Kribensis

Pelvicachromis pulcher

These brightly coloured kribensis cichlid is a hardy yet peaceful aquarium inhabitant. Kribs are an excellent choice for new or experienced fish tank owners. Their charming nature and seemingly airbrushed colouration makes them popular with many fish keepers.

Kribensis Companions

Your kribensis will appreciate an aquarium with other peace loving inhabitants. Any fish large enough to be discounted as food will be content with a krib as it's living companion. Large tetras sharing a love of slightly acidic water would be ideal. River dwelling jewel cichlids will usually be good tank mates but their temperament may become less friendly during breeding. Keeping the aquarium densely planted will provide shelter from such attention. Always try to keep a pair of kribensis as single specimens may pine for companionship from their own species.

Choosing a pair of kribensis should not be difficult as sexual dimorphism is pronounced. When comparing the male to the female distinct differences should be evident in the body shape. The male has more of a torpedo shape compared to the plumper bellied female. Fin shape is also distinct as the male has longer trailing fins than the female. Colouration is similar, but the male usually has pink stretching from the underside of the head to the anal fin. The pink on the female will usually be be confined to the belly region.

The female krib's belly will show more intense pink when ready to spawn. When breeding kribensis small clutches of 20-30 fish can be expected but this number may increase in fully grown adults. During breeding preparations some shifting of gravel may occur. Smaller caves such as shells will often be selected as the egg laying site. Due to the shy nature of these fish, new fry can often be a surprise when discovered. Although the eggs are hatched in a spawning cave, free swimming fry will retreat to the mother's mouth when disturbed. This natural behaviour sometimes causes alarm with fish owners who believe their kribensis is eating fry.



These pairs of kribensis & their fry swim in planted aquariums.



The fry will swim as a compact school when searching for food.



Small kribensis fry will pick at morsels of food from the gravel.

Family - Chichlidae

Size - 10 to 15 cm

Fish Origin - African river cichlid from Nigeria

Water - Keep pH slightly acidic and hardness medium.

Temperature - 24-25°C

Feeding - Cichlid fish food flake or small pellets and frozen protein foods..

Sexing - Male longer with longer find, female plumper.
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Breeding - Kribensis eggs layed and hatched in a small cave.

Aquarium - A cichlid that can be suitable for a community fish tank.

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