Paracyprichromis Brieni (Paracyprichromis brieni) Care Guide
Slender pseudo-shellie Cyprichromis from Tanganyika often found close to rocky walls. Subtle blue-violet sheen on males; smaller schools than Cyprichromis.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Paracyprichromis brieni is a species in the family Cichlidae. Slender pseudo-shellie Cyprichromis from Tanganyika often found close to rocky walls. Subtle blue-violet sheen on males; smaller schools than Cyprichromis. Peaceful and ideal for large Tanganyikan setups.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Paracyprichromis
- Scientific name: Paracyprichromis brieni
- Origin: Africa, Lake Tanganyika
Habitat
Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it hovers in open water near rocky walls and overhangs. A planktivorous cichlid feeding on zooplankton. A maternal mouthbrooder; like related sardine cichlids it forms loose midwater aggregations.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Adult size: 9-12 cm
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 8
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as carnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Tropheus, Petrochromis, Cyphotilapia frontosa, Julidochromis, Synodontis petricola
- Avoid with: Mbuna, Aggressive haps, Boulengerochromis
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: mouthbrooder
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
Breeding Paracyprichromis brieni
Overview
Paracyprichromis brieni is a slender, peaceful cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika and quite widespread in the lake, reaching a standard length of around 11 cm. It is a polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. Unlike open-water Cyprichromis, males form cave territories and the species spawns against rocky walls, often hanging upside down beneath ledges.
Sexing
Males are more colourful than females and develop longer extensions to the caudal fin, making mature males relatively easy to distinguish within a settled group.
Conditioning
The species is a small-mouthed zooplankton feeder, so live and frozen foods should form the bulk of the diet. Maintain a group in hard, alkaline water; Seriously Fish notes a breeding range of pH 8.0-9.0 at slightly cooler temperatures suits spawning, within the general 24-27 °C range.
Breeding Setup
Keep a shoal of at least eight fish with several females per male. Provide rocky structure with caves and vertical walls, as males establish territories there and can be seen hanging vertically against the rock or upside down beneath overhangs.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The female positions head-down against a rock wall while the male sits just above her, and the pair release eggs and sperm together. They continue until the female holds the clutch in her buccal cavity. Stable hard, alkaline water in the recommended breeding range triggers spawning.
Egg & Fry Care
The female accumulates 5-25 eggs in the mouth and carries the brood for around three to four weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. The fry can be reared on small live and frozen foods after release.
Common Challenges
The species is peaceful and retiring, so it can be intimidated by boisterous tankmates and may withhold spawning under stress. Providing a calm setting, a large enough group and the correct rocky territory layout are the keys to success.