Crenicichla marmorata Care Guide
Crenicichla marmorata is a large Amazonian pike cichlid, an elongated predatory fish requiring spacious aquaria and well-chosen tankmates.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Crenicichla marmorata is a large pike cichlid from the Amazon basin. Pike cichlids have a wide mouth and an elongated, pike-like body and are predominantly predatory ambush feeders. In a 2023 revision several Crenicichla groups were split into separate genera, and this species has been placed by some authorities in the genus Lugubria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Crenicichla
- Scientific name: Crenicichla marmorata
- Note: also treated as Lugubria marmorata following the 2023 generic revision (FishBase).
Habitat
The species occurs in southern tributaries of the Amazon River in Brazil, from the Madeira River to the Tocantins River. Pike cichlids inhabit rivers, streams, pools and lakes, often holding position near sunken wood or rock from which they ambush prey.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 500 L
- Temperature: 25-29 °C (77-84 °F)
- pH: 5.0-7.0
- GH: 2-8 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
Crenicichla marmorata is carnivorous. Pike cichlids feed on fish, insects and other small animals, positioning themselves where they can remain undetected by prey. The species has a high trophic level consistent with a predatory diet.
Compatibility
This is an aggressive, territorial predator. It must not be kept with small fish that can be eaten, and is best housed only with robust tankmates in a large aquarium. Smaller and slow species such as discus and angelfish are unsuitable companions.
Breeding
Crenicichla species are typically cave or substrate spawners with biparental care. Breeding this large species is considered demanding and requires a spacious, well-structured tank.
Crenicichla marmorata Breeding Guide
Overview
Crenicichla marmorata, the marbled pike cichlid, was described by Pellegrin in 1904 and is now placed in the genus Lugubria as Lugubria marmorata. According to Wikipedia and FishBase it occurs in the Amazon River basin, specifically the southern tributaries of the Amazon in Brazil from the Madeira River to the Tocantins River, and reaches about 28 cm (11 in). The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Breeding Setup
FishBase records a temperature range of 26-28 degrees C for this freshwater, benthopelagic species. Because it is a large, predatory pike cichlid, a breeding tank must be spacious, warm and well filtered. The Aquairi record classifies it as a cave spawner of advanced breeding difficulty, so caves, crevices and other enclosed spawning sites should be provided.
Common Challenges
Pike cichlids of this size are demanding to breed: forming a compatible pair without serious aggression is the main hurdle, and large predators require generous space and robust filtration. The sources consulted do not document specific spawn sizes, egg-development times or detailed fry-rearing data for this species, so these are omitted rather than estimated.