TankBud

Nasuta featherfin

Ophthalmotilapia nasuta

Also known as Featherfin cichlid, Nasuta, Gold nasuta

FreshwaterFish

Nasuta featherfin (Ophthalmotilapia nasuta)
Jocke Sternborn · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.8–9.0
Adult size
7.1 in
18 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Rocky shallows of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, near the edge of open water.

Overview

The Nasuta featherfin is a mostly peaceful cichlid from Lake Tanganyika that swims in the middle of the tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The bright yellow tabs on a male Nasuta featherfin's long pelvic fins mimic eggs. They work as a lure, and while the female snaps at them, the male fertilizes the real eggs already in her mouth.

Caring for the Nasuta featherfin

Give Nasuta featherfins at least 79 gal (300 L), with rock, open sand and lots of swimming room. Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.8 to 9.0. Feed a mix of algae-based foods and fine frozen foods such as cyclops and brine shrimp.

Keep one male with several females. Males fight each other, so give a dominant male his own space and enough females. It is safe to keep with community fish.

Males are far more colorful and finnier than the plain females. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and males build shallow sand nests to court females. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The Nasuta featherfin, Ophthalmotilapia nasuta, belongs to the cichlid family, Cichlidae. Long, trailing pelvic fins are the trademark of the featherfins.

In the wild

The Nasuta featherfin lives along the rocky shores of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, in shallows near the edge of open water. It feeds on plankton and algae just off the rocks.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Nasuta featherfin 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 Nasuta featherfin need?

A Nasuta featherfin needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Nasuta featherfin need?

A Nasuta featherfin is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.8–9.0.

What does a Nasuta featherfin eat?

A Nasuta featherfin eats algae-based foods, along with fine frozen foods such as cyclops and brine shrimp.

How big does a Nasuta featherfin get?

An adult Nasuta featherfin reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).

How can you tell a male Nasuta featherfin from a female?

Males have much more color and fin than females, which stay plain.

How does a Nasuta featherfin breed?

Nasuta featherfins are maternal mouthbrooders, so the female carries the eggs. Males build shallow sand nests to court females, and breeding them is hard.

Related species