TankBud

Blue fin roloffi

Enigmatochromis lucanusi

Also known as Lucanus's dwarf cichlid, Enigma cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Blue fin roloffi (Enigmatochromis lucanusi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
2.2 in
5.5 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Fria region streams, Guinea

Overview

The blue fin roloffi is a small West African dwarf cichlid that works over the substrate and leaf litter low in the tank. It asks a little more of its keeper than a beginner fish.

Did you know

The blue fin roloffi's genus name, Enigmatochromis, means puzzle or riddle cichlid. It was chosen because the fish turned up mixed into shipments of other West African dwarfs and went unrecognized for years.

Caring for the blue fin roloffi

A pair needs at least 29 gal (110 L), well planted and dimly lit. Use fine sand, leaf litter and driftwood, with gentle filtration.

Keep the water very soft and acidic, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Feed small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and cyclops, plus a fine flake.

Keep a single blue fin roloffi or a bonded pair rather than a group. It is not a shoaling fish, and adults hold a small territory. It is mostly peaceful, but a settled pair can be nippy near a spawning cave. Choose tank mates with some care, and keep them small, calm and quick.

Unusually, the female carries the bold color, a neon blue dorsal fin marked with a black spot. The blue fin roloffi is a cave spawner of medium breeding difficulty, and pairs tend the eggs and fry inside a small shelter.

Good to know

Enigmatochromis lucanusi was described by Anton Lamboj in 2009. It is the only species in its genus and belongs to the cichlid family.

In the wild

Enigmatochromis lucanusi comes from a few small savannah streams near Fria in coastal Guinea, including the Foto River. These streams are shallow and slow, with a sandy bottom, wood and drifts of dead leaves. The water there is very soft and acidic.

Common questions

What size tank does a blue fin roloffi need?

A blue fin roloffi needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a blue fin roloffi need?

A blue fin roloffi is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a blue fin roloffi eat?

A blue fin roloffi eats small sinking foods and a fine flake, along with frozen bloodworm, daphnia and cyclops.

How big does a blue fin roloffi get?

An adult blue fin roloffi reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).

How can you tell a male blue fin roloffi from a female?

The female blue fin roloffi carries the bold color, which is unusual. She has a neon blue dorsal fin marked with a black spot.

How does a blue fin roloffi breed?

The blue fin roloffi is a cave spawner of medium breeding difficulty. Pairs tend the eggs and fry inside a small shelter.

Related species