Hori's deepwater cichlid

Benthochromis horii

Also known as Hori's benthochromis, Giant featherfin cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Hori's deepwater cichlid (Benthochromis horii) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.8–9.0
Adult size: 7.1 in (18 cm)
Minimum tank: 159 gal (600 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Tanganyika
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a tall, elegant deepwater Tanganyikan and a genuine specialist that needs a large, tall, calm tank, on the order of 600 liters or more. It is peaceful and best kept as a group in open midwater, where males grow long trailing fins and display to females with slow, flickering movements. Because it is gentle and easily bullied, keep it only with other calm, deepwater style Tanganyikans, not boisterous rock dwellers, and give it dim, spotless water with plenty of vertical room. Offer fine foods that match a plankton feeder: small frozen items such as cyclops, daphnia, and baby brine, with quality flake or micro pellet. This is an advanced fish that rewards patience and stable conditions.

In the wild

Hori's deepwater cichlid lives well down in Lake Tanganyika, gathering in the dim water tens of meters below the surface, where males clear the tops of rocks as display sites. Its water must be hard and alkaline like the lake, warm at 24–27 C and around pH 7.8–9.0, in a deep, quiet tank with subdued lighting and excellent water quality. Open midwater matters more than heavy decor for this open swimming species.

Good to know

Benthochromis horii is a member of the family Cichlidae reaching about 18 centimeters in the body, with males carrying long, streaming fins that add to their length. Described in 2008, it is named for the biologist Michio Hori. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, but it breeds only with difficulty in aquariums, since females are easily disturbed and often will not carry a clutch to term.

Did you know

Most deepwater cichlids sold in the hobby as Benthochromis tricoti are in fact this species; the true tricoti lives deeper still and rarely reaches the trade.

Tank mates

Hori's deepwater cichlid is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.