Striped kribensis
Pelvicachromis taeniatus
Also known as Striped krib, Pelvicachromis kribensis
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–79°F
- 24–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 19 gal
- 71 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Coastal southern Nigeria and Cameroon
Overview
Buy a group of six juveniles and let a pair form, then keep that pair in a tank of 71 liters or larger. They are mostly peaceful and stick to the bottom, but they turn territorial around the nest when breeding. Keep the water at 24 to 26 C, pH 6 to 7.5, and soft, and give them caves or clay pots for spawning. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and the occasional vegetable matter. They do well in a community of small characins and rasboras that stay up in the water column and out of the cave.
In the wild
Striped kribensis come from soft, slightly acidic streams along the coast of southern Nigeria and Cameroon. The bottom is sand or fine gravel with leaf litter, roots, and crevices the fish tuck into. To match that, give them a tank of at least 71 liters with a sand or fine gravel floor and a few caves or clay pots they can claim. Keep the water warm at 24 to 26 C and on the acidic to neutral side, around pH 6 to 7.5.
Good to know
This is a West African dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching about 8 cm as an adult. It is a cave spawner, and the pair guards the eggs and fry together once they form a bond. Several color morphs exist in the trade, so keep one line rather than crossing them. With good care these fish live several years.
Did you know
These fish form strong pair bonds and raise their young as a team, with both parents herding the fry and chasing off anything that gets close to the nest. They are shy by nature, so a settled pair with a cave to defend will act far bolder than a single fish stuck out in the open.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Striped kribensis is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Splash tetra
Copella arnoldi
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Xingu cory
Hoplisoma xinguense
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Umbrella cichlid
Apistogramma borellii
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 18 gal (70 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Striped kribensis need?
A Striped kribensis needs at least 19 gal (71 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Striped kribensis need?
A Striped kribensis is comfortable at 75–79°F (24–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big does a Striped kribensis get?
An adult Striped kribensis reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
Related species
3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Roloff's krib
Pelvicachromis roloffi
3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Wouri krib
Pelvicachromis drachenfelsi
3 in (7.5 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)21 gal (80 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Ocellated kribensis
Pelvicachromis subocellatus
3.9 in (10 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Silvia's krib
Pelvicachromis silviae
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Giant kribensis
Pelvicachromis sacrimontis
3.9 in (10 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Kribensis
Pelvicachromis pulcher
3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)