Tricolor fulu

Neochromis omnicaeruleus

Also known as Nanochromis omnicaeruleus, Tricolour hap, Tri color fulu

FreshwaterFish

Tricolor fulu (Neochromis omnicaeruleus) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 7.0–8.5
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 66 gal (250 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Victoria rocky shores
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The tricolor fulu is a territorial, algae-grazing cichlid from Lake Victoria. Keep a single male, since a second male will not be tolerated, and if you keep females provide several so his attention and aggression are spread out. Choose other robust Victorian or rift-lake cichlids as tankmates with care. It grazes the bottom and lower rocks, so its diet should be vegetable-based, with a spirulina pellet plus some frozen foods. Give it heavy rockwork with grazing surfaces and clear territories. A large tank of around 250 liters or more helps keep the peace.

In the wild

This species grazes algae from rock on the exposed rocky shores of Lake Victoria. Recreate that with heavy rockwork over sand, bright light to grow algae, and open grazing surfaces. Victorian rift water is warm and hard-leaning to alkaline, so keep it around 23 to 27 C and pH 7.0 to 8.5, with strong filtration to handle a hearty grazer's appetite.

Good to know

Neochromis omnicaeruleus is an algae-scraping cichlid reaching about 12 centimeters. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and it is famous for colour polymorphism: females come in three inherited types, a plain brown form and two blotched forms, one orange-blotched and one white-blotched. Males are largely blue. The mix of colours within one species has made it a favourite study animal for biologists.

Did you know

Its females come in three separate, inherited colour forms within a single species, a striking case of colour polymorphism that researchers studying how new species form in Lake Victoria have followed closely.