TankBud

Kaligono

Nimbochromis polystigma

Also known as Polystigma Cichlids

FreshwaterFish

Kaligono (Nimbochromis polystigma)
Cymothoa exigua · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
10.2 in
26 cm
Minimum tank
74 gal
280 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

This is a large predator that needs at least 280 liters with open sand and rock cover, and counts as a difficult fish to keep. It holds the middle and lower water and will eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth, so don't mix it with little fish. Feed quality cichlid pellets plus frozen or live shrimp and similar meaty foods, and avoid feeder fish. Keep it with other big, robust Malawi cichlids or on its own.

In the wild

Kaligono comes from the sandy, shallow zones of Lake Malawi where open sand meets scattered rock. It is an ambush hunter that uses the open sand to stalk and the rocks to hide. Give it a large tank with a big sand floor for cruising plus some rock piles for cover. The water should be hard and alkaline, pH about 7.5 to 8.5, with temps in the mid to upper 20s C.

Good to know

Nimbochromis polystigma is a cichlid (family Cichlidae) reaching around 26 cm, marked with a blotchy, mottled pattern. That patterning is camouflage for an ambush predator that hunts small fish. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, though home breeding is not well documented. Wild populations are considered stable.

Did you know

It has a famous trick. It lies still on the sand and plays dead, looking like a mottled lump of debris, until a curious small fish ventures close, then it strikes. The behavior has earned it the nickname "the sleeper."

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Kaligono is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Kaligono need?

A Kaligono needs at least 74 gal (280 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Kaligono need?

A Kaligono is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

How big does a Kaligono get?

An adult Kaligono reaches about 10.2 in (26 cm).

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