TankBud

Salvin's cichlid

Trichromis salvini

Also known as Cichlasoma salvini, Tricolor cichlid, Yellow belly cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Salvin's cichlid (Trichromis salvini)
Banteo · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Mexico, Guatemala, Belize

Overview

Salvin's cichlid is a colorful, medium-sized Central American cichlid with a fierce temper. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Salvin's cichlid is named after the British naturalist Osbert Salvin, who studied the wildlife of Central America.

Caring for the Salvin's cichlid

Give a single Salvin's cichlid at least 26 gal (100 L), and more room for a pair. Use a sandy floor with rockwork, driftwood, caves and some sturdy or floating plants. Add plenty of visual barriers to break up territories, and leave open swimming space in front.

Keep the water neutral to hard, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. It is a predator that will eat small fish. Feed a quality cichlid pellet along with frozen and live foods, such as bloodworms, prawn and small pieces of fish.

Its aggressive streak is far out of proportion to its size, so keep a single fish or a bonded pair. Any tank mates need to be robust and of similar size, such as other tough cichlids. Give weaker fish enough room and cover to escape.

It is a substrate spawner. A pair cleans a flat rock or firm surface and guards the eggs and fry. While spawning, the pair turns intensely territorial and will drive off much larger fish. Breeding is demanding, mainly because the parents can turn on tank mates and even on each other while protecting a nest.

Good to know

Trichromis salvini is a member of the cichlid family, Cichlidae, and one of the more brightly colored Central American cichlids. Mature fish have a yellow body crossed by dark stripes, with a red flush along the belly that intensifies in breeding fish. That coloring gives it the name yellow belly cichlid, and it is also called the tricolor cichlid or Cichlasoma salvini.

In the wild

Salvin's cichlid lives on the Atlantic slope of southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. It is found in warm rivers, lagoons and slow, vegetated backwaters, where the water is neutral to hard.

Common questions

What size tank does a Salvin's cichlid need?

A Salvin's cichlid needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Salvin's cichlid need?

A Salvin's cichlid is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a Salvin's cichlid eat?

Salvin's cichlid is a predator that will eat small fish. Feed it a quality cichlid pellet with frozen and live foods, such as bloodworms, prawn and small pieces of fish.

How big does a Salvin's cichlid get?

An adult Salvin's cichlid reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a Salvin's cichlid breed?

Salvin's cichlids are substrate spawners that clean a flat rock or firm surface, then guard the eggs and fry as a pair. Breeding is demanding, since the parents can turn on tank mates and even on each other.

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