TankBud

Transvestite cichlid

Nanochromis transvestitus

Also known as Transvestitus, Congo dwarf cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Transvestite cichlid (Nanochromis transvestitus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
5.0–6.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Blackwater of Lake Mai-Ndombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, over sand and rocks.

Overview

The transvestite cichlid is a small, mostly peaceful dwarf cichlid that stays near the bottom. Its blackwater home makes it one of the more demanding dwarf cichlids to keep and breed, so it suits experienced keepers.

Did you know

The transvestite cichlid comes from a lake whose water is extremely soft and acidic, with a pH that can drop near 4.

Caring for the transvestite cichlid

Give a pair of transvestite cichlids a quiet tank of at least 20 gal (75 L), with caves and driftwood. Filtering over peat and using tannin-stained water help mimic their home lake.

Keep the water very soft and acidic, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Feed small live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, cyclops and daphnia.

The transvestite cichlid is peaceful outside breeding and safe with community fish. When a pair breeds, though, the female defends the nest fiercely.

Females are more colorful than males and show a bold striped tail, while males stay comparatively plain. It is a cave spawner, and the dominant female leads courtship. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The transvestite cichlid, Nanochromis transvestitus, is a dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae. Its species name means cross dresser, after the showy females, which reverse the usual cichlid pattern.

In the wild

The transvestite cichlid lives only in Lake Mai-Ndombe, a blackwater lake in the Congo basin stained dark by tannins. It shelters among rocks and roots over a sandy floor.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The transvestite cichlid is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. 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 transvestite cichlid need?

A transvestite cichlid needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a transvestite cichlid need?

A transvestite cichlid is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.5.

What does a transvestite cichlid eat?

A transvestite cichlid eats small live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, cyclops and daphnia.

How big does a transvestite cichlid get?

An adult transvestite cichlid reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How can you tell a male transvestite cichlid from a female?

Females are the more colorful sex and carry a bold striped tail. Males look comparatively plain.

How does a transvestite cichlid breed?

A transvestite cichlid spawns in caves, with the dominant female leading courtship. Breeding it is hard.

Related species