Livingston's cichlid
Nimbochromis livingstonii
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 9.8 in
- 25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 74 gal
- 280 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Mouthbrooder
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi
Overview
Livingston's cichlid is a large ambush predator from Lake Malawi for a big tank with open sand. It is for experienced keepers.
Did you know
Livingston's cichlid hunts by playing dead. It lies on its side on the sand, looking like a rotting carcass, and waits for scavenging fish to come and investigate. When one gets close enough, it springs up and grabs it, a trick that gave it the nickname "the sleeper."
Caring for the Livingston's cichlid
Give a Livingston's cichlid a big tank of at least 74 gal (280 L), since adults need room. Lay open sand for it to lie on, and add some rock cover. Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5.
Feed quality cichlid pellets along with frozen meaty foods. Avoid live feeder fish, which carry disease.
Livingston's cichlid is an ambush predator and will eat any tank mate small enough to swallow. Keep it on its own or with similarly sized, sturdy fish. Day to day it is mostly peaceful, calmer than many Malawi cichlids, but never trust it around small fish. It is a maternal mouthbrooder.
Good to know
Nimbochromis livingstonii is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae. Its mottled brown-and-cream blotching works as camouflage rather than decoration. Wild populations are not currently endangered, though overfishing and habitat disruption are concerns.
In the wild
Livingston's cichlid lives over the sandy, rocky margins of Lake Malawi in East Africa. The lake water is warm, clear, hard and alkaline.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Livingston's cichlid 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.
Common questions
What size tank does a Livingston's cichlid need?
A Livingston's cichlid needs at least 74 gal (280 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Livingston's cichlid need?
A Livingston's cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.
What does a Livingston's cichlid eat?
A Livingston's cichlid eats quality cichlid pellets along with frozen meaty foods. Skip live feeder fish, which carry disease.
How big does a Livingston's cichlid get?
An adult Livingston's cichlid reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
How does a Livingston's cichlid breed?
A Livingston's cichlid is a maternal mouthbrooder.
Related species
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Nimbochromis polystigma
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