Blue fin roloffi
Enigmatochromis lucanusi
Also known as Lucanus's dwarf cichlid, Enigma cichlid
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
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Fria region streams, Guinea
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
This is a small West African dwarf cichlid best kept as a single specimen or a bonded pair rather than in a group, since it is not a shoaling fish and adults hold a small territory. It spends its time low in the tank, working over the substrate and leaf litter for small foods. Temperament is mostly peaceful, but a settled pair can be nippy near a spawning cave, so choose tankmates with some care and keep them small, calm, and quick. Feed small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, daphnia, and cyclops, plus a fine flake. A tank of around 110 liters or more, softly lit and well planted, suits a pair.
In the wild
Enigmatochromis lucanusi comes from a few small savannah streams near Fria in coastal Guinea, including the Foto River, shallow and slow with a sandy bottom, wood, and drifts of dead leaves. The water there is very soft and acidic. Recreate it with fine sand, leaf litter, driftwood, gentle filtration, and dim light, holding 23 to 27 C and a pH of 5.5 to 7.0.
Good to know
Enigmatochromis lucanusi was described by Anton Lamboj in 2009 and is the only species in its genus. It belongs to the cichlid family and reaches only about 5.5 centimeters. It is a cave-spawning dwarf cichlid of medium breeding difficulty, forming pairs that tend eggs and fry inside a small shelter. Unusually, it is the female that carries the bold color: a neon blue dorsal fin marked with a black spot.
Did you know
The genus name Enigmatochromis means puzzle or riddle cichlid, given because the fish turned up mixed into shipments of other West African dwarfs and went unrecognized for years before it was finally described in 2009.
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 do Blue fin roloffi need?
Blue fin roloffi are comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.
How big do Blue fin roloffi get?
An adult Blue fin roloffi reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).
Where to buy
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