TankBud

Deppii cichlid

Herichthys deppii

Also known as Nautla cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Deppii cichlid (Herichthys deppii)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Nautla and Misantla rivers, Mexico

Overview

The Deppii cichlid is a territorial Central American species that keeps to the lower half of the tank. It is a good cichlid for a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The Deppii cichlid was all but forgotten for well over a century after it was first described. It was effectively rediscovered as a living species only in recent decades.

Caring for the Deppii cichlid

Give a single Deppii cichlid or a bonded pair at least 66 gal (250 L). Lay a floor of open sand with piles of rounded rock, some driftwood and firm cover. The stones and roots break the floor into zones it can defend.

Keep the water hard, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Run steady filtration and keep plenty of oxygen in the water. Feed a varied omnivore diet of sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, with some plant matter.

It will not share space with its own kind once settled, so keep one fish or a pair, never a group. It is aggressive when holding territory. Choose robust tank mates of similar size that can stand their ground, never small or timid fish.

Like other Herichthys, it is a substrate spawner. A pair lays its eggs on a cleaned rock and guards them together. That makes breeding a moderate project rather than a difficult one.

Good to know

The Deppii cichlid is the true Herichthys deppii, a member of the family Cichlidae. Johann Jakob Heckel described it in 1840 and named it for Ferdinand Deppe, the German naturalist who collected the first specimens.

In the wild

The Deppii cichlid comes from the Nautla and Misantla rivers on the Gulf slope of Mexico. It holds rocky pools and runs over sand and stone, in warm, hard water.

Common questions

What size tank does a Deppii cichlid need?

A Deppii cichlid needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Deppii cichlid need?

A Deppii cichlid is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a Deppii cichlid eat?

A Deppii cichlid eats a varied omnivore diet of sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. Give it some plant matter as well.

How big does a Deppii cichlid get?

An adult Deppii cichlid reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a Deppii cichlid breed?

Deppii cichlids are substrate spawners. A pair spawns on a cleaned rock, and both fish guard the eggs. Breeding them is a moderate project.

Related species