Congo blue cichlid

Nanochromis nudiceps

Also known as Mbandaka blue cichlid, Nudiceps

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 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: Central Congo basin near Mbandaka
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The Congo blue is a small, cave-spawning dwarf cichlid best kept as a single bonded pair. It lives on the bottom, holding a small territory around a chosen cave or hollow, so give each fish somewhere to claim. It is peaceful most of the time but a pair will defend a spawn firmly, so choose small, calm tankmates with care or keep it as a species pair. Feed small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, and brineshrimp. A pair is comfortable in around 110 liters with a sand floor, driftwood, and several caves, in soft, gently acidic water.

In the wild

Nanochromis nudiceps comes from the central Congo around Mbandaka, working sandy margins and cover along the river. The water is soft, warm, and on the acidic side, so keep the pH between 5.5 and 7 and the temperature around 23 to 27 C. Give it a fine sand floor, driftwood, and a scatter of caves made from stone, coconut shells, or clay pots, which double as feeding cover and as spawning sites for a pair.

Good to know

Nanochromis nudiceps is a Congo dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching about 7 centimeters. Its name means naked head, for the scaleless skin on the top of the head. As in other Nanochromis, the female is the showier sex, flushing a swollen purple to red belly when ready to breed. It is a cave spawner, the pair raising eggs and fry inside a hollow they defend together.

Did you know

For decades almost every Congo dwarf sold as nudiceps was really a different fish, Nanochromis parilus, which was not recognized as its own species until 1976. The true nudiceps is rarely exported, so the real bearer of the name spent years overshadowed by its lookalike.