Pyxichromis orthostoma Care Guide
Pyxichromis orthostoma is a predatory haplochromine cichlid from the East African lakes, listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pyxichromis orthostoma is a predatory haplochromine cichlid of the family Cichlidae from the East African Great Lakes region. It has an elongate body and jaw adapted for capturing prey. FishBase records it from the Lake Kyoga system, part of the wider Lake Victoria drainage. It is maintained as a conservation strain in the aquarium hobby.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Pyxichromis
- Scientific name: Pyxichromis orthostoma
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Lake Kyoga system in East Africa, a freshwater drainage connected to Lake Victoria. It is a benthopelagic species of tropical lakes.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 7.5-8.5
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Lifespan: 5-8 years
Diet
Pyxichromis orthostoma is a carnivore and predator, with an elongate jaw suited to capturing smaller fish and invertebrates. In aquaria it is fed meaty foods around twice daily.
Compatibility
This is a semi-aggressive, predatory species. It is best kept with similarly sized Lake Victoria haplochromines and should not be combined with much smaller fish that could be eaten, nor with dwarf cichlids.
Breeding
FishBase records Pyxichromis orthostoma as a maternal mouthbrooder, with the female carrying fertilised eggs and fry in the buccal cavity.
Conservation status
The IUCN Red List assesses Pyxichromis orthostoma as Vulnerable. Lake Victoria basin haplochromines have suffered major declines, which is why captive populations are maintained as conservation strains.
Pyxichromis orthostoma Breeding Guide
Overview
Pyxichromis orthostoma (Haplochromis orthostoma) is a predatory large-mouthed haplochromine. Although often labelled a Lake Victoria fish in the hobby, FishBase and IUCN records place it in the Lake Kyoga system in Uganda (Lake Bisina and Lake Nawampasa), not Lake Victoria itself; it is listed as Vulnerable. It reaches about 9.1 cm SL. The species is a maternal mouthbrooder. Species-specific aquarium breeding accounts are scarce, so this guide applies the well-documented Victorian/Kyoga haplochromine breeding pattern.
Sexing
As in related haps, males are the colourful sex and females are duller and the sole investors in parental care, with mature males carrying egg-spot markings on the anal fin. Detailed sexual-colour description specific to this species is limited in the sources reviewed.
Conditioning
This is a piscivorous, large-mouthed predator that will rapidly swallow smaller fish, so condition adults on a meaty carnivore diet and never house them with fish small enough to be eaten. Stable hard, alkaline water supports spawning readiness.
Breeding Setup
Provide a roomy species tank with rockwork and open sand so a male can hold a territory, kept only with similar-sized or larger fishes. As a maternal mouthbrooder, a harem of one male and several females spreads out courtship aggression.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning follows the 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; haplochromines of this region typically hold for roughly two to three weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. Given the predatory nature of the species, fry should be reared apart and offered suitable small live foods. A holding female can be isolated to protect the brood.
Common Challenges
The chief practical issues are its predatory feeding (no small tankmates) and the scarcity of species-specific breeding data, so observe holding females directly and use genus-level figures as a guide. As a Vulnerable species of restricted range, maintain its captive line carefully and avoid hybridisation.