Zebra sardine cichlid

Cyprichromis zonatus

Also known as Banded cyprichromis

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.8–9.0
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 79 gal (300 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Zambian coast
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

Keep Cyprichromis zonatus in a group of eight or more. They school in open midwater and a small group stays nervous and colorless. They occupy the top two thirds of the tank and leave the floor to rock dwellers, which makes them the standard upper-level fish for a Tanganyika community. Males hold small midwater courts a body length apart and display without real fighting. Feed small frozen foods and a fine granule that stays up in the water column.

In the wild

Cyprichromis zonatus schools along steep rock walls in the southern part of Lake Tanganyika, hanging in open water above the rock rather than on it. Keep it at 24 to 27 degrees Celsius and pH 7.8 to 9.0 in hard alkaline water, in a tall tank with real height above the stonework.

Good to know

Cyprichromis zonatus was described in 2002, reaches about 10 centimeters, and is the only member of the genus to wear vertical barring. It is a maternal mouthbrooder that spawns in open water, the female taking the eggs before they reach the bottom. Females hold for around four weeks and will keep feeding while brooding.

Did you know

An open-water sardine wearing rock-cichlid stripes; zonatus dresses for the cliff it hovers beside.

Tank mates

Zebra sardine cichlid is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.