All fish / Cichlidae

Two-spot Pike Cichlid

Saxatilia lepidota

Also known as pike cichlid, crenicichla lepidota, saxatilia lepidota, two spot pike cichlid, chameleon pike cichlid, lepidota pike cichlid, クレニキクラ・レピドタ, 鳞狗鱼慈鲷

A slim, long-bodied pike cichlid in greyish brown tones with a dark midline stripe, a dark spot behind the gill cover and an eye-like spot on the upper tail base. Keepers like it for its hunting behaviour, its tolerance of cooler subtropical water and its marked colour changes when breeding.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

17 cm

Temperature

20 to 27 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair; avoid keeping several adults together

Diet

Carnivore: small fish, earthworms, shrimp, mussel and good quality sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern South America: Paraná, Paraguay and Uruguay basins and coastal drainages of southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina

Breeding

Pairs spawn on the roof of a cave or under a flat stone, and both parents guard the eggs and fry fiercely. Breeding is fairly achievable in a large tank with caves once a compatible pair has formed, though the male can turn on an unready female.

Good to know

It will eat any fish small enough to swallow and is territorial towards bottom-dwellers, so tankmates should be robust and similar in size. Formerly placed in Crenicichla, it was moved to Saxatilia in 2022, so both names appear in the trade.