African Cichlid – Tanganyikan – Golden Firefox, Red Phoenix Duboisi Tropheus Cichlid 5cm

The Tropheus  Cichlid originates from the rocky coastal waters of Northern Lake Tanganyika, Africa. The Tropheus “ Red Phoenix” is however not a naturally occurring form, but a breeding product. The bright blue eye and the golden yellow body colour are reminiscent of the population found near Namansi, Tanzania, on the eastern shore of the lake. They are very attractive fish, which we can offer in limited numbers at the moment.

The Tropheus  Cichlid should be maintained in an aquarium of at least 200 Litres, in a large number of the same species, or with other smaller semi-aggressive Tanganyikan or Malawian cichlids. Incorporate plenty of rocks and driftwood in order to build caves. Provide a sandy bottom of aragonite to maintain the necessary high pH and alkalinity.

The Tropheus Cichlid is a mouth brooder, and breeding is more difficult than most of the cichlids. This is a very slow growing species which may take a few years to reach sexual maturity. At that time, the males are typically larger than the females, and have a more turned up nose. To increase the chance of spawning, house 5 or 6 females with one male. Provide a number of caves for the pair to choose from, and to reduce aggression. Incubation occurs in about 28 days. Feed the fry finely crushed flake food for the first few months.

Their diet should be high in vegetable matter. Supplement their diet with a quality spirulina based flake or pellet food. They have a long intestinal tract and should not be over fed, as overfeeding may contribute to bloat. Feed 3 times a day with small pinches of food instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time.

• Species – Tropheus Red Phoenix
• Common Name – Red Phoenix, Golden Firefox,
• Origin – Northern Lake Tanganyika, Africa
• Diet – Herbivore
• PH Range – 7.8 – 9.0
• Temperature – Tropical 22–28°c
• Breed Type – Mouth Brooder
• Current Size – approximately 5cm (Grows to approximately 12cm)
• Sex – Un-sexed