Brichard’s Chalinochromis (Chalinochromis brichardi)

Brichard’s Chalinochromis (Chalinochromis brichardi) is a rock- and rubble-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It is kept for its elongated shape, facial markings, pair behaviour and cave-spawning habits rather than for the bright open-water colour associated with Malawi peacocks.

Use the live size selector for current supplied size, price and availability. Plan the aquarium for an adult of around 12 cm and for territorial behaviour that becomes stronger when a pair forms.

Quick care

• UK trade name: Brichard’s Chalinochromis
• Scientific name: Chalinochromis brichardi
• Origin: Lake Tanganyika, East Africa
• Adult size: up to around 12 cm
• Practical aquarium baseline: around 150 litres for a pair-focused setup; larger for a mixed Tanganyika community
• Temperature: around 24–27°C
• pH: around 8.0–9.0
• Water: hard and mineral-rich
• Temperament: territorial, especially when breeding
• Diet: small invertebrate-based and quality cichlid foods

Lake Tanganyika setup

This species belongs in a mature hard-water aquarium built around stable rockwork. Create caves, narrow passages, rubble zones and broken lines of sight. Leave enough open substrate for feeding and maintenance, and make sure heavy stones cannot be undermined or shifted.

Use strong biological filtration and good oxygenation. Ammonia and nitrite must remain at zero. Because alkaline water makes ammonia more dangerous, stable filtration and measured feeding are particularly important.

Water parameters

A practical range is 24–27°C, pH 8.0–9.0 and hard water. Stability matters more than chasing one exact number. Test GH and KH if your source water is soft and use a consistent remineralisation method rather than repeated unmeasured adjustments.

When changing water, match temperature and chemistry closely. Sudden shifts can cause more stress than a stable value near one end of the appropriate range.

Behaviour and territory

Brichard’s Chalinochromis is not a general peaceful-community fish. Adults can defend caves and rock faces, and pair formation can change behaviour quickly. Provide more shelters than fish and a plan to separate an incompatible individual.

Juveniles may tolerate one another while growing, but this does not guarantee adult compatibility. Do not assume that buying two fish produces a bonded pair or even one male and one female.

Feeding

In the wild, C. brichardi feeds on invertebrates associated with rocky surfaces and biocover. In the aquarium, use a quality small cichlid pellet as the staple and rotate suitable frozen foods such as mysis, Artemia, daphnia or other appropriately sized invertebrate foods.

Feed controlled portions once or twice daily. Rock-heavy aquariums can trap uneaten food in crevices, so remove waste before it affects water quality.

Tank mates

The safest companions are appropriately sized Lake Tanganyika species that share hard alkaline water but do not all compete for the same cave. Open-water species can reduce direct territorial overlap in a sufficiently large aquarium.

Avoid tiny community fish, soft-water species, ornamental shrimp and highly aggressive cichlids that turn the rockwork into constant conflict. Sharing a lake does not automatically make two cichlids compatible.

Sexing and breeding

External sex differences are subtle, especially in juveniles. Pair behaviour is more useful than trying to guarantee sex from colour or size alone.

This species is a cave brooder. A compatible pair may select a rubble cavity or crevice, defend the area and raise fry close to the shelter. FishBase records cave brooding and clutches up to roughly 120 eggs, but actual aquarium results depend on age, pair compatibility and conditions.

Before ordering

Choose Brichard’s Chalinochromis if you can provide a mature Lake Tanganyika aquarium with hard alkaline water, secure rock territories and a separation plan for aggression. Reconsider if you want a soft-water planted community or a fish that remains peaceful with every tank mate.

The live product selector remains the authority for current supplied size, stock and price.