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Gibbiceps buffalo head

Steatocranus gibbiceps

Also known as Buffalo head gibbiceps

FreshwaterFish

Gibbiceps buffalo head (Steatocranus gibbiceps)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
42 gal
160 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lower Congo rapids

Overview

The Gibbiceps buffalo head is a stocky, bottom-living cichlid from the Congo with a comic hop instead of a glide. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The reduced swim bladder that keeps the Gibbiceps buffalo head from floating is exactly what lets it live in the rapids. With little lift, it settles onto the stone and hops from perch to perch instead of being swept downstream.

Caring for the Gibbiceps buffalo head

Keep a single Gibbiceps buffalo head or a bonded pair. A pair needs at least 42 gal (160 L), in a tank longer than it is tall, with caves and current. Build a floor of stones stacked into caves, and give each pair its own rockwork. A powerhead adds strong flow and good surface movement.

Hold the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8, with brisk current. Feed sinking foods near the floor, such as pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and mysis, plus a little vegetable matter.

The Gibbiceps buffalo head stays low, hopping and perching on stone. Choose tank mates that are peaceful but not shy.

Males carry a fatty hump on the forehead that grows with age. Pairs claim a cave and are calm most of the time, but they defend the nest when breeding. It is a cave-spawning substrate brooder of medium difficulty, and a pair raises the fry inside a rock cave.

Good to know

Steatocranus gibbiceps is one of the buffalo heads, in the cichlid family.

In the wild

Steatocranus gibbiceps comes from the rapids of the lower Congo River. It lives among rock and cobble in fast, broken water rich in oxygen. That water is warm and near neutral.

Common questions

What size tank does a Gibbiceps buffalo head need?

A Gibbiceps buffalo head needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Gibbiceps buffalo head need?

A Gibbiceps buffalo head is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a Gibbiceps buffalo head eat?

A Gibbiceps buffalo head eats sinking foods near the floor, such as pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and mysis. Add a little vegetable matter as well.

How big does a Gibbiceps buffalo head get?

An adult Gibbiceps buffalo head reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How can you tell a male Gibbiceps buffalo head from a female?

Males carry a fatty hump on the forehead, and it grows with age.

How does a Gibbiceps buffalo head breed?

A Gibbiceps buffalo head is a cave spawner. A pair claims a cave, defends the nest and raises the fry inside it, and breeding is of medium difficulty.

Related species