Tretocephalus Cichlid

<p>These fish can reach 6 inches, they are silvery with 5 black bars on their body and with a neon blue outline on their fins. To keep these fish in captivity, the water should be well oxygenated, have an efficient filtration and have a good flow, its pH should be between 7.5 and 9.0 and its temperature should be between 73ºF and 81ºF. The tank should have a sandy substrate and since these fish are rock dwellers it is very important to keep plenty of rocks in the aquarium. They are highly aggressive and shouldn’t be kept in a community tank, they should be kept in a species tank. They are also highly aggressive towards their own kind so it is recommended to only keep a pair. To keep a pair an 80 gallon, 4 feet long tank is enough.  It is recommended to put a lid on the tank since these fish may sometimes jump out of the water.</p>

<p>This species is carnivorous. In the wild, they feed on invertebrates and small fishes. In an aquarium they can be fed with flakes, live or frozen foods and spirulina.</p>

<p>Males are slightly larger than females.</p>

<p>These fish spawn in caves they excavate themselves with the female laying her eggs on the floor. It takes 2 to 3 days for the eggs to hatch and 5 days for the fry to become free swimming, at this time they can be fed brine shrimp. The female tends to the fry while the male guards the territory, after 3 weeks the fry should be removed to avoid attacks from the male. The pair will spawn every 6 weeks.</p>

<p>This species can be found in Lake Tanganyika, Africa.</p>

Venomous (Change Content)