Easy
Common Krib Blue, Dwarf Rainbow (Pelvicachromis pulcher blue)
24–27°C · pH 5.5–7.5 · 80L
£14.99
Super Red Kribensis Cichlid is a red-bellied colour form of Pelvicachromis pulcher, a hardy West African dwarf cichlid known for caves, pair behaviour and planted-community personality.
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 pulcher
Super Red Kribensis Cichlid bond and breed in male/female pairs — buying a pair gives them the social structure they need.
Super Red Kribensis Cichlid is a red-bellied colour form of Pelvicachromis pulcher, a hardy West African dwarf cichlid known for caves, pair behaviour and planted-community personality.
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.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Super Red Kribensis Cichlid is the natural customer-facing name for this N955 listing. The fish is Pelvicachromis pulcher, the classic West African kribensis cichlid, offered here in a red-bellied Super Red trade form. This listing is written around the real fish identity and practical husbandry: a warm-water, cave-spawning dwarf cichlid for planted or wood-and-rock aquariums where behaviour matters as much as colour.
Kribensis are popular because they combine manageable size, strong colour and real cichlid behaviour. A settled fish can show a dark lateral stripe, yellow to gold facial tones, blue or purple fin highlights and a red to cherry belly, especially on females and breeding-condition fish. They are hardy enough for many careful keepers, but they still need a mature aquarium, caves, clean water and enough layout structure to manage territory.
| Customer name | Super Red Kribensis Cichlid |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pelvicachromis pulcher |
| Common names | Kribensis, Krib, Rainbow Krib, Super Red Kribensis |
| Current variants | 4-5 cm and 5-7 cm size options on the same Shopify product |
| Adult planning size | Usually plan around 10 cm; FishBase records up to 11 cm total length |
| Care level | Easy to moderate: hardy, but territorial when breeding |
| Temperature | 24-28C is the practical aquarium range used for this listing |
| pH / hardness | Flexible; plan around pH 5.0-8.0 and up to about 20 dH |
| Minimum setup | 80 cm tank length as a sensible minimum; 3ft+ is better for communities |
| Temperament | Generally peaceful for a dwarf cichlid, but defensive around caves and fry |
| Diet | Omnivore; flakes, granules, small pellets and frozen foods |
| Best position | Lower and middle levels, especially around caves, roots and planted cover |
The supplier catalogue calls this fish Pelvicachromis / super red. That is a trade colour label, not a separate scientific species. The species behind the listing is Pelvicachromis pulcher, the kribensis cichlid. Keeping both the trade label and the Latin name visible helps customers match the supplier name, common hobby name and care information without overloading the name.
Older sources and shop labels may also use krib, kribensis, rainbow krib or the older synonym Pelmatochromis pulcher. For care purposes these all point to the same practical message: a small West African cichlid that likes cover, forms pairs, spawns in caves and becomes more assertive when protecting eggs or fry.
A good Super Red Kribensis gives a lot of visual effect for a modest-sized fish. The belly can become red, pink or purple-red, the body usually carries a dark side stripe, and the fins can show yellow, orange, blue, purple or black edging depending on sex, maturity, mood and lighting. Females usually carry the strongest belly colour, especially when courting or guarding a cave. Males are normally larger, longer and more extended through the dorsal and anal fins.
Colour improves when the fish is settled. Darker substrate, wood, leaf-style shade, plants and caves help the colours stand out and make the fish feel secure. In a bare bright tank, kribensis often look flatter and behave more nervously. In a planted or wood-and-cave layout, they patrol, display, inspect hiding places and interact with the lower part of the aquarium in the way cichlid keepers enjoy.
FishBase records Pelvicachromis pulcher from eastern Benin, southern Nigeria and western Cameroon, with freshwater and some brackish-associated records. It also records pH 5.0-8.0, dH 5-19, a tropical reference of 24-25C and a maximum size of 11 cm total length. Maidenhead Aquatics' Fishkeeper profile gives a practical aquarium range of 24-28C, pH 5-8 and hardness up to 20 dH.
Those ranges explain why kribensis are forgiving compared with many specialist dwarf cichlids. They are not a licence to keep them in unstable water. Aim for mature filtration, zero ammonia and nitrite, steady temperature and regular water changes. Stability is more important than trying to force the water into a narrow number copied from a single locality.
Build the aquarium around shelter. Kribensis need caves, shaded areas and visual boundaries, especially if you keep a pair or a community. Coconut caves, smooth rock caves, small ceramic caves, driftwood arches and dense plant groups all help divide the lower aquarium into territories. A dark sand or fine gravel substrate is ideal because the fish may dig around a chosen spawning site.
For a single pair in a species-style setup, an 80 cm aquarium is a sensible minimum target. For a community, 3ft or longer is better because tank mates need space to move away from cave defence. A mature planted community with peaceful, active midwater fish can work well, but a cramped tank with bottom dwellers competing for the same caves can become stressful quickly.
Use a secure lid, steady heater and good biological filtration. Keep flow moderate rather than blasting the cave entrances. Leave open swimming room at the front, but keep the rear and corners structured enough that the fish can disappear from view. That balance gives you better behaviour and reduces chasing.
The listing uses 24-28C because that matches common aquarium guidance and the source-backed UK care profile. A steady 25-26C suits most home setups. FishBase records a broad pH range of 5.0-8.0 and dH 5-19; Fishkeeper gives pH 5-8 and hardness up to 20 dH. In normal UK tap-water aquariums, avoid sudden pH changes and focus on consistency.
If your water is very hard and alkaline, use gradual acclimation and avoid chasing soft-water breeding conditions unless you know exactly what you are doing. If your water is very soft, keep the tank buffered enough that pH does not swing. The fish is adaptable, but eggs, fry and stressed new arrivals are less forgiving than settled adults.
Super Red Kribensis are omnivores. FishBase records adults feeding on worms, crustaceans and insects, and Nigerian observations also include diatoms, algae, higher plants and detritus. In the aquarium, use a varied diet: quality flake, small granules, slow-sinking pellets, frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm, mosquito larvae and occasional vegetable or spirulina-based foods.
Small varied meals are better than heavy feeding. These fish feed actively and can become greedy, but uneaten food trapped near caves will quickly damage water quality. A varied diet supports colour, condition and immune strength without needing exaggerated colour-boost claims.
Kribensis are often calmer than many cichlids, but they are still cichlids. Outside