Blunthead cichlid (Tropheus moorii)

Scientific name: Tropheus moorii Boulenger, 1898

Blunthead cichlid (Tropheus moorii)

The Blunthead cichlid (Tropheus moorii) is a freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae that grows to about 13 cm (5.1 in). It is easy to keep and semi-aggressive and needs a tank of at least 115 L (30 US gal), water at 22–28°C (72–82°F) and a pH of 7.3–9.2. Native range: Africa, Algae-covered rocks of Lake Tanganyika.

Blunthead cichlid care at a glance

Care level
Easy
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Adult size
13 cm (5.1 in)
Minimum tank
115 L (30 US gal)
Temperature
22–28°C (72–82°F)
pH
7.3–9.2
Hardness
8–22 dGH (143–393 ppm)
Diet
Omnivore. Accepts flakes, algae wafers, frozen foods and live foods.

Biology

Adults are solitary. Feed on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. Females brood their young in the mouth. Aquarium keeping: feed on epiphyton; many females for one male; minimum aquarium size 150 cm.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Tropheus moorii
Family
Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
14.5
Environment
Freshwater;; pH range: 8.0 - 9.0; dH range: 9 - 19 benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Aquarium: commercial
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=10; K >0.30; Fec=5-17)

More african cichlids

See all african cichlids

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.

Last updated