Spilo
Champsochromis spilorhynchus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 15.7 in
- 40 cm
- Minimum tank
- 172 gal
- 650 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One male per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Mouthbrooder
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malombe, Lake Malawi
Overview
The Spilo is a large, solitary predator for the open middle water of a very big tank. It is a middling challenge to keep.
Did you know
The Spilo hunts more like an open-ocean fish than a typical lake cichlid. It runs down prey in midwater with bursts of speed rather than ambushing from cover. That kind of chase-down predation is unusual among Lake Malawi's cichlids.
Caring for the Spilo
Give a Spilo a long tank of at least 172 gal (650 L), with lots of open water to swim and chase. Open swimming room matters more than rockwork. Run strong filtration.
Keep the water hard, alkaline and warm, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed a high-protein carnivore diet of quality pellets and frozen foods. Avoid feeder fish, which carry disease.
The Spilo is mostly peaceful and solitary, so keep one male per tank. It cruises the middle of the tank and will eat fish small enough to fit in its mouth, so choose tank mates carefully. Like other Malawi haps, it is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth.
Good to know
The Spilo is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae, built as a streamlined, fast pursuit predator with an elongated body and a big mouth. It is one of the larger Malawi cichlids. Its wild population is considered stable.
In the wild
The Spilo comes from Lake Malombe and Lake Malawi in East Africa. It is an open-water predator rather than a rock dweller, hunting away from cover. Malawi water is hard and alkaline.
Common questions
What size tank does a Spilo need?
A Spilo needs at least 172 gal (650 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Spilo need?
A Spilo is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.
What does a Spilo eat?
A Spilo eats a high-protein carnivore diet of quality pellets and frozen foods. Avoid feeder fish, which carry disease.
How big does a Spilo get?
An adult Spilo reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).
How does a Spilo breed?
The Spilo is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth.
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