Ammelrooyi Cichlid (Paracyprichromis sp. 'Ammelrooyi')

Choose the Ammelrooyi Cichlid for a calm, deep-water Tanganyika tank

The Ammelrooyi Cichlid is Paracyprichromis sp. 'ammelrooyi', a rare, slender cichlid from the deep rocky slopes of Lake Tanganyika. It is a recent discovery: a Lake Tanganyika species database records that it was first observed in 2014 by Evert van Ammelrooy, and it has not yet been formally described, so "ammelrooyi" is a working label rather than an official species name. Only two Paracyprichromis are described, P. nigripinnis and P. brieni; this is a third, undescribed member of the genus.

It is a peaceful, free-swimming fish for a keeper who wants something unusual and is prepared to plan a quiet, specialised aquarium. The database describes it as less aggressive and less greedy at feeding than its better-known relative, the Blue Neon Paracyprichromis, and more inclined to swim in open water, where P. nigripinnis stays closer to the rocks.

Know where it comes from

Compare it with our other Paracyprichromis cichlids, including the Blue Neon Paracyprichromis, the Albino Blue Neon Cichlid and the Dull Slender Cichlid (P. brieni), or browse the full Lake Tanganyika cichlids, our Tanganyika cichlid range and all African cichlids.

Check what you receive

One purchase supplies one live Ammelrooyi Cichlid in the standard size we stock. That is a young fish, not the adult size, and its sex is not selected. In the described species, Seriously Fish notes that males grow larger, are more colourful and develop longer tail extensions, so the sexes become easier to tell apart as the fish mature.

The photographs show the form, not the fish you will receive. Because this cichlid is so newly known, its adult colour is not yet well documented; the database notes that young fish show white bars that darken as they grow. Seriously Fish adds that Paracyprichromis lose their best colour under bright light, with boisterous tank mates or without overhangs to retreat to, so a newly arrived fish will look paler than a settled one.

Order a group, not a single fish

• Group size: Seriously Fish recommends at least eight of the related P. nigripinnis and says more is better.
• Sex ratio: several females for each male, which is easiest to reach by buying a group of young fish.
• Budget for the whole group: each purchase is one fish, so plan the full group cost before you start.

Read our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy before ordering, and have the aquarium matured and tested in advance.

Plan a large aquarium with height and open water

The species database recommends an aquarium of about 400 litres for this fish, with vertical rock structures and open water for midwater swimming. For the described P. nigripinnis, Seriously Fish gives a minimum of 120 x 45 x 38 cm, about 205 litres, for a small shoal, and recommends a deep tank. Treat the Seriously Fish figure as the floor and 400 litres as the goal, because the Ammelrooyi is a more open-water swimmer than P. nigripinnis.

Height matters more for this fish than for most cichlids. In the wild it lives along steep rock faces, and males of the genus often hang upside down beneath overhangs or vertically against rock walls, while females swim in open water above the rocks.

Check the space before you buy

Our tank volume calculator works out real litres, and the stocking calculator helps you check the group alongside any tank mates.

Build tall rock walls and dim the lights

Recreate a deep rocky slope. Seriously Fish recommends piled rocks forming caves, tall vertical rocks with overhangs, and open swimming space above them; the species database asks for vertical rock structures with open water for midwater swimming. Males court females on near-vertical rock faces, so those walls double as spawning sites.

Keep the lighting subdued. This fish lives mainly 30 to 55 m down, and Seriously Fish warns that bright lighting fades Paracyprichromis colour. Fine sand on the bottom suits Tanganyikan cichlids, and OATA notes that some deeper-water species prefer dimmer light.

Lay out the tank in layers

Build rock walls on the tank floor, fix them securely and leave a clear path for water flow behind them. Plants are not needed.

Keep the water hard, alkaline and very clean

No water values have been published for this undescribed fish, so use the values for its genus and for Tanganyikan cichlids in general. The species database stresses good water quality. Seriously Fish says the water-quality demands of P. nigripinnis are no greater than for other Tanganyikan cichlids.

Prepare your tap water

UK tap water ranges from soft to very hard by region, so test pH, GH and KH first. In a soft-water area, coral sand or aragonite helps raise and hold the hardness; whatever you use, make every batch of new water match the tank so readings stay steady. Our water matcher compares your results with this range, and the water chemistry guide explains GH, KH and pH.

Filter well and change water every week

Seriously Fish suggests filtration that turns the tank volume over four to five times an hour, which for a 205-litre tank is about 820 to 1,025 litres per hour. OATA calls an oversized filter and vigorous aeration essential for lake cichlids. Arrange the outlets so the open water is not a torrent: Paracyprichromis are calm fish of deep, still water.

Follow a weekly routine

1. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and hardness, especially while the tank is new and after adding fish.
2. Change at least 25% of the water every week, as OATA advises.
3. Treat new water with a dechlorinator and match its temperature and hardness.
4. Siphon waste from the sand in front of the rock wall.
5. Rinse filter media gently in removed tank water, never under the tap.

Our guide to aquarium filtration explains how turnover and media work together.

Feed small foods in open water

Paracyprichromis are zooplankton feeders with small mouths. The species database lists the foods this fish accepts: newly hatched and adult brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, frozen foods, flakes and soft pellets. Seriously Fish recommends that live and frozen foods make up most of the diet of P. nigripinnis.

Because the Ammelrooyi is a less greedy feeder, it can go hungry beside faster tank mates. OATA's general advice for lake cichlids is to feed twice a day, only what is eaten within a few minutes; for this fish, release food into midwater, slowly, so the group can pick it out as it drifts.

