Emperor Cichlid (Boulengerochromis microlepis) Care Guide
World's largest cichlid, reaching 70-90 cm in the wild. Predator from open waters of Lake Tanganyika; pair-spawner that dies after one massive spawning.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Boulengerochromis microlepis is a species in the family Cichlidae. World's largest cichlid, reaching 70-90 cm in the wild. Predator from open waters of Lake Tanganyika; pair-spawner that dies after one massive spawning. Only suitable for huge public-aquarium-scale tanks.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Boulengerochromis
- Scientific name: Boulengerochromis microlepis
- Other names: Boulenger's Cichlid, Yellow Emperor
- Origin: Africa, Lake Tanganyika
Habitat
Endemic to Lake Tanganyika and reputedly the largest cichlid in the world, reaching close to a metre in length. Inhabits open water and sandy zones where adults are powerful predators of fish. Unusual among large cichlids in being a substrate spawner that forms monogamous pairs; the parents are reported to die after a single breeding effort.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 3000 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Adult size: 60-90 cm
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- Difficulty: advanced
Diet
Classified as carnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: aggressive
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Only large public-aquarium tanks
- Avoid with: Almost everything else
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: substrate-spawner
- Breeding difficulty: advanced
Boulengerochromis microlepis Breeding Guide
Overview
Boulengerochromis microlepis, the giant or emperor cichlid, is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and is possibly the largest extant cichlid: males reach up to about 90 cm and females up to about 75 cm. Adults are chiefly piscivorous and live in small pelagic foraging groups when not spawning. It is a substrate-breeding, probably semelparous species, which makes it unsuitable for home breeding.
Sexing
Males grow larger than females (up to about 90 cm versus 75 cm). Research notes a monogamous mating system with low potential for sexual selection, so external sexual ornamentation is limited compared with many cichlids.
Breeding Setup
There is no practical home breeding setup. In the wild the species spawns over the substrate of near-shore surface waters, in water around pH 9.0 and hardness near 10 dH at 24-26 C. Maturity is reached at roughly 40 cm, underlining why only public-aquarium-scale systems could house spawning adults.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
It is a monogamous substrate spawner. Eggs are deposited in abandoned nests of other cichlids, between stones, or in the sand when no nest is available. Estimated fecundity is around 10,000 eggs. Research describes the species as probably semelparous, meaning a pair likely undertakes a single massive reproductive effort.
Egg & Fry Care
Consistent with a monogamous substrate spawner producing very large broods, the pair attends the spawning site. Detailed aquarium fry-rearing data are not available because the species is not maintained or bred under home conditions.
Common Challenges
The overriding challenge is scale: an adult approaching 90 cm and a brood of roughly 10,000 eggs are far beyond home-aquarium capacity. Its aggressive, predatory nature compounds the problem, so this guide is documentary rather than a husbandry plan.