Jegu's pike cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a pike cichlid from fast flowing, rocky stretches of the lower Tocantins and Amazon, a predatory ambush hunter best kept singly or as a bonded pair. It stays low over the bottom among rock, and anything that fits in its mouth becomes prey, so its tankmates must be large and robust, and it needs a tank of at least 450 liters with strong flow. Arrange slabs of rock and driftwood to make broken cover and sight lines, which suits both its ambush habits and a pair setting up a territory. It needs clean, warm, well oxygenated water to match its rapids origin. It takes meaty foods readily: sinking carnivore pellets, frozen prawn and mussel, and earthworms, with live feeders best avoided.

In the wild

Jegu's pike cichlid comes from fast, rocky stretches of the lower Tocantins and parts of the Amazon basin, where warm, soft water pours over slabs of stone. Recreate that with a floor of rounded stone and sand, sturdy rockwork, and driftwood, driven by strong current from an added pump. Keep the water warm at 25–29 C and soft and slightly acidic to neutral, around pH 6.0–7.5, and keep it clean and well oxygenated.

Good to know

Crenicichla jegui is a member of the family Cichlidae, a pike cichlid reaching about 24 centimeters, with the elongated body and large mouth typical of the genus. It is tied to fast, rocky river stretches rather than open still water, and it hunts by ambush from cover. Like other pike cichlids it spawns in a cave or crevice and both parents tend the brood; getting it to breed is difficult.

Did you know

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

Common questions

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