Silvia's krib

Pelvicachromis silviae

Also known as Pelvicachromis affin subocellatus, Silviae dwarf krib

FreshwaterFish

Silvia's krib (Pelvicachromis silviae) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 2.4 in (6 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lower Niger Delta, Nigeria
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

Silvia's krib is one of the smallest kribs, kept as a single bonded pair that spawns in a cave. As with its relatives the female runs the courtship, coloring up with a bright wine-red belly to lead the male. It is peaceful, but a spawning pair defends its patch, so choose small, calm tankmates and give the pair cover. Provide a soft, tannin-stained setup with caves and leaf litter. Feed small frozen and prepared foods. A tank of around 75 liters suits a pair with a few gentle tankmates.

In the wild

Pelvicachromis silviae comes from soft, slow creeks and streams of the lower Niger system in southern Nigeria. The water is soft, acidic, warm, and darkened by leaf litter. Recreate it with a dark sandy floor, roots, dried leaves, and caves, in soft water at pH 5.5-7.0 and 23-27 C.

Good to know

Pelvicachromis silviae was described by Anton Lamboj in 2013 and named for his wife, Silvia. Females reach about 6 centimeters and males run a little larger. It is a cave-spawning cichlid with biparental brood care, and breeding is of medium difficulty.

Did you know

For decades this fish circulated in the trade without a proper name, sold as Pelvicachromis affinis subocellatus, roughly meaning close to subocellatus. It only became a species in its own right when it was formally described in 2013.