Description
The kribensis is probably the best cichlid for someone who has never kept one. It is small — about 10 cm for the male, less for the female — tolerates a wide range of water and breeds in the aquarium with surprising ease.
It also has a peculiarity: here the female is the more colourful one. In breeding condition she shows a rounded belly of intense cherry red, while the larger male stays golden with a pointed dorsal fin.
What makes it special is not the colour but the family life: watching it breed, with both parents leading a cloud of fry across the bottom, is among the best things a normal-sized aquarium can offer.
Behavior
Peaceful towards fish that stay out of its patch, and very territorial around its cave, especially with eggs or fry. It is kept as a pair; two males in a medium tank will fight.
It lives near the bottom and digs: it moves sand, excavates under stones and uproots poorly anchored plants.
It lives well with mid- and upper-water fish that can keep out of the way: medium barbs, sturdy tetras such as the black tetra, danios and larger rasboras.
Avoid housing it with other bottom-dwelling cichlids in tanks under a metre, corydoras and kuhli loaches while it is breeding (they become intruders), and shrimp, which it hunts.
Habitat
Pelvicachromis pulcher comes from Nigeria and Cameroon, from forest streams and parts of the Niger delta with soft to slightly hard water and dense marginal vegetation. Some populations live in pure fresh water and others in almost brackish stretches near the coast.
That range of origins explains its tolerance: the shop kribensis, captive-bred for decades, adapts to almost any reasonable tap water.
What it will not compromise on is shelter: caves, roots and plants that break the line of sight. Without a place of its own it neither settles nor colours up.
Habitats
Fish sharing this habitat
These fish appear in one or more habitats linked to this profile. It doesn't mean they are directly compatible in an aquarium.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
A cave spawner: the pair cleans out a cave, an upturned flowerpot or a hollow under a stone, and the female sticks the eggs there, often on the ceiling. She tends the spawn inside while he guards the entrance.
After about a week the fry swim out and the parents escort them in a group across the bottom for weeks. In a community tank the other fish will suffer that stage: a kribensis with fry tolerates no visitors.
A curious fact: pH affects the sex ratio of the brood. In very acidic water more females hatch, and in neutral water the ratio evens out.
Diet
Omnivorous and undemanding.
- Staple: sinking granules or tablets, because it feeds on the bottom.
- Supplement: frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and mosquito larvae.
- Plant matter: some spirulina now and then.
When breeding, the parents chew and spit out food for the fry, but it is worth adding brine shrimp nauplii or powdered food so the brood grows evenly.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 24–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 24–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 26–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.5 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 24–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6–6.8 and 24 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5 and 27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
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They share water: pH 7–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
- Seriously FishSeriously Fish. Pelvicachromis pulcher. Ficha de especie; consultada 2026-08.
Hardness: Seriously Fish gives 0-12 and FishBase 5-19 dH. The profile uses 2-15.
The effect of pH on the sex ratio does not come from these sources: it comes from breeding studies of the species and is given as a tendency, not a rule.
Plan your next aquarium
Is this fish right for you? Plan a suitable aquarium before setting it up.