Rio Negro chocolate cichlid

Hypselecara coryphaenoides

Also known as Blackwater chocolate cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 4.5–6.2
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 119 gal (450 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Negro and Orinoco blackwaters
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a tall, placid blackwater cichlid, kept as a single fish or a bonded pair, spending much of its time hovering in midwater against vertical wood. It is peaceful for its size and moves slowly, so it can be bullied or outcompeted by pushy tankmates and does best with other calm, soft-water fish of similar size. It is an omnivore that takes pellets, frozen foods, and some vegetable matter, so feed a varied diet without overdoing rich foods. It reaches about 20 centimeters and holds a deep-bodied shape, so give it at least 450 liters with tall wood to hang beside.

In the wild

It lives in the blackwaters of the Rio Negro and Orinoco, hanging under fallen trees and among submerged branches in warm, dark, acidic water. Recreate that with soft, tannin-stained water, plenty of tall driftwood, leaf litter, and dim lighting. Keep the temperature around 24 to 28 C and the pH low, roughly 4.5 to 6.2, with gentle flow and shade the fish can retreat into.

Good to know

Hypselecara coryphaenoides is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae, reaching around 20 centimeters, the steeper-faced blackwater counterpart of the more common chocolate cichlid. Its species name compares its head to that of the dolphinfish, after the tall, sloping forehead. It spawns on wood or rock as a pair and guards the fry together, breeding at a moderate level of difficulty.

Did you know

Its species name looks to the sea for a comparison: coryphaenoides means resembling Coryphaena, the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi, whose steep, blunt forehead the cichlid's high-domed profile recalls.