TankBud

Zebra pike cichlid

Crenicichla zebrina

Also known as Zebrina pike

FreshwaterFish

Zebra pike cichlid (Crenicichla zebrina)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
159 gal
600 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Ventuari drainage, Venezuela

Overview

The zebra pike cichlid is a large, slow-moving predator for a big tank with real current. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The zebra pike cichlid was only formally named in 2008, late for a fish of its size and striking looks. That makes it one of the more recent large pike cichlids to reach science.

Caring for the zebra pike cichlid

Give a single zebra pike cichlid at least 159 gal (600 L), with strong current and a tight lid. Use a floor of sand and rounded rock, with driftwood to break the line of sight. It holds position near the bottom among the rock and wood, watching the water.

Keep the water warm, soft and rich in oxygen, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Drive strong flow with a large filter or circulation pumps. Very clean, well-moving water is essential for a fish from running rapids.

Feed meaty foods such as chunks of fish and shrimp, earthworms and large pellets. Wean it onto dead foods rather than live ones.

The zebra pike cichlid is one of the calmer pike cichlids, but it is still an aggressive, territorial predator. Choose tank mates with care. Keep it alone or with big, fast, robust, similarly sized fish it cannot swallow. Expect it to claim the tank.

It spawns in caves or crevices and guards its brood. Breeding it is hard and needs a compatible pair and pristine, flowing water.

Good to know

Crenicichla zebrina is a pike cichlid in the family Cichlidae. It is barred in cream and umber with apricot-tinted fins, unusually colorful for the genus. It remains scarce, and it is one of the most sought-after pike cichlids in the hobby.

In the wild

The zebra pike cichlid comes from clear, fast rivers of the Ventuari, a tributary of the upper Orinoco in Venezuela.

Common questions

What size tank does a zebra pike cichlid need?

A zebra pike cichlid needs at least 159 gal (600 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a zebra pike cichlid need?

A zebra pike cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a zebra pike cichlid eat?

A zebra pike cichlid eats meaty foods such as chunks of fish and shrimp, earthworms and large pellets. Wean it onto dead foods rather than live.

How big does a zebra pike cichlid get?

An adult zebra pike cichlid reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

How does a zebra pike cichlid breed?

Zebra pike cichlids spawn in caves or crevices and guard the brood. Breeding them is hard, and it takes a compatible pair and pristine, flowing water.

Related species