Nigrodorsalis benitochromis

Benitochromis nigrodorsalis

Also known as Blackfin mouthbrooder

FreshwaterFish

Nigrodorsalis benitochromis (Benitochromis nigrodorsalis) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 3.7 in (9.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Ntem drainage, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The nigrodorsalis benitochromis is a small, soft-water cichlid best kept as a pair rather than a group, since a bonded pair raises the young together. It stays low in the tank and is peaceful, though shy until it settles, so give it calm tankmates chosen with care and plenty of cover. Feed small foods: fine pellets, flake and frozen items such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and cyclops. It wants soft, warm, slightly acidic water with a sandy floor and driftwood for shelter and spawning sites. A tank of around 160 liters suits a pair with a few quiet companions.

In the wild

Benitochromis nigrodorsalis comes from the Ntem drainage on the border of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, in quiet, soft, tannin-stained forest streams. Aim for a temperature range of 23–27 C and a pH of 5.5–7.0. Recreate its home with a sandy floor, driftwood, leaf litter and some shade, plus gentle flow, giving a pair the sheltered corners and flat surfaces they use to spawn.

Good to know

Benitochromis nigrodorsalis belongs to the cichlid family and reaches around 9.5 centimeters. It is a biparental, ovophilous mouthbrooder, both parents sharing the eggs and fry, and it was described in 2001. The species name means black-backed, marking the dark front edge of the dorsal fin that stands out against an otherwise pastel body.

Did you know

With a small range squeezed by expanding plantation agriculture, this fish is regarded as threatened in the wild, so aquarium-bred stock helps keep the line going outside its shrinking home streams.