All fish / Cichlidae

Blacktail Victorian Cichlid

Haplochromis thereuterion

Also known as haplochromis thereuterion, thereuterion, blacktail hap, victorian hap

A slim Lake Victoria haplochromine. Males are a metallic blue with dark vertical bars and a dark tail, while females are a plain silvery brown. In the wild it feeds on insects at the surface near rocky shores, and hobbyists keep it in conservation breeding programmes because it is threatened in the wild.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

7 to 8.5

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

One male with several females

Diet

Carnivore: insect larvae, small crustaceans, quality pellets, frozen bloodworm and mysis

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Victoria (Tanzania, Mwanza Gulf area)

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. It breeds fairly readily in a tank with rocky cover, and having several females spreads out the male's attention.

Good to know

Males can be aggressive towards each other and towards females, so give plenty of rockwork. Keep it apart from other Victorian haplochromines because they can hybridise, which matters for conservation stocks.