Perrieri hap

Prognathochromis perrieri

Also known as Haplochromis perrieri

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 7.0–8.5
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Victoria
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a small, forward-jawed predatory cichlid from Lake Victoria, best kept as a group, typically one male with several females, which spreads his attention and keeps the peace. It swims in open midwater, hunting small prey, and is mild toward tankmates that are too large to be eaten, so pair it with other calm Victorian species rather than tiny fish it might snap up. Feed meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, mysis, and a good cichlid pellet. It stays around 8 centimeters, so a group settles into about 160 liters or more with open water and some rock cover.

In the wild

It comes from Lake Victoria in East Africa, where it once ranged over soft bottoms hunting smaller fish and invertebrates. Give aquarium stock a tank with open swimming space, a sand floor, and rock piles to break up sightlines and offer retreats. Keep the water warm at about 23 to 27 C and mildly alkaline, roughly pH 7 to 8.5, hard and stable as the great lake fishes prefer.

Good to know

Prognathochromis perrieri is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae, reaching about 8 centimeters, with the jutting lower jaw its genus name describes. Like other haplochromines it is a mouthbrooding species of moderate difficulty, the female sheltering fertilized eggs and fry inside her mouth. Its genus once held dozens of Lake Victoria predators, many of which were devastated after Nile perch were introduced to the lake.

Did you know

It is a survivor from an emptied guild: its genus once counted dozens of predatory species in Lake Victoria, but the spread of introduced Nile perch pushed many of them to the edge, leaving fish like this one clinging on partly through aquarium keepers.