Kribensis
Pelvicachromis pulcher

Kribensis

Location: Shallow areas with leafy plants, bog wood and leaf debris in slow moving water in Southern Nigeria. Gulf in Lake Victoria.

Size:  About 4 inches.

Food:  Will eat flake, daphnia, and frozen brine shrimp.

pH:  7.5 - 8.3.

Temperature:  75 - 82 degrees.

If you want to go in for breeding egg layers with a difference, then I completely recommend the Kribensis. All you need is a tank of clean water, a pair of Kribensis and a cave or side turned flowerpot and leave it to nature. The parents will produce the eggs, hatch them and look after the young. Therefore it may be best to specialise with their habitat and have these beautiful fish on their own

Kribensis are a small species of cichlid that originates from west Africa. Males grow to about four inches (ten centimetres) in length, and females to about two and three quarter inches (seven centimetres). Other sexual differences include the males' dorsal and anal fins being elongated and pointed, whereas the females' are shorter and rounded, the males' caudal fins being lanceolate, whereas the females' are straight-edged, and the unusual fact that the females are usually more brightly coloured than the males. Kribensis, like most cichlids, are territorial, particularly when they are breeding. They are normally quite a suitable species for the community aquarium, except if a pair decides to breed, when they will chase other fishes away from their territory, often dominating the whole tank. Although they are not too particular about pH, hardness and temperature, water conditions should ideally be slightly alkaline, soft to medium hard, and at a temperature of around 77 to 82 degrees F (25 to 28 degrees C).

Utilising a coconut shell

They will eat a wide range of foods, and should be fed a variety of live, fresh, frozen and dried foods, including some vegetable-based foods. Kribensis require a sheltered area in which to spawn and care for their eggs, and this can be provided in the aquarium in the form of a rock cave, flower pot, etc. Both parents tend the eggs and young, and a family of Kribensis is a delight to watch.

Breeding:  Mouthbrooder.  The dominate male picks out his territory to defend, then once spawning is over they go back to just swimming around. The last time I bred Kirbensis was in the late 70s and they laid their eggs inside a flowerpot, reared them and the first I saw of them was when the fry was free swimming. The parents did all the work and left me to look after the tank! Personally, I would select a pair and just leave them to it

male

female

Sexing: Female; is more better coloured and develops a purple belly, the male is bigger and less colourful although can be quite colourful is conditions and settings are right, some develop a pinkish belly and a slight speck of colour on the top of the rear fin.

Care of the Fry:  Newly released fry can eat crushed flake food, baby brine shrimp, and other small foods.  They should be given several small feedings per day.  Spawns can be kept in a 10 - 20 gallon tank up to an inch in size.  They are not picky about their water conditions.  Males start to develop adult coloration at around 1.5 inches.

perfect setup for breeding

If you intend to breed them they are best in their own environment but can quite happily fit into a community aquarium with no problems.