Difficult
Duboisi White-Spotted Cichlid (Tropheus duboisi)
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 250L
From £17.39Some sizes on sale
Expert-level Lake Tanganyika herbivore — the Kipilli locality form of Tropheus brichardi. Around 15 cm; for 400 L+ group setups in hard alkaline water.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Tropheus brichardi kipilli
Tropheus brichardi kipilli are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
Expert-level Lake Tanganyika herbivore — the Kipilli locality form of Tropheus brichardi. Around 15 cm; for 400 L+ group setups in hard alkaline water.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Cichlids are one of the most diverse fish families in the hobby. From tiny apistogrammas to massive oscars, this guide covers the basics of keeping them well.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Tropheus keeping is a discipline with its own rulebook, and the Kipilli form of Tropheus brichardi expects you to know it. The record is upfront: expert-level care, a semi-aggressive temperament that can turn territorial, and a herbivorous diet that must be respected. Get those three things right and you have one of Lake Tanganyika's most engaging cichlids for the next decade — the listed lifespan is a full ten years.
Kipilli is a collection-locality form of Tropheus brichardi reaching around 15 cm at adult size. Housing needs to match: 400 litres is the minimum on record, filled with the hard, alkaline water this lake demands — 24 to 27 °C, pH from 7.5 to 8.5 and hardness between 12 and 30 dGH. Feeding is where many keepers go wrong with the genus; this fish is a herbivore, and its diet should be built on vegetable matter rather than rich, meaty foods.
Social structure is the heart of Tropheus care, and the compatibility record points one way: keep Kipilli with its own kind, in a sufficiently large group and tank, so attention is spread across the group and no single fish gets hounded. Resist the temptation to shortcut any of this: the tank minimum, the group advice and the diet entry are not preferences — together they are the difference between a stable colony and a tank you spend months firefighting.
Beyond a correctly sized Tropheus group, workable tankmates are limited to Synodontis catfish and some similarly sized, similarly tempered Tanganyikan rock-dwellers in very large aquaria. Avoid peaceful community fish, slow-moving or long-finned species, large aggressive cichlids, soft-water fish, and small fish likely to be bullied or eaten — and never mix different Tropheus species in smaller tanks, where hybridisation and aggression both become real risks. We deliver by licensed live-animal courier with a live arrival guarantee on every fish.
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 250L
24–28°C · pH 8–9 · 300L
24–28°C · pH 8–9 · 300L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–9 · 200L
23–27°C · pH 8–9 · 150L
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 40L
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 500L
20–27°C · pH 6–7 · 54L
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 150L
24–28°C · pH 6.5–7.8 · 300L
20–24°C · pH 7–8 · 45L
24–28°C · pH 6.5–7.5 · 2000L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 200L
24–28°C · pH 5.5–7 · 60L
18–25°C · pH 6–8 · 100L
24–28°C · pH 7–8 · 120L
18–28°C · pH 6.5–8 · 20L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–8.8 · 150L
22–26°C · pH 6–7.5 · 60L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 40L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 500L