Threadfin cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

This large, aggressive grazer needs a tank of at least 600 liters and a big group to spread out its constant fighting. Keep the water hard and alkaline at 24 to 27 C, pH 7.6 to 8.6. Feed only vegetable based foods such as spirulina flake and avoid rich protein, which brings on bloat. It is a fish for experienced Tanganyika keepers rather than beginners.

In the wild

The threadfin cichlid grazes algae from rocks in Lake Tanganyika, scraping the film off stone with specialized brush like teeth. Its trailing fin filaments give it the threadfin name. It holds and defends feeding territories on the rock face.

Good to know

Petrochromis trewavasae is a maternal mouthbrooder and a dedicated algae grazer, much like Tropheus. Its lips are packed with tiny three pointed teeth for combing algae off rocks. Like Tropheus it has a specialized gut and suffers bloat if fed the wrong diet.

Did you know

Its lips are so densely lined with tiny teeth that it can shave algae off bare rock like a wire brush.

Related species

• 

  Fuelleborn's cichlid

  Labeotropheus fuelleborni

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• Petrotilapia

  Petrotilapia sp.

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• Silver saum

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• 

  Bumblebee cichlid

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• 

  Convict Cichlid

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• 

  Featherfin cichlid

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