All fish / Cichlidae

Kribensis

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Also known as krib, kribs, rainbow krib, purple cichlid, rainbow cichlid, albino kribensis, kribensis cichlid, pelvicachromis pulcher, ปลาคริบเบนซิส, kribensis, ペルヴィカクロミス・プルケール, クリベンシス

A small West African dwarf cichlid with a dark lateral stripe, a cream or yellow body and a bright purple to red belly patch, with females being smaller and rounder. It is popular because it is hardy, colourful and shows fascinating pair bonding and parental care in modest tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

75 litres

Keep as

One pair

Diet

Omnivore: quality sinking pellets, flakes, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, some vegetable matter

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Nigeria and Cameroon (coastal rivers of West Africa)

Breeding

A cave spawner that lays eggs inside a cave or under a flat stone, with the female guarding the eggs and both parents herding the fry. Breeding is easy in captivity and often happens without any special effort, though pH influences the sex ratio of the young.

Good to know

Pairs become territorial and quite aggressive when spawning, so give plenty of caves and avoid small, slow bottom dwellers. Males reach about 10 cm, while females stay noticeably smaller.