Cyathopharynx furcifer Care Guide
Cyathopharynx furcifer is a large featherfin cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, a plankton-picker of rocky slopes that broods young in the mouth.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cyathopharynx furcifer is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae described by Boulenger in 1898. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it is widely distributed off rocky slopes. FishBase records a maximum total length of about 21 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Cyathopharynx
- Scientific name: Cyathopharynx furcifer
- Described by: Boulenger, 1898
Habitat
The species is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and widely distributed, living off rocky slopes in the lake. It is a benthopelagic fish, occupying both the bottom and the open water above it where plankton drifts.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2 (FishBase records 8.0-9.0)
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Group size: 5 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
Cyathopharynx furcifer is described by FishBase as a drifting-plankton picker, feeding on plankton in the water column. In the aquarium a varied diet of small frozen and prepared foods supports this open-water feeding style.
Compatibility
This is a large, semi-aggressive species that uses the middle of the tank. Suitable companions include open-water Cyprichromis and larger Cyphotilapia, while aggressive rock-dwellers such as Mbuna and Tropheus should be avoided.
Breeding
According to FishBase, females brood their young in the mouth; eggs from the cleavage phase and larvae of up to about 1.69 cm are mouthbrooded by females ranging from roughly 11.3 to 12.2 cm standard length.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is recorded in commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade.
Cyathopharynx furcifer Breeding Guide
Overview
Cyathopharynx furcifer is a featherfin endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives off rocky slopes and feeds on plankton, reaching about 21 cm TL. It is a maternal mouthbrooder: males build large sand bowers and gather in colonies, holding craters adjacent to one another in the wild.
Sexing
Males are the larger and more colourful sex, with noticeably longer fins than females, especially the ventral (pelvic) fins. Mature males also turn intensely iridescent blue while displaying at the bower.
Conditioning
Keep the fish in a group with several females to each male and condition them with plenty of high-quality, largely vegetable-based foods. Good conditioning and a stable environment bring males into display colour and trigger nest building.
Breeding Setup
A large tank with extensive open sand is essential, because the male excavates a crater-like spawning site that can reach up to about 60 cm in diameter. Maintain hard alkaline water around pH 8.0-9.0, hardness 8-25 dH and a temperature of about 24-27 C (75-81 F).
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The male has egg-shaped structures at the tips of his long ventral fins. The female is attracted to these and, when she tries to add them to the brood already in her mouth, she instead takes up sperm released by the male, fertilising the eggs orally over the crater.
Egg & Fry Care
The female may carry a brood of about 10-40 eggs for up to roughly three weeks before releasing the free-swimming fry. The fry can take brine shrimp nauplii and crushed spirulina flake from the day they are released.
Common Challenges
The huge bower means a large open sand area is non-negotiable; small or rock-cluttered tanks suppress breeding. Several females per male spread out male attention. Stable warm, hard, alkaline water must be held throughout the brooding period.