African butterfly cichlid

Anomalochromis thomasi

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 25 gal (95 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Origin: Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is one of the more peaceful cichlids, calm enough for a community tank with other gentle fish. It usually settles in the middle and lower water. A bonded pair will claim a small territory, especially when raising fry, but they rarely cause trouble outside of that. Feed quality flakes and small pellets plus live or frozen food. A tank around 95 liters gives a pair enough space.

In the wild

The African butterfly cichlid lives in slow streams and rivers in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The bottom is sand or mud, there are lots of plants for cover, and the water is soft and slightly acidic. Set up a planted tank with sand, some flat rocks or wood for spawning sites, and gentle flow. Water in the mid 20s C with a pH from 6 to 7.5 works well.

Good to know

This is a small West African cichlid in the family Cichlidae, growing to about 8 cm. It forms monogamous pairs and is a substrate spawner, laying eggs on a cleaned rock or leaf. Both parents guard the eggs and fry. Breeding is moderate in difficulty, and it is not considered threatened in the wild.

Did you know

When a pair spawns, both parents share guard duty and will move the fry around the tank, sometimes scooping stragglers up in their mouths to relocate them. For a cichlid this size, they make surprisingly attentive parents.