Gibbiceps buffalo head

Steatocranus gibbiceps

Also known as Buffalo head gibbiceps

FreshwaterFish

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: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lower Congo rapids
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The gibbiceps buffalo head is a stocky, bottom-living Congo cichlid with a comic hop instead of a glide. Keep it as a single fish or a bonded pair; pairs claim a cave and are calm most of the time but defend the nest when breeding. It stays low, hopping and perching on stone, so give each pair its own rockwork and choose tankmates that are peaceful but not shy. Feed sinking foods near the floor: pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, and mysis, plus a little vegetable matter. A tank of around 160 liters or more, longer than it is tall with caves and current, suits a pair.

In the wild

Steatocranus gibbiceps comes from the rapids of the lower Congo River, living among rock and cobble in fast, broken, oxygen-rich water. Recreate that with a floor of stones stacked into caves, strong flow from a powerhead, and good surface movement. The water is warm and near neutral, so hold 23 to 27 C and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8 with brisk current.

Good to know

Steatocranus gibbiceps belongs to the cichlid family and reaches about 10 centimeters, males carrying a fatty hump on the forehead that grows with age. It is a cave-spawning substrate brooder of medium difficulty, a pair raising the fry inside a rock cave. Like the other buffalo heads it has a reduced swim bladder as an adaptation to life in current.

Did you know

The reduced swim bladder that keeps this fish 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.