Care
Pelvicachromis taeniatus is a beautiful West African dwarf cichlid, which has many geographical colour variants. The specimen shown in the above photograph is a Nigeria red.
Females of this species can be easily mistaken for female Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher); however, the males are usually much more ornate in comparison to their pulcher cousins. A pair of these exquisite little cichlids are suitable for community aquariums measuring 90cm or longer. Larger groups should be given much more territory. The substrate should consist of natural coloured sand or fine gravel, and dark shady areas should be provided with plenty of plants, bogwood, and caves. Java moss covered coconut shells or clean new flowerpots are particular favourite hideaways, and a pair is likely to choose such a location as a spawning site. Excellent water quality should be maintained at all times, and boisterous tankmates are not advised. If kept in cramped quarters, breeding pairs will become quite aggressive towards their tankmates, so adequate space must be provided.
Aside from the line-bred Nigeria red form mentioned above, other regional variants sometimes seen in the shops include Nigeria green, Nigeria yellow, Calabar, Warri and Redcheek. Other forms are generally from Cameroon and are now classified as the true P. kribensis.
Feeding
Flake, granules sinking pellets and small frozen foods such as daphnia, mosquito larvae, brineshrimp etc.
Breeding
These fish are less common in aquaria due to the impact of pH on the sex of their offspring and a reluctance to spawn in harder water. Nigeria red is easier to breed than the other forms, which are closer to their wild ancestors and more fussy about water parameters. Courting pairs are easy to spot as they select and modify a spawning site, with the female displaying her belly as a sign of her readiness to deposit eggs. The male’s primary role is to defend the territory and he will require an outlet for this aggression to ensure that he does not direct this hormonally induced behaviour at his mate. Without a common enemy, many cichlid pairs tend to bicker, and a threat is required in the form of target fish (which must be able to escape the defended territory to safety for their own welfare) or even a mirror attached to the outside of one of the aquarium panes. Often, the first signs that spawning is occurring is when the pair disappear for some time into one of their favourite caves. Once the eggs have been deposited and fertilised, they will take approximately 5 days to hatch and a further 3 or 4 days to become free-swimming. A typical brood size would be around 40-50 young. The parents are very defensive of the fry and will be seen herding them around the aquarium, where they will forage on live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp and microworms. Once the young fishes are independent it’s best to remove them before the adults attempt to drive them away.