Build one measured meal

• Frozen base: frozen cyclops or frozen mysis, thawed in tank water.
• Live treat: live brine shrimp nauplii, which also suit the fry.
• Dry staple: a fine flake such as Tanganyika cichlid flakes, or soft small pellets.
• Portion: only what the group takes in a few minutes; remove leftovers from the sand.

Watch the females and the smallest fish at every meal. If they are not eating, spread food more widely or reconsider tank mates.

Introduce the group gently

Check that ammonia and nitrite are zero and that temperature, pH and hardness are in range before the fish arrive. OATA advises adding peaceful species first and more aggressive ones later, so introduce this group before any livelier tank mates, and add fish gradually so the filter keeps up.

Use the floating-bag method

1. Switch off the aquarium lights and keep the bags out of bright light.
2. Float the sealed bags for 10 minutes so the temperatures match.
3. Add aquarium water to each bag slowly over up to 20 minutes.
4. Net the fish into the tank, leaving the bag water behind.
5. Keep the lights off for the rest of the day.

Our guide to acclimatising new fish explains each step in more detail.

Keep it with calm Tanganyikan cichlids

Seriously Fish calls P. nigripinnis very peaceful and retiring, best in a species tank and not suited to beginners. It suggests Julidochromis, Neolamprologus and Altolamprologus as possible tank mates and advises avoiding boisterous fish such as mbuna and species that use the same zone, such as Cyprichromis. The database says the Ammelrooyi can be kept with other Tanganyikan cichlids, given good water and plenty of swimming space.

Keep forms apart

Seriously Fish notes that colour forms of P. nigripinnis hybridise if mixed. The Ammelrooyi is a different, undescribed fish, so keep it apart from other Paracyprichromis to keep the line true. Check a planned mix with our tank mates tool and read our cichlid care guide.

Know how it breeds

The Ammelrooyi Cichlid is a maternal mouthbrooder. The species database records males courting females on near-vertical rock surfaces, females incubating the eggs for about three to four weeks and broods of 7 to 12 fry, which take newly hatched brine shrimp from the first day. Seriously Fish gives a similar picture for P. nigripinnis: clutches of 5 to 25 eggs, a brood period of about three to four weeks during which the female stops eating, and large, free-swimming fry.

Protect the brooding female

Seriously Fish warns that stress can make a brooding female spit out or eat the brood, so avoid moving her. Seriously Fish gives ideal breeding conditions for P. nigripinnis of pH 8.0 to 9.0 and 24 to 25.5°C. Because the fish is undescribed, keep careful records of any young you raise and never release fish into the wild.

Answer Ammelrooyi Cichlid buying questions

What is the Ammelrooyi Cichlid?

It is Paracyprichromis sp. 'ammelrooyi', an undescribed deep-water cichlid from Lake Tanganyika, first observed in 2014 by Evert van Ammelrooy, whose name it carries as a working label. It is a relative of the Blue Neon Paracyprichromis (P. nigripinnis) and lives on the central to eastern, Tanzanian side of the lake.

How big does it grow?

About 10 cm total length, according to the Lake Tanganyika species database. Seriously Fish gives 11 cm standard length as the maximum for the two described Paracyprichromis species.

What size aquarium does it need?

The species database recommends about 400 litres with vertical rock walls and open midwater. Seriously Fish gives 120 x 45 x 38 cm, about 205 litres, as the minimum for a small shoal of the related P. nigripinnis, so treat that as the floor and 400 litres as the goal.

How many should I keep?

A group. Seriously Fish recommends at least eight of the related P. nigripinnis, with several females for each male, and says more is better. One purchase supplies one fish, so order the group together.

Is it peaceful?

Yes. The species database calls it generally peaceful, and less aggressive and less greedy at feeding than P. nigripinnis. That makes it easy to outcompete, so keep it only with calm Tanganyikan cichlids.

What does it eat?

Small foods it can take from open water: newly hatched and adult brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, mysis, plus flakes and soft pellets. Paracyprichromis have small mouths and feed on zooplankton in the wild.

What water does it need?

Hard, alkaline, very clean Tanganyika water. No species values are published; the overlap of Seriously Fish and OATA for the genus and group is 24 to 27 degrees C, pH 8.0 to 8.6 and 12 to 18 dGH.

Can it breed in an aquarium?

Yes. It is a maternal mouthbrooder: males court females on near-vertical rock, the female carries the brood for about three to four weeks, and broods of 7 to 12 fry take newly hatched brine shrimp from the first day.

Consult the care references

• Tanganyika species database: Paracyprichromis sp. 'ammelrooyi' (Ikola): Paracyprichromis sp. ammelrooyi: first sighting, range, depth, habitat, size, temperament, recommended tank, foods and breeding.
• Tanganyika species database: Paracyprichromis sp. 'ammelrooyi' (Kekese): a second locality page for the same fish, confirming size, depth, foods and brood size.
• Seriously Fish: Paracyprichromis nigripinnis: the described relative Paracyprichromis nigripinnis: tank size, water range, decor, lighting, diet, group size, tank mates and breeding.
• Seriously Fish: genus Paracyprichromis: the two described Paracyprichromis species and their shared aquarium values.
• OATA: How to look after African lake cichlids: UK group guidance for Tanganyika and other African lake cichlids: water values, group sizes, feeding, maintenance, introduction and compatibility.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy: current dispatch days and Live Arrival Guarantee terms.