Cyprichromis pavo Care Guide
Cyprichromis pavo is a larger open-water schooling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, a peaceful mouthbrooder kept in groups in the upper water column.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cyprichromis pavo is one of the larger members of the genus Cyprichromis, a group of slender open-water cichlids from Lake Tanganyika known as herring or sardine cichlids for their schooling habit. Dominant fish show an iridescent blue body with yellow in the tail. The species swims and feeds high in the water column.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Cyprichromis
- Scientific name: Cyprichromis pavo
- Described: Büscher, 1994
Habitat
The species is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, recorded from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kasenga in Zambia. It is found over rocky in-shore habitats at depths of roughly 20 to 50 metres, where large schools hover in open water above the rocks.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- School size: 8 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
Diet
FishBase records a diet that includes copepods and algae, with an omnivorous trophic level. In the aquarium it takes small frozen invertebrates and floating prepared foods captured in midwater. Feeding small amounts twice daily suits its constant cruising behaviour.
Compatibility
The species is peaceful and serves as an upper-level companion in Tanganyika community tanks. Suitable tankmates include Cyphotilapia, other Cyprichromis and bottom-oriented lamprologines. Lake Malawi mbuna and aggressive haplochromines should be avoided.
Breeding
Like other Cyprichromis, the species is a maternal mouthbrooder; spawning takes place in open water and females incubate the eggs and fry in the mouth. Breeding is of intermediate difficulty and most reliable within an established school.
Conservation status
FishBase lists Cyprichromis pavo as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2025).
Cyprichromis pavo Breeding Guide
Overview
Cyprichromis pavo (Büscher, 1994) is a schooling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of Congo and at Kasenga in Zambia, living over rocky inshore areas at depths of about 20-50 m and feeding on copepods and algae. FishBase records a maximum of about 10 cm SL and IUCN status Least Concern. Like other Cyprichromis it is a maternal mouthbrooder that spawns in open water; this guide draws on the well-documented genus pattern where species-specific data are limited.
Sexing
Per Seriously Fish, in Cyprichromis the males are much more colorful than females, which is the practical way to sex them; mature males carry the bright body and tail coloration used in display.
Conditioning
As small-mouthed zooplankton feeders, Cyprichromis are conditioned on small foods. Seriously Fish quotes breeding parameters of roughly 24-26 °C (75-78 °F) and pH 8.0-8.5 for the genus, within the hard alkaline range typical of Lake Tanganyika.
Breeding Setup
Cyprichromis are kept and bred as a colony in a tall tank that provides open mid-water swimming space, since spawning takes place above the substrate rather than on it. Rockwork along the base offers the females places to deposit released fry.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Per Seriously Fish, males form three-dimensional breeding territories in open water, displaying and chasing females; spawning occurs in mid-water and the female collects the eggs orally. Clutches are small, around 5-20 eggs.
Egg & Fry Care
Seriously Fish reports that the female mouthbroods for up to about four weeks, then spits the newly released fry into rock crevices; the fry take newly hatched brine shrimp from the day they are released.
Common Challenges
Because the eggs are few and the fish are open-water spawners, vertical swimming space and a stable colony are important, and the small fry must be matched with appropriately tiny first foods. As a less common Cyprichromis, keeping it apart from other species in the genus avoids hybridization.