Cyprichromis
Cyprichromis leptosoma
Cichlidae
About
Cyprichromis leptosoma is a slender, open-water shoaling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where huge schools hover in the mid-water above rocky slopes picking drifting zooplankton. Unusually peaceful for a cichlid, it lives in loose colonies where the colourful males flash blue and yellow finnage to court females, which brood their eggs in the mouth. It needs a long, tall tank of hard, alkaline water and the security of a large group.
Care
Keep a shoal of 8 or more in a long, well-covered tank of hard, alkaline water (pH ~8.5) at 24-26 C with open swimming space above the rockwork. Nervous jumpers, so a tight lid is essential.
Diet
Zooplankton micropredator that feeds in open water; give frequent small portions of frozen or live cyclops, daphnia and baby brine shrimp plus fine dry foods, never oversized items.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (19)
Possible with care (107)
Avoid (145)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- VentingA hint only · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Cyprichromis need?
- A Cyprichromis needs an aquarium of at least 250 litres (66 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Cyprichromis need?
- Cyprichromis does best at 23–27 °C (73.4–80.6 °F), pH 7.8–9 and a general hardness of 9–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Cyprichromis need?
- Cyprichromis is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Cyprichromis suitable for beginners?
- Cyprichromis sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.