All fish / Cichlidae

Yellow Sand Cichlid

Xenotilapia flavipinnis

Also known as xenotilapia flavipinnis, yellow fin xenotilapia, yellow-finned xenotilapia, flavipinnis, xenotilapia yellow sand, xeno flavipinnis, キセノティラピア・フラビピンニス, 黄鳍砂丽鱼

A slim, pale sand-dwelling cichid from Lake Tanganyika with a silvery body and yellow-edged dorsal and pelvic fins, which glow brighter in breeding pairs. Keepers like it for its natural behaviour of sifting sand for food and for the way pairs guard their young together. It does best in a tank with a wide sandy floor and open swimming space.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Carnivore: small sinking pellets, frozen mysis, brine shrimp, cyclops and other small invertebrates

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia)

Breeding

A biparental mouthbrooder that forms monogamous pairs; the female takes the eggs first and the male usually carries the fry later. It breeds readily in a well kept, stable tank, and pairs become territorial while spawning.

Good to know

It needs fine sand to sift, so gravel is unsuitable, and it is easily bullied by robust Tanganyikan or Malawi cichlids. It is sensitive to nitrate build-up and poor water quality.