Basketmouth cichlid
Caquetaia kraussii
Also known as Krauss's basketmouth, Kraussii cichlid
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 79–86°F
- 26–30°C
- pH
- 7.0–8.2
- Adult size
- 11.8 in
- 30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal
- 300 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Atrato, Cauca, Magdalena, and Maracaibo basins of Colombia and Venezuela, in plant-choked marshes and swamps.
Overview
The basketmouth cichlid is an aggressive ambush predator that holds in the middle of the tank. It is a fish for a keeper with a little experience and plenty of room.
Did you know
The basketmouth cichlid's jaws fold out like a basket and shoot forward to engulf prey by suction. It has one of the most extreme suction-feeding mouths of any cichlid.
Caring for the basketmouth cichlid
A single adult basketmouth cichlid needs at least 79 gal (300 L). Give it open swimming room for hunting, with wood and dense plant cover to ambush from.
Keep the water at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed meaty foods and quality predator pellets, and avoid live feeder fish.
The basketmouth cichlid is an aggressive predator that will eat any tank mate it can fit in its mouth. Choose its company with caution and keep only fish too big to swallow. Breeding it is moderately difficult.
Good to know
Caquetaia kraussii was described by Steindachner in 1878, and it belongs to the cichlid family. An adult can swallow fish up to around 10 cm long.
In the wild
The basketmouth cichlid lives in the Atrato, Cauca, Magdalena and Maracaibo basins of Colombia and Venezuela. It favors plant-choked marshes and swamps with warmer, harder water.
Common questions
What size tank does a basketmouth cichlid need?
A basketmouth cichlid needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a basketmouth cichlid need?
A basketmouth cichlid is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.
What does a basketmouth cichlid eat?
A basketmouth cichlid eats meaty foods and quality predator pellets. Avoid live feeder fish. It is a predator that will eat any tank mate it can fit in its mouth.
How big does a basketmouth cichlid get?
An adult basketmouth cichlid reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).
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