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Alta pike cichlid

Crenicichla alta

Also known as Guyana pike cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Alta pike cichlid (Crenicichla alta)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
7.5 in
19 cm
Minimum tank
106 gal
400 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Guyana and upper Amazon savanna rivers

Overview

The Alta pike cichlid is a predator that lurks near the bottom and ambushes prey. It is a hunter rather than a community fish, and not one for beginners.

Did you know

Pike cichlids often turn the usual script around. When a pair comes into breeding condition, the female shows the brighter color. She flushes a bold red or orange belly, while the male stays comparatively plain.

Caring for the Alta pike cichlid

Give the Alta pike cichlid at least 106 gal (400 L) of floor space. Use a sand or fine gravel floor, with plenty of driftwood and rock to form ambush cover. Keep the flow gentle.

Keep the water warm and soft, slightly acidic to neutral. Aim for 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Feed meaty foods such as earthworms, prawn and mussel, plus the occasional sinking pellet. Avoid a diet of live feeder fish.

It is aggressive and will eat anything it can swallow. Robust catfish and other sturdy, mid-sized fish can share the tank, but small tetras and dwarf fish will simply disappear. Choose tank mates with caution, and give everyone hiding places among wood and roots.

It does not want its own kind around except to breed. Keep a single fish or a carefully introduced pair, never a group. Pairs bond and spawn in caves and crevices. Breeding them in the aquarium is considered difficult.

Good to know

The Alta pike cichlid is a member of the family Cichlidae and belongs to the saxatilis group of Crenicichla. That group is marked by a dark shoulder blotch ringed in pale gold. Recent work has reshuffled the pike cichlids, and some authors now place this group in the genus Saxatilia.

In the wild

The Alta pike cichlid comes from clear and tannin-stained savanna rivers of Guyana and the upper Amazon, including the Essequibo and Branco drainages. There it hunts along wood piles, root tangles and grassy margins.

Common questions

What size tank does an Alta pike cichlid need?

An Alta pike cichlid needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Alta pike cichlid need?

An Alta pike cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does an Alta pike cichlid eat?

An Alta pike cichlid eats meaty foods such as earthworms, prawn and mussel, plus the occasional sinking pellet. Avoid a diet of live feeder fish.

How big does an Alta pike cichlid get?

An adult Alta pike cichlid reaches about 7.5 in (19 cm).

How does an Alta pike cichlid breed?

Alta pike cichlids form bonded pairs and spawn in caves and crevices. They are considered difficult to breed in the aquarium.

Related species