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.
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).