What tank size does a Pike Cichlid need?

A Pike Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 1000 litres (264.2 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 Pike Cichlid need?

Pike Cichlid does best at 24–30 °C (75.2–86 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 1–15 °dGH.

Is the Pike Cichlid suitable for beginners?

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

Species library

Pike Cichlid

Crenicichla lugubris

Cichlidae

FishDifficulty: ●●●●○Data: verified

Pike Cichlid — Crenicichla lugubris — 📷 source not recorded

About

Crenicichla lugubris is a large, torpedo-shaped predatory cichlid from the Rio Negro, Branco and other soft, warm blackwater rivers of the northern Amazon and Guiana Shield. Reaching around 40 cm, it is an ambush hunter with a wide mouth that will engulf any fish small enough to swallow, and it spends much of its time lurking near the bottom among wood and rock. Powerful, territorial and often intolerant of its own kind, it is a specialist fish for keepers with a very large tank.

Care

House a single specimen or a proven pair in a long tank with a base of at least 180 cm, a sand bottom, robust wood and rock caves, and strong over-rated filtration with frequent large water changes. Keep the water warm, soft and slightly acidic, use a tight lid, and pair only with equally large, non-swallowable cichlids.

Diet

Piscivorous predator that eats fish and large invertebrates in the wild. Feed a carnivore pellet staple plus prawn, mussel, whitefish, earthworms and frozen foods; skip feeder fish and avoid overfeeding.

Tankmate compatibility

Avoid (271)

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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.

All the methods, with diagrams

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Bottom dwellers

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Pike Cichlid need?: A Pike Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 1000 litres (264.2 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 Pike Cichlid need?: Pike Cichlid does best at 24–30 °C (75.2–86 °F), pH 5.5–7.5 and a general hardness of 1–15 °dGH.
Is the Pike Cichlid suitable for beginners?: Pike Cichlid is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature24–30°C

Optimal temp.27–29°C

pH5.5–7.5

Hardness (GH)1–15°d

Carbonate (KH)0–8°d

Adult size40 cm

Min. volume≥ 1,000 L

Min. tank length≥ 180 cm

Swimming zoneBottom

TemperamentAggressive

Water typeFreshwater

FlowModerate

Lifespan~10 yrs

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