All fish / Cichlidae

Compressiceps

Altolamprologus compressiceps

Also known as compressiceps, compressed cichlid, altolamprologus, gold head compressiceps, red fin compressiceps, sumbu compressiceps, compressiceps gold, lamprologus compressiceps, アルトランプロローグス・コンプレシケプス, 火箭天使, 高身亮丽鲷

A very tall, flattened cichlid with a sharply sloping head and a large mouth, banded in shades of brown, gold or orange depending on the locality. Its narrow body lets it slip between rocks to hunt fry and small shrimp, and keepers value its odd shape, calm manner and many colour forms.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

A pair or one male with several females

Diet

Carnivore: shrimp, mysis, krill, small crustaceans and quality pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia)

Breeding

A cave spawner that lays eggs inside narrow crevices or snail shells small enough that only the smaller female can enter, where she guards the brood. Breeding is achievable in a rocky tank with hard alkaline water, but the fish grow slowly and clutches are often small.

Good to know

It will eat any fish small enough to swallow, including fry and small shell dwellers, so avoid very small tankmates. Growth is slow, and the fish needs the hard, alkaline, well-oxygenated water typical of Lake Tanganyika.