Proteus pike cichlid
Crenicichla proteus
Also known as Chameleon pike cichlid
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
- pH
- 5.5–7.2
- Adult size
- 7.5 in (19 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 106 gal (400 L)
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Upper Amazon, Peru and Ecuador
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
This is a medium-sized pike cichlid from western Amazonia, kept as a single fish or a carefully introduced pair, since it is aggressive toward its own kind and will eat any tankmate small enough to swallow. It patrols the bottom and lower water as an ambush predator, leaving larger fish alone unless they crowd its territory, so match it with sturdy, similarly sized companions and give plenty of cover. Feed meaty foods such as frozen fish, prawn, and large pellets, and expect it to color up in anything from olive to brick red. Allow at least 400 liters with wood tangles, caves, and clear sightline breaks.
In the wild
It ranges through the upper Amazon of Peru and Ecuador, hunting along shallow, cover-rich river margins among wood and roots. Recreate that with a long tank, plenty of driftwood and robust or potted plants, and caves it can retreat into. Keep the water warm at about 24 to 28 C and soft to neutral, roughly pH 5.5 to 7.2, with clean, well-filtered conditions and gentle to moderate flow.
Good to know
Crenicichla proteus is a pike cichlid of the family Cichlidae, reaching about 19 centimeters. The naturalist Edward Cope described it in 1872 and named it for Proteus, the shape-shifting sea god of Greek myth, because the fish varies so widely in color and pattern that no two look quite alike. It is a cave-spawning species that is difficult to breed in the home aquarium.
Did you know
The name is an 1872 admission of defeat by variety: Cope reached for Proteus, the god who never held one shape, because this pike refused to keep a single color long enough to be pinned down neatly.
Common questions
What size tank does a Proteus pike cichlid need?
A Proteus pike cichlid needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Proteus pike cichlid need?
Proteus pike cichlid are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.
How big do Proteus pike cichlid get?
An adult Proteus pike cichlid reaches about 7.5 in (19 cm).
Where to buy
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