TankBud

Jegu's pike cichlid

Crenicichla jegui

Also known as Jegui pike

FreshwaterFish

Jegu's pike cichlid (Crenicichla jegui)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–84°F
25–29°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
9.4 in
24 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Tocantins rapids, Brazil

Overview

Jegu's pike cichlid is a predatory ambush hunter for a large, rocky tank with strong flow. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Jegu's pike cichlid is named for Michel Jegu, a French ichthyologist. His fieldwork in the rivers of Brazil turned up many fishes new to science, this pike cichlid among them.

Caring for the Jegu's pike cichlid

Give Jegu's pike cichlid a tank of at least 119 gal (450 L), with a floor of rounded stone and sand. Arrange slabs of rock, sturdy rockwork and driftwood to make broken cover and sight lines. That suits both its ambush habits and a pair setting up a territory.

Drive strong current with an added pump, to match its rapids origin. Keep the water clean, warm and well oxygenated, at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C). It should be soft and slightly acidic to neutral, at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

It takes meaty foods readily, such as sinking carnivore pellets, frozen prawn and mussel, and earthworms. Avoid live feeders.

Keep it singly or as a bonded pair. It stays low over the bottom among rock, and anything that fits in its mouth becomes prey. Its tank mates must be large and robust.

Like other pike cichlids, it spawns in a cave or crevice, and both parents tend the brood. Getting it to breed is difficult.

Good to know

Crenicichla jegui is a pike cichlid in the family Cichlidae, with the elongated body and large mouth typical of the genus.

In the wild

Jegu's pike cichlid comes from fast, rocky stretches of the lower Tocantins and parts of the Amazon basin, rather than open still water. There, warm, soft water pours over slabs of stone.

Common questions

What size tank does a Jegu's pike cichlid need?

A Jegu's pike cichlid needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Jegu's pike cichlid need?

A Jegu's pike cichlid is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Jegu's pike cichlid eat?

A Jegu's pike cichlid takes meaty foods readily, such as sinking carnivore pellets, frozen prawn and mussel, and earthworms. Avoid live feeders.

How big does a Jegu's pike cichlid get?

An adult Jegu's pike cichlid reaches about 9.4 in (24 cm).

How does a Jegu's pike cichlid breed?

A Jegu's pike cichlid spawns in a cave or crevice, and both parents tend the brood. It is difficult to breed.

Related species