TankBud

Hippo Point salmon

Ptyochromis sp.

FreshwaterFish

Hippo Point salmon (Ptyochromis sp.)
Elizabeth Barrett / animal.photos · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
7.0–8.5
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Victoria

Overview

The Hippo Point salmon is a territorial cichlid from Lake Victoria for a tank built around rock. It suits a keeper with some cichlid experience.

Did you know

The Hippo Point salmon is not a salmon at all. Its name comes from Hippo Point, a well-known spot on Lake Victoria. The name stuck even though the fish is a mouthbrooding cichlid.

Caring for the Hippo Point salmon

Give the Hippo Point salmon at least 30 gal (115 L), with a sand base and lots of rockwork and caves. It holds the middle and lower water.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.5. Feed a quality cichlid pellet plus frozen or live foods such as shrimp, and go easy on rich foods.

The Hippo Point salmon is mostly peaceful but territorial, and it defends a patch, a breeding male most of all. It is fine kept singly or in a group of its own kind. Pick robust tank mates that can handle a spirited cichlid, such as other tough Victorian cichlids.

Males show strong red and yellow color, more so at breeding time. Like most Victorian haps, it is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The Hippo Point salmon is a haplochromine cichlid in the genus Ptyochromis, within the family Cichlidae. Lake Victoria's native cichlids have been under heavy pressure, so wild stock matters.

In the wild

The Hippo Point salmon comes from rocky shoreline areas of Lake Victoria, where sand meets stone. The rocks there give fish places to hold territory and spawn.

Common questions

What size tank does a Hippo Point salmon need?

A Hippo Point salmon needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Hippo Point salmon need?

A Hippo Point salmon is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.5.

What does a Hippo Point salmon eat?

A Hippo Point salmon eats a quality cichlid pellet with frozen or live foods such as shrimp. Keep rich foods to a minimum.

How big does a Hippo Point salmon get?

An adult Hippo Point salmon reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

How can you tell a male Hippo Point salmon from a female?

Males show strong red and yellow color, which grows stronger at breeding time.

How does a Hippo Point salmon breed?

A Hippo Point salmon is a maternal mouthbrooder, with the female holding the eggs and fry in her mouth. It is hard to breed.

Related species