Pelvicachromis subocellatus Breeding Guide

Breeding Pelvicachromis subocellatus, a soft-water West African cave spawner whose females flash a deep pink belly during courtship.

Overview

Pelvicachromis subocellatus is a West African dwarf cichlid reaching about 8 cm, distributed across Nigeria, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a shy, retiring cave spawner that becomes territorial when breeding and, like the rest of the genus, prefers soft, acidic water.

Sexing

Males are larger and carry pointed dorsal and anal fins. Females are rounder-bodied and, when in spawning condition, develop a characteristic pink flush on the flanks. During courtship the female turns deep pink with a black patch on either side, a display that confirms readiness to spawn.

Conditioning

The species accepts most foods but live and frozen varieties are preferred, and it also browses algae and detritus. Conditioning a pair on these foods brings the female into the bright pink courtship state that precedes spawning. Because the female leads courtship in this genus, a well-conditioned female showing intensified flank colour is the clearest sign a pair is ready to commit to a cave.

Breeding Setup

Provide soft, acidic water around pH 5.5-6.5 with hardness of roughly 5-20 dH and a temperature of about 24-26 C (75-79 F), together with enclosed caves for spawning. A quiet, well-decorated tank suits this retiring species and gives the female a site to claim.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

These cave spawners form monogamous pairs and the female initiates courtship with her deep pink display. The pair lays up to 200 eggs on the cave walls or ceiling. Warm, soft acidic water and a settled pair are the main triggers.

Egg & Fry Care

Care is biparental: the female tends the eggs while the male defends the surrounding territory. Eggs hatch in 2-3 days and the fry become free-swimming after 7-8 days, accepting brine shrimp nauplii or microworm as first foods. Once the fry are free-swimming the pair should be watched, as some females may turn on their partners.

Common Challenges

The species' shy nature means it needs cover and quiet to spawn, and the soft acidic water must be kept stable. The recognised risk of a female turning aggressive toward the male after the fry are free-swimming should be monitored, separating the pair if persistent aggression occurs.