Prochilus cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a big, cave-dwelling predatory cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, kept as a single fish or a matched pair and given serious rockwork to claim. It ambushes from caves and will eat smaller fish it can fit in its jutting-jawed mouth, so keep it only with substantial tankmates such as other large lake cichlids and never with bite-sized company. It hunts low in the tank, taking meaty foods best offered toward the end of the day when it becomes more active. It reaches about 17 centimeters and defends space firmly, so allow at least 300 liters with heavy, cave-filled rockwork.

In the wild

It lives in deep, rocky, cave-riddled zones of the southern lake, keeping to the shadows well below the surface. Recreate that with a tank built up in stacked rock and deep caves over sand, leaving dark retreats it can lurk in. Hold the water hard and alkaline near pH 7.8 to 9 and warm at about 24 to 27 C, well-oxygenated and stable in the Tanganyikan style.

Good to know

Neolamprologus prochilus is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae, reaching about 17 centimeters, with a projecting lower jaw built for seizing prey. Its species name means forward lip, after that underbite. It is a cave spawner that is difficult to breed in aquariums, spawning secretively deep in the rockwork, so tank-raised fish are seldom seen.

Did you know

Its name is a description of its bite: prochilus means forward lip, and the fish leads with a jutting lower jaw that marks it as a cave ambush hunter.

Common questions

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