Blunthead cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep a large colony of at least twelve fish in a tank of 350 liters or more to spread out their nonstop aggression. Water should be hard and alkaline at 24 to 27 C, pH 7.8 to 9.0. Feed only vegetable based foods like spirulina flake and never rich protein foods, since bloat kills quickly. Do not mix color races if you want pure fry, and expect a demanding, active fish rather than a beginner project.

In the wild

Tropheus moorii grazes algae from rocks in the wave washed shallows of Lake Tanganyika. It lives in loose colonies but every fish defends its own feeding spot with constant squabbling. Dozens of geographic races exist, each with its own colors, from red and orange to yellow banded.

Good to know

This species is a maternal mouthbrooder that produces a small number of very large eggs and well developed fry. Its gut is specialized for a diet of algae, which makes it prone to a deadly digestive illness called bloat when fed the wrong foods. Color races from different shorelines can look completely different despite being the same species.

Did you know

Keepers often say the safest way to hold Tropheus is a crowd, because a big group spreads the bullying thin instead of letting one fish get picked to death.

Related species

• 

  White-Spotted Cichlid

  Tropheus duboisi

  4.7 in (12 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
• Blue-eyed Tropheus

  Tropheus brichardi

  4.3 in (11 cm)37 gal (140 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Kenyi cichlid

  Maylandia lombardoi

  5.5 in (14 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Ice blue zebra

  Metriaclima greshakei

  5.5 in (14 cm)55 gal (210 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Bumblebee cichlid

  Pseudotropheus crabro

  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Convict Cichlid

  Amatitlania nigrofasciata

  5.9 in (15 cm)25 gal (95 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)