All fish / Cichlidae

Tropheus brichardi

Tropheus brichardi

Also known as brichard's tropheus, tropheus kipili, tropheus brichardi kiku, tropheus brichardi ujiji, tropheus brichardi mtosi, tropheus brichardi nyanza lac, tropheus brichardi kipili, トロフェウス・ブリチャージ, 布氏蓝剑鲨, 蓝剑鲨布氏

A stocky rock-dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika that grazes algae off stones, with many local colour forms ranging from brown with yellow bars to dark fish with orange or green tones. Juveniles are spotted and often look quite different from adults. Keepers enjoy its lively group behaviour and the variety of regional variants.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8 to 9

Smallest tank

375 litres

Keep as

Single-species colony of 12 or more, more females than males

Diet

Herbivore: spirulina flakes and pellets, algae, blanched greens; avoid rich meaty foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, Burundi, DR Congo)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds a small clutch of large eggs for about four weeks before releasing well-developed fry. It breeds readily in a well-kept colony, but heavy aggression can stress holding females.

Good to know

Very prone to bloat if fed protein-rich food or kept in poor water, so frequent water changes and a vegetable diet are essential. Keep in large groups to spread intraspecific aggression and do not mix different Tropheus variants, which can hybridise.