Caudifasciatus parananochromis

Parananochromis caudifasciatus

Also known as Tail-bar dwarf cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Caudifasciatus parananochromis (Parananochromis caudifasciatus) — 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: 4.7 in (12 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: Ntem and Ivindo basins, Cameroon and Gabon
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a bottom-dwelling dwarf cichlid best kept as a single fish or a bonded male and female pair rather than in a group. It spends its time low in the tank, working among leaf litter, wood, and shaded caves for small invertebrates and scraps, so feed sinking foods along with frozen bloodworm and the occasional bit of vegetable matter. It is fairly peaceful for a cichlid but claims a territory around its chosen cave, so choose tankmates with care and give it calm, similarly sized company that will not crowd the floor. A tank of around 160 liters with plenty of broken-up cover suits a pair.

In the wild

In the wild it lives in shaded rainforest streams and brooks of the Ntem and Ivindo basins in Cameroon and Gabon, water that runs soft, warm, and stained by fallen leaves. Recreate that with a dim, well-shaded tank, a soft sandy floor covered in leaf litter and driftwood, and caves or hollows for spawning. Keep it soft and slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 7 and a temperature of about 23 to 27 C.

Good to know

Parananochromis caudifasciatus is a West African cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching around 10 to 12 centimeters. The genus name means beside Nanochromis, placing it next to the better-known Congo dwarfs, though these fish are pair-forming cave spawners rather than mouthbrooders. Boulenger described the species in 1913, and it remains an uncommon, forest-restricted fish that shows up only occasionally in the trade.

Did you know

Its species name caudifasciatus means banded tail, for the dark bar it carries across the base of the tail fin. The genus name is even more literal: Parananochromis simply means beside Nanochromis, a bit of taxonomy that doubles as directions to its nearest relatives.