All fish / Cichlidae

Alluaud's haplochromis

Astatoreochromis alluaudi

Also known as allauad's haplo, alluaud's haplo, alluaud's cichlid, alluaudi cichlid, victorian snail eater, alluaudi, allaudi haplo

A stocky East African cichlid with olive to yellowish flanks, faint dark bars and a red-edged dorsal fin in mature males. It has powerful pharyngeal jaws for crushing snail shells, which makes it popular with keepers who want a natural snail controller and with fans of Lake Victoria haplochromines.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

13 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

7 to 8.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, or a single specimen

Diet

Omnivore: snails, crustaceans, insect larvae, cichlid pellets and frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Edward and George basins and nearby rivers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds the eggs and fry for about two to three weeks after spawning on a cleared spot. It breeds fairly readily in a large tank with enough females to spread male aggression.

Good to know

Males are territorial and rough towards similar-shaped cichlids, so give plenty of rockwork and space. Wild populations are under pressure from Nile perch and habitat change in Lake Victoria, so captive-bred stock is preferable.