Regan's Dwarf Pike Care Guide
Crenicichla regani is one of the smallest pike cichlids, a predatory but community-tolerant species from the Amazon basin in Brazil.
Overview
Crenicichla regani is one of the smallest pike cichlids in the family Cichlidae, found in the Amazon River basin and the Trombetas River at Cachoeira Porteira in Brazil. It has recently been placed in the genus Wallaciia. It is predatory but rarely bothers fish too large to swallow, making it suitable for community-level aquariums. The species is named after the ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Crenicichla
- Scientific name: Crenicichla regani
- Recent reclassification: Wallaciia regani
Habitat
The species occurs in Amazon basin waters and the Trombetas River in Brazil, where pike cichlids typically inhabit structured margins with wood and vegetation.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.2
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
A sand substrate with driftwood, rockwork and caves suits this species and provides territories and ambush cover.
Diet
A carnivore that takes meaty live and frozen foods in the aquarium, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
A semi-aggressive, mid-water predator. It can be combined with robust tankmates such as silver dollars, severums, bristlenose plecos and large tetras, but small tetras, shrimp and other aggressive cichlids should be avoided.
Breeding
A cave spawner with breeding difficulty considered intermediate.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern.