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Stonelifter retroculus

Retroculus lapidifer

Also known as Stone-carrying cichlid, Lapidifer retroculus

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–86°F (26–30°C)
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
9.4 in (24 cm)
Minimum tank
119 gal (450 L)
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
Tankmates with caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Origin
Tocantins and Araguaia rapids
Family
Cichlidae

Overview

A rheophile for keepers who want to build a real river tank. It needs high flow, high oxygen and a floor of pebbles and gravel it can rearrange, and it thrives in conditions where quieter cichlids struggle. Keep a group in a 450 liter tank with strong circulation. Feed sinking foods and frozen fare. Pairs excavate a pit and armor the rim with stones they carry in by mouth.

In the wild

Retroculus lapidifer lives on gravel beds in the fast, hot water of the Tocantins and Araguaia rapids. Keep it at 26 to 30 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0 to 7.2, with turnover high enough to keep oxygen up at that temperature. Warm water holds less oxygen, which is why circulation matters so much here.

Good to know

Retroculus lapidifer reaches about 24 centimeters. The epithet means stone-carrier, for the pairs that haul pebbles one at a time to build a rim around the nest pit. Retroculus sits outside the main South American cichlid radiation as an early-branching lineage, which makes it interesting well beyond its looks.

Did you know

Mated pairs mulch their spawning pit with mouth-carried pebbles, masonry as parental care.

Common questions

What size tank does a Stonelifter retroculus need?

A Stonelifter retroculus needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Stonelifter retroculus need?

Stonelifter retroculus are comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

How big do Stonelifter retroculus get?

An adult Stonelifter retroculus reaches about 9.4 in (24 cm).

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Cichlids · Bottom dwellers

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