Crenicichla acutirostris Care Guide
Crenicichla acutirostris is an Amazonian pike cichlid with an elongated pointed head, a predatory species for large soft-water aquaria.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Crenicichla acutirostris is a pike cichlid from the Amazon basin with the elongated, pointed head typical of the genus. Pike cichlids are ambush predators with a wide mouth and pike-like body. Following the 2023 generic revision of Crenicichla, this species has been placed by some authorities in the genus Lugubria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Crenicichla
- Scientific name: Crenicichla acutirostris
- Note: also treated as Lugubria acutirostris (Günther, 1862) (FishBase).
Habitat
The species occurs in the Amazon basin, in the Tapajós and Aripuanã river drainages in Brazil. Like other pike cichlids it inhabits rivers and streams, taking cover near submerged wood and rock.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 25-29 °C (77-84 °F)
- pH: 5.0-7.0
- GH: 2-8 °dGH
- Lifespan: 7-10 years
Diet
Crenicichla acutirostris is carnivorous, with a high trophic level. Pike cichlids feed on fish, insects and other small animals, ambushing prey from cover. Suitable aquarium foods include meaty live and frozen items appropriate to the fish's size.
Compatibility
This species is semi-aggressive and predatory. It should not be kept with small fish or shrimp, which it will treat as prey, and is best combined with robust mid-sized tankmates in a large aquarium.
Breeding
Crenicichla species are generally cave spawners with biparental care of eggs and fry.
Crenicichla acutirostris Breeding Guide
Overview
Crenicichla acutirostris (Gunther, 1862) is a pike cichlid of the Amazon River basin, recorded from the Tapajos and Aripuana river basins in Brazil, and is now placed in the genus Lugubria as Lugubria acutirostris. According to FishBase it reaches about 23.0 cm TL and lives a freshwater, benthopelagic lifestyle.
Breeding Setup
FishBase records water parameters of pH up to about 7.0, hardness up to about 15 dH and a temperature range of 26-28 degrees C. As a predatory pike cichlid, this species needs a spacious, well-filtered tank with soft, slightly acidic, warm water and a sand substrate. The Aquairi record classifies it as a cave spawner of intermediate breeding difficulty, so caves and crevices should be provided as enclosed spawning sites.
Common Challenges
As with other large pike cichlids, the main challenge is forming a compatible pair without dangerous aggression while supplying enough space for a predatory fish. The sources consulted do not document specific spawn sizes, egg-incubation times or detailed fry-rearing data for this species, so these are omitted rather than estimated.