine shrimp,, and Cyclops nauplii until they are able to eat small snails.

Green Spotted Puffers are commonly available as juveniles for purchase when they are approximately 1″ to 1 1/2″ in size.

Green Spotted Puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridis)

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 74-82° F, 9 – 19 dGH, pH 7.5-8.5
Max. Size: 6.7″
Color Form: Green, Black, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Africa to Asia
Family: Tetraodontidae
Lifespan: Up to 15 years in brackish water
Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced

Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus)

The Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) is also known as the Eye Spot Puffer and is found in the rivers and coastal waters of Cambodia, Malaysia, Borneo, and Indonesia.

The Figure Eight Puffer is a colorful little fish that is dark brown to green on the back with a white belly.  It has greenish yellow patterns and spots on their backside that vary from specimen to specimen.   A few black spots are outlined in yellow on the tail, body and nose, and the marking on either side of their caudal fins resemble the number 8, or an “eye spot”, which probably contributes to their name. It is virtually impossible to sex Figure Eight Puffers, but females are thought to grow larger than the males.

Although the Figure Eight Puffer is most often found in freshwater, they also frequent brackish waters in coastal areas.

Most Figure Eight Puffers are relatively peaceful compared to other puffer fish. In freshwater, they can be kept with fast moving species like characins, rasboras, mollies and barbs. They will nip the fins of slow moving fish.

In a brackish water environment, they do well with barbs, bumblebee gobies, Monos, mollies, salt tolerant Chanda species, etc.

Figure Eight Puffers should be housed in a heavily filtered 15 to 20 gallon aquarium. Like all puffer fish they are sensitive to nitrates, nitrites and ammonia and because they are such sloppy eaters, heavy filtration and frequent water changes are mandatory.

Figure Eight Puffers are a long lived, active species that need plenty of room for swimming when they are not hiding. These puffers are best kept in a densely planted tank with lots of twisted driftwood roots for cover, and a sandy substrate. A few floating plants should also be included to diffuse light in their tank.

Figure Eight Puffers are classed as molluscivores. They will readily feed on mussels, oysters, cockles, krill, shrimp, earthworms and snails.  Some puffers can be trained to take other foods, such as flake food or pellets, but it should not be their primary diet. Live snails are recommended to keep their fused teeth from becoming overgrown.

Although the Figure Eight Puffer is considered a true freshwater species, it tends to live longer with the addition of marine salt to their aquariums.

Spawning occurs in brackish water where the eggs are laid on the bottom substrate or on flat rocks. After the eggs are fertilized, the male will guard them for approximately a week until the fry become free swimming.

Although not as common as its counterpart Tetraodon ocellatus, when available for purchase they are generally about 3/4″ to 1 1/2″ in size.

Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, kH 8-15, pH 6.5-7.5
Max. Size: 3.5″
Color Form: Green, Tan, White, Yellow
Diet: Molluscivore
Origin: Southeast Asia, Borneo
Family: Tetraodontidae
Lifespan: Up to 15 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Slender Rasbora (Rasbora daniconius)

The Slender Rasbora (Rasbora daniconius) is also called the Black Line Rasbora, Striped Rasbora, Gold Line Rasbora, Common Rasbora, Golden Striped Rasbora, Slender Barb, and Striped Barb by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and is found in the river systems of South and Southeast Asia from Sri Lanka, the Indus basin, the Mekong River and the northern Malay Peninsula. It has also been collected in Borneo and Sumatra.

As the name implies, the Slender Rasbora is a slim fish with a compressed, oblong body that in the wild reaches a length of over 6 inches. In an aquarium environment it will reach a length of about 3 1/2 inches.

The Slender Rasbora is silver in color with olive colored undertones. The belly of the males is predominately white whereas females are more yellow to reddish colored. A striking blue black colored line outlined with gold runs the length of the body right through the tail of the fish. Their rather large scales are highly reflective and their yellow fins are small.

Slender Rasboras are primarily found in slow moving, muddy, sandy streams and rivers but they frequent all sorts of waterways from medium to large rivers, ponds, ditches, canals, brooks, streams, flooded fields to even brackish waters. They will occasionally form large schools to feed on small aquatic insects and detritus.

Slender Rasboras are active, schooling fish that spend their time in the mid water column. In an aquarium they should be kept in schools of at least 8 to 10 fish in a long densely planted aquarium of at least 20 gallons capacity, with a sandy or fine gravel substrate, some “river rocks” and plenty of room for them to swim.

To replicate their natural environment, they should be provided with strong direct lighting and slightly acidic, medium hard water conditions. Because Slender Rasboras are jumpers and easily excitable, their aquarium should be planted with a variety of aquatic plants and have some bogwood or driftwood roots placed in it to make them feel safe and bring out their color. A tightly fitting cover is needed for these fish.

Slender Rasboras are peaceful and can be mixed with other active fish of similar temperament. Some good tankmate selections include Good tankmates include other Cyprinids, larger characins,live bearers, peaceful bottom dwelling catfish and loaches and some of the dwarf cichlds.

In the wild Slender Rasboras feed on small aquatic insects and detritus. In the aquarium, they can be fed a quality flake food or pellets augmented with some lettuce or other vegetable matter and live, frozen or freeze dried daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms or tubifex. These fish do best when fed two or three times a day. Offer them only what they can consume in three to four minutes.

Slender Rasboras lay their eggs among the leaves of plants and are relatively easy to breed. They do not care for their eggs or fry

First, condition a pair or a school by feeding them live foods several times a day for a month. Well fed females will begin filling out with eggs and an intense chasing courtship will begin. Increase the water temperature in the spawning tank slightly and drop the pH to about 7.0. When ready, a spawning pair will begin depositing their eggs on fine leaved plants like Hornwort, Cabomba, Milfoil, Java Moss, Crystalwort or a spawning mop. A pair will assume a side by side position and the male will try to wrap himself around the female until eggs are laid. The ritual continues until the female finds another hiding place and the spawning process repeats itself.

Remove the parents as soon as the spawning is completed or they will devour the eggs. Fry will hatch in 3 to 4 days and be free swimming in about 3 more days. Feed the fry infusoria for the first few days until they are large enough to eat baby brine shrimp.

Slender Rasboras are not common but specialized fish stores occasionally carry them. When they are available for purchase, they are relatively expensive and 1″ to 1 1/2″ in size.

Slender Rasbora (Rasbora daniconius)

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gal
Carel Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy
Water Conditions: 71.0 to 80.0° F, 8 – 17 dGH, pH 6.0-7.5
Max Size: 6″
Color Form: Silver
Diet: Omnivore
Compatability: Good community tank fish
Origin: South, Southeast Asia
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: 5 – 8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner
(native species include Lagenandra ovata and Blyxa auberti) for cover.

Panda Barb (Puntius fasciatus)..

The Panda Barb (Puntius fasciatus) is also known by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Striped Barb, Ember Barb, Banded Barb and Black Spot Barb.

The Panda Barb is native to the Western Ghats mountains in the south Indian states of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Its range is from the Kanyakumari district at the southern tip of the country, to almost as far as the Maharashtra state to the north.
Although it is more common the the western slopes of its range at sea level and in the foothills; it has also been found throughout many river drainage systems.

Panda Barbs are found in a variety of environments that include major rivers, hill streams, irrigation canals, ponds, lakes and even ditches.  They prefer quiet, shallow areas with lots of submerged vegetation or leaf litter, but they are also found in the fast moving foothill streams.

The Panda Barb is a shoaling fish and is usually found in large schools with their own kind and other small cyprinids like the Ticto (Pethia ticto) Barb, Maharaja Barb (Puntius sahyadriensis), Narayan Barb (Puntius setnai), Blackspot Barb (Dawkinsia filamentosua), Mascara Barb (Puntius assimilis), Striped Rasbora (Rasbora daniconius), etc.

Panda Barb (Puntius fasciatus)

The Panda Barb is silver with four black stripes running vertically up its body however, a number of geographically isolated varieties differ in color and body patterns.

Panda Barbs collected from the headwaters and from mountain streams of highland environments have olive-green, orangy to crimson bodies, instead of silver.   Specimens collected from lower altitudes are normally purple or reddish.

The number and positioning of the dark body bars is also variable, and dependent on geographical area.  Specimens collected from Goa have five bars on their body.  Specimens from Karnataka in northern Kerala have four bars, and those from central and southern Kerala, three.  Some Panda Barbs collected from southern Kerala only have two barbs on their body and the unique, much desired Panda Barb from Kanyakumari has no bars at all.

The Panda Barb is one of the more under appreciated cyprinids.  They are hardy, relatively peaceful, colorful, interesting in their behavior and make a welcome addition to any larger community aquarium.

Panda Barbs do best in groups of 8 to 10 or more specimens, and under subdued lighting with a dark substrate to bring out their colors, provide a beautiful aquarium display.   They need a large densely planted aquarium with some smooth river rock, pieces of driftwood, twisted bogwood roots, some floating plants and some leaf litter to mimic a gently flowing stream.  They require enough filtration to provide some gently water movement in the tank.

Panda Barbs are omnivorous and require a variety of foods. In the wild they forage on diatoms, algae, organic detritus, small insects, worms, crustaceans, and other Zooplankton.  In an aquarium environment they should be fed a quality flake food augmented with regular offerings of small live, freeze dried, and frozen foods such as bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, small insects, worms, and an occasional algae wafer to enhance their colors and keep them in top condition.

The Panda Barb is an egg scatterer that when properly conditioned, will spawn in a mature, dimly lit aquarium, with fine leaved plants like Taxiphyllum spp. or a spawning mop. The water should be neutral to slightly acidic, and the temperature raised into the high 70s. Place a half dozen of each sex in the spawning tank and remove them as soon as the eggs are scattered. Eggs will hatch in 24 to 48 hours and the fry will be free swimming 24 hours later at which time they should be fed infusoria or an infusoria grade food for the next week. As they grow larger, offer them , Daphnia or baby brine shrimp.

Most tropical fish shops will occasionally stock juvenile Panda Barbs. When available, they are usually sold when they are 1-1/2″ to 2″ in size.

Panda Barb (Puntius fasciatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 60-77° F, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size: 5″
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Great community tank fish
Origin: Southern India
Family: Cyprinidae
Lifespan: 4-6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner