Marlier's goby cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

The largest of the Tanganyikan goby cichlids and the most short-tempered, so keep a single pair and no rival gobies for it to fight with. Having little in the way of a swim bladder, it hops along the bottom among cobbles rather than cruising, holding a small territory it defends firmly. It needs brisk, oxygen-rich flow and grazes algae and small invertebrates off the rocks. Feed vegetable-leaning foods with some frozen invertebrates. A pair suits a cobble-floored tank of about 160 liters with strong current and careful tankmate choices.

In the wild

Spathodus marlieri holds station on wave-beaten rock in the far northern basin of Lake Tanganyika, in very shallow, highly oxygenated water only a meter or two deep. Recreate that surf zone with a floor of rounded cobbles and rock, strong water movement, and lots of surface agitation to keep oxygen high. Tanganyika is hard and alkaline, so hold the pH from 7.8 to 9 and the temperature at 24 to 27 C, with powerful filtration and flow.

Good to know

This species belongs to the Cichlidae and reaches about 10 centimeters, making it the largest of the goby cichlids. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, with the female alone carrying the eggs and fry, and breeding it is demanding, so it rates as hard. Dominant males develop a raised bump on the forehead as they age, unusual in this group of otherwise flat-profiled fish.

Did you know

Among the small, flat-headed goby cichlids of Lake Tanganyika, dominant male Spathodus marlieri grow a rounded hump on the forehead, the only member of the group that ages into that kind of raised profile.

Common questions

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