Petrochromis sp. "Tricolor" Care Guide
Petrochromis sp. "Tricolor" is an undescribed Lake Tanganyika cichlid; like its genus it is a rock-grazing, maternal mouthbrooder for large hard-water tanks.
Overview
Petrochromis sp. "Tricolor" is an undescribed colour form within the genus Petrochromis, a group of cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. Because the form is undescribed, no validated species-level binomial exists; the following describes traits documented for the genus and its described members.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Petrochromis
- Scientific name: Petrochromis sp. "Tricolor"
- Note: undescribed form; no validated species epithet. The genus contains 8 recognised species (Wikipedia).
Habitat
The genus is endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Described members such as Petrochromis trewavasae inhabit shallow, rocky habitats with rocky substrates on which they graze. These are hard, alkaline rift-lake waters.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Maximum size: 16-20 cm (Aquairi KB); the described P. trewavasae reaches 18 cm (FishBase/Wikipedia)
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
Diet
A herbivore. Petrochromis species are specialised algae grazers that scrape the biocover (aufwuchs) from rocks; P. trewavasae has a long digestive tract and a low trophic level of about 2.1 (FishBase), consistent with a primarily plant-based diet.
Compatibility
An aggressive grazer best kept in a colony in a large tank. FishBase describes P. trewavasae as extremely shy and usually found in groups. Suitable Tanganyikan companions include Tropheus, Cyphotilapia and Cyprichromis; small fish and Lake Malawi mbuna should be avoided.
Breeding
A maternal mouthbrooder. In Petrochromis trewavasae females brood their young in the mouth (FishBase), and the same reproductive mode is characteristic of the genus.