African Butterfly Cichlid Care Guide
Anomalochromis thomasi is a small, very peaceful West African cichlid from forest streams that pairs off and spawns readily in soft-water community tanks.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Anomalochromis thomasi, the African butterfly cichlid, is a small cichlid of the family Cichlidae. FishBase records a maximum of about 5 cm standard length, while Wikipedia gives an overall length of 6-8 cm. It is noted for being very peaceful for a cichlid and is a monogamous, pair-forming substrate spawner.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Anomalochromis
- Scientific name: Anomalochromis thomasi
- Order: Cichliformes
Habitat
Seriously Fish and Wikipedia place the species in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, where it occurs in heavily vegetated forest streams with tea-coloured, tannin-stained water. FishBase describes coastal rivers from the Konkoure in Guinea to the St John in Liberia and notes it can bury itself in mud when stressed.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
- Decor: soft-water setup with plants, wood and flat stones for spawning
Diet
An omnivore. Seriously Fish describes it as unfussy, accepting most foods, with quality cichlid pellets as a staple supplemented by live and frozen items.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish notes it is very peaceful for a cichlid but territorial when spawning. Suitable companions include small characins, other dwarf cichlids, Corydoras and anabantoids; it is best kept in small groups. It should not be mixed with aggressive hard-water cichlids such as mbuna or Tropheus.
Breeding
It is a substrate spawner that breeds readily. Seriously Fish reports females may lay up to 500 eggs that hatch in about 48 hours, with fry becoming free-swimming after roughly a further 72 hours; the pair cares for the brood for around a month. Females become noticeably rounded when carrying eggs.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed 2019 (per FishBase).
Anomalochromis thomasi Breeding Guide
Overview
Anomalochromis thomasi, the African butterfly cichlid, is a small West African cichlid of about 6-8 cm from forest streams in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where the water is tannin-stained and slightly acidic. It is described as very peaceful for a cichlid and is a biparental substrate spawner that is unfussy about water chemistry, breeding in both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline conditions.
Sexing
Males are larger than females and tend to show less distinct black markings. Females in spawning condition are noticeably round in the belly when full of eggs. Sexing is otherwise subtle, so a settled group allowed to pair off naturally is the most reliable route to a compatible pair.
Conditioning
These are unfussy feeders that accept quality cichlid pellets plus varied live and frozen foods. A diet built on these brings females into the round-bellied egg-bearing state and supports a productive spawn.
Breeding Setup
Breeding water can be 23-27 C with a pH of 5.5-7.5 and hardness across roughly 18-268 ppm, since the species is surprisingly tolerant of water chemistry. Provide flat rocks and broad plant leaves as spawning surfaces; a planted tank suits this peaceful species, which becomes territorial only when breeding.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Pairs spawn onto the substrate. The female prepares multiple potential sites on flat rocks and leaves, and up to about 500 eggs may be fertilised in a single spawn. Stable warm water and a bonded territorial pair are the main triggers.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch within about 48 hours, after which the parents move the brood between shallow substrate depressions several times before the fry become free-swimming around 72 hours later. The brood is mainly tended by the female, with the male sometimes relieving her. Once free-swimming the fry need roughly another 12 hours to absorb their yolk sacs and then take microworm and brine shrimp nauplii; parental care continues for about a month.
Common Challenges
The species is forgiving of water chemistry, so the main considerations are providing suitable flat spawning surfaces and not crowding the territorial pair during brood care. Under stress this cichlid may bury itself in soft substrate, so a calm, well-structured tank helps a pair settle and raise fry.