Featherfin Cichlid

About

The footprint comes first, because this is where most featherfin purchases go wrong. Seriously Fish gives the aquarium size as '72″ x 18″ x 18″ (180cm x 45cm x 45cm) – 365 litres', and the reason is not the fish's length alone but what the male does with the floor: he excavates a sand bower to spawn on, and 'This crater-like structure can be up to 60cm in diameter'. Sixty centimetres of crater is most of the width of a normal tank. Size itself is unambiguous by rift-lake standards — Seriously Fish gives a maximum standard length of 8″ (20 cm), FishBase 21.0 cm TL and Maidenhead Aquatics' Fishkeeper profile 21 cm — so the little 4-5 cm fish in the bag is a fifth of what you are committing to. The trade sells this species by locality, and the locality label is not decoration: shops append names such as Ruziba, Resha and Kabogo to the binomial, and that label is the only record of where a line came from. Seriously Fish's warning is pitched at the genus rather than at localities — of the two Cyathopharynx forms it says 'These should not be kept together in aquaria, as they can hybridise' — but the reason to respect the label is the same one, and it is taxonomic rather than sentimental. The taxonomy behind that warning is genuinely unresolved. Takahashi and Hori (2012, International Journal of Evolutionary Biology) analysed the two colour morphs at the south of the lake — one with a yellow anal fin, one with a black one — with mitochondrial, microsatellite, morphometric and meristic data, and concluded that 'Both molecular and morphological data allowed clear discrimination between these morphs, suggesting the existence of two distinct sympatric species.' Their own caveat is that the names cannot be settled without re-examining type specimens: three species have been described in the genus and only C. furcifer is currently treated as valid, with C. foae and C. grandoculis sitting as junior synonyms. So a bag labelled C. foae or 'foai' may well be a different fish from the one beside it, and mixing them is a decision made in the dark. One more thing that separates the featherfin from a big Malawi cichlid: it is a vegetarian with a delicate gut, and Seriously Fish describes the species as 'fairly delicate' while calling them 'among the most beautiful of all freshwater fish'. On plants there is nothing to argue about — despite the 60 cm crater, Seriously Fish states plainly that 'This species does not damage vegetation so plants can be used if you wish.'

Care

Six feet of tank, a sand floor and open water. Seriously Fish's minimum is 180 x 45 x 45 cm / 365 litres and we gate on exactly that: 'The aquarium should contain some scattered piles of rocks arranged to form caves, with large areas devoted to open water. A sandy substrate and good biological filtration are essential.' Leave a broad clear expanse of sand — the male needs room for a bower that can reach 60 cm across — and use coral sand or aragonite if your tap water needs help staying hard. Keep one male with several females, or several males in a genuinely large tank where competition brings the colour out; a subdominant male in a small tank simply goes grey, and Seriously Fish warns the species 'should be the dominant species in the tank or it can become withdrawn, with male fish losing colour'. Water hard and alkaline: pH 8.0-9.0, 8-25 °H, 24-27 °C, with strong filtration and real oxygenation. Tankmates should be peaceful and able to look after themselves — Seriously Fish suggests larger Cyprichromis and Altolamprologus, both of which we carry — and mbuna are out. Never keep two Cyathopharynx forms together. Plants are fine, and hard-water-tolerant species such as Anubias or Vallisneria are the ones to choose.

Diet

Vegetable-based diet. Spirulina flake or pellet, nori and blanched spinach as the staple, with frozen mysis or cyclops only as an occasional extra; high-protein meaty foods are what triggers bloat in this fish.

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.

Also in these lists

Similar species

Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.

Sold in Lithuania

These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.

These links are unpaid: we get nothing for them and ask for nothing.

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Featherfin Cichlid need?

A Featherfin Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 365 litres (96.4 US gallons) with a footprint at least 180 cm (70.9 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Featherfin Cichlid need?

Featherfin Cichlid does best at 23–27 °C (73.4–80.6 °F), pH 8–9 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.

What group size does a Featherfin Cichlid need?

Featherfin Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 5 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Featherfin Cichlid suitable for beginners?

Featherfin Cichlid is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.

Sources

• Seriously Fish — Cyathopharynx furcifer (Featherfin Cichlid)
• FishBase — Cyathopharynx furcifer (Boulenger, 1898)
• Takahashi & Hori (2012), International Journal of Evolutionary Biology — Genetic and Morphological Evidence Implies Existence of Two Sympatric Species in Cyathopharynx furcifer
• Wikipedia — Featherfin cichlid
• Fishkeeper (Maidenhead Aquatics) — Furcifer Featherfin Cichlid