Altifrons cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a gentle, sand-sifting cichlid that spends its day at the bottom, taking mouthfuls of sand and chewing out the edible bits. It is mild-mannered for its size but still a large cichlid that pairs off rather than shoaling, so keep it singly or as a pair. It generally leaves tankmates alone, though it becomes protective when spawning, so pick sturdy, calm companions with some caution and avoid tiny fish that could be pushed off the food. Feed sinking pellets, wafers, and frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, letting plenty reach the floor. A soft sand bed and gentle flow matter to it, in a tank of at least 300 liters.

In the wild

It lives on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica and Panama, in clear rivers and streams from the Terraba and Coto drainages to the Chiriqui system, over sandy and stony bottoms in slow to moderate current. Match that with warm water of 24 to 29 C and a neutral to hard, slightly alkaline chemistry between about pH 7.0 and 8.2. A deep, soft sand bed is important so it can sift naturally, with smooth stones and driftwood for structure.

Good to know

This member of the cichlid family reaches around 16 cm. Its genus name Cribroheros comes from the Latin for a sieve, a nod to the way it sifts sand for food, and it was long sold under the name Amphilophus altifrons. It is a substrate spawner that forms pairs and guards its eggs and fry, with moderate breeding difficulty.

Did you know

Central America has no true eartheaters, yet this fish fills the same role, sifting sand with its head down just like the South American Geophagus. It is a neat case of two unrelated cichlid lineages arriving at the same feeding trick.

Common questions

Related species

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• 

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  Robertson's cichlid

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• 

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