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Blunthead Cichlid

Tropheus moorii

Freshwater Lake Tanganyika, Africa Usually captive bred

A famous Lake Tanganyika rock grazer available in several spectacular colour variants, such as Ilangi or Moliro. Highly aggressive toward conspecifics, they must be kept in sizable single-species groups. Feed exclusively specialized spirulina-rich foods, as animal proteins cause fatal digestive complications.

Also called: Blunthead cichlid, Blunt-Headed Cichlid, Brabant cichlid, Dwarf Tanganyikan cichlid, Moorii.

13 cm adult length, drawn to scale. deep body.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 10 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 13 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 300 L, at least 120 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 20 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 24 to 27 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 8.2 to 9.2 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 12 to 25, KH 10 to 18 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Medium Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size At least 10, ideally 15 Kept alone or in small numbers it hides, fades or turns on tankmates.
Temperament Aggressive Territorial: strong.
Swims in Near the bottom Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 10 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Experienced keepers only A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Blunthead Cichlid is an herbivore that swims in the lowest part of the tank. It eats or uproots plants, so choose hard-leaved species or none. Give it plenty of cover.

Tankmates

Works with

No close matches in the data. Check the pair tool.

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.