Easy
Pelvicachromis taeniatus kienke
24–28°C · pH 6–7.5 · 80L
£41.99
Pelvicachromis taeniatus Nigeria Red is a peaceful, red-toned West African striped krib and easy cave spawner.
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.
Pelvicachromis taeniatus niger. red
Pelvicachromis taeniatus niger. red bond and breed in male/female pairs — buying a pair gives them the social structure they need.
Pelvicachromis taeniatus Nigeria Red is a peaceful, red-toned West African striped krib and easy cave spawner.
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
This is the Nigeria Red form of Pelvicachromis taeniatus, a West African striped krib whose trade name highlights the warm red colouration of this regional variant. It pairs the easy nature of the species with the rich finnage and flushed breeding colour that have kept P. taeniatus in demand for decades, reaching around 8 cm as an adult.
An ideal candidate for the peaceful planted community, the Nigeria Red appreciates caves, coconut shells and driftwood among the plants in a tank of at least 80 litres. Keep the water between pH 6.0 and 7.5 with moderate hardness of 5-15 dGH and a temperature of 24-28°C. It is a cave-spawning dwarf cichlid: pairs form a strong bond and share parental duties, guarding their fry together once they spawn, and females show especially vivid belly colour when ready to breed.
Feeding is straightforward. A varied omnivore diet of flakes and pellets plus frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp keeps it in fine condition, and it spends most of its time foraging in the lower levels. Kept as a pair, it is a confident, colourful and easy-to-breed addition to a soft, gently acidic set-up. The red colouration deepens in well-conditioned adults, particularly in a bonded pair holding a spawning site, so a quiet, established aquarium shows this variant at its richest. Introduce new fish slowly to help them settle and pair up, and provide ample caves so a male has a choice of spawning sites; conditioned on a varied diet and kept in stable, gently acidic water, the Nigeria Red is a reliably colourful and easy-to-breed striped krib for the patient keeper.
Tetras, rasboras, corydoras and otocinclus all make peaceful companions for the Nigeria Red krib. Keep it apart from aggressive cichlids and other cave-spawning dwarf cichlids that would compete for the same spawning sites. Supply caves or coconut shells to encourage a settled pair. Each fish travels with a licensed live-animal courier, backed by our live arrival guarantee.
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