Platytaeniodus degeni Care Guide
Platytaeniodus degeni is a Lake Victoria haplochromine cichlid, treated by FishBase under Haplochromis degeni, a littoral mouthbrooder kept as a conservation hobby strain.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Platytaeniodus degeni is a haplochromine cichlid of the Lake Victoria region. FishBase treats it under the name Haplochromis degeni (Boulenger, 1906) and records a maximum standard length of 15.4 cm. It is part of the Lake Victoria species flock, many members of which are maintained as conservation hobby strains.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Platytaeniodus
- Scientific name: Platytaeniodus degeni
- FishBase valid name: Haplochromis degeni (Boulenger, 1906)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from Lake Victoria, Africa. It is a freshwater, demersal fish with a depth range of 0-15 m and is probably restricted to littoral and sublittoral areas.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 250 L (66 gal)
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 7.5-8.5
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
- Setup: sand substrate with rockwork
Diet
The species is an omnivore (FishBase trophic level about 3.2). FishBase notes it feeds from sand or organic mud, taking animal remains that include insect larvae, Hydracarina, copepods, ostracods and bivalves. A varied diet suits it in captivity.
Compatibility
As a Victorian haplochromine it is best kept with other robust Lake Victoria region cichlids in a spacious tank, avoiding sensitive dwarf or soft-water species. Stocking that disperses aggression helps maintain stability.
Breeding
FishBase records that this species is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female incubates the eggs and young in her mouth, a reproductive strategy typical of haplochromine cichlids.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2010), per FishBase. Lake Victoria cichlids as a group have suffered major declines, which is why many are maintained as hobby conservation strains.
Platytaeniodus degeni Breeding Guide
Overview
Platytaeniodus degeni (sometimes placed in Haplochromis pending review) is a haplochromine endemic to Lake Victoria, foraging over sandy and shingly substrates in littoral and sublittoral zones to about 15 m depth, and reaching about 15.4 cm SL; the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. FishBase records maternal mouthbrooding. Species-specific aquarium breeding accounts are limited, so this guide applies the well-documented Lake Victoria haplochromine breeding pattern.
Sexing
As in related Victorian haps, males are the colourful sex and females are duller and the sole investors in parental care, with mature males bearing egg-spot markings on the anal fin. Detailed sexual-colour description specific to this species is limited in the sources reviewed.
Conditioning
In the wild this species takes benthic material along with insect larvae, copepods, ostracods and small crustaceans from sandy bottoms, so condition adults on a varied omnivore diet. Stable hard, alkaline Victorian water supports spawning readiness.
Breeding Setup
Use the standard Victorian-hap approach: a species tank with one male and several females, with open sand (matching its sandy-substrate habits) and some rockwork so a male can hold and display over a territory. Multiple females spread out courtship aggression.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning follows the Lake Victoria haplochromine pattern: a male displays at his site, the female lays eggs and takes them into her mouth, and the male's anal-fin egg spots prompt collecting behaviour during which fertilisation occurs orally.
Egg & Fry Care
The female incubates the eggs and larvae in her mouth; Lake Victoria haplochromines typically hold for roughly two to three weeks before releasing free-swimming fry, which take small first foods such as brine shrimp nauplii. A holding female can be isolated to protect the brood.
Common Challenges
Because exact brood numbers and incubation timing for this species are not well documented, observe holding females directly and use genus-level figures as a guide. Keep it apart from other Victorian haps to prevent hybridisation in this conservation-oriented strain.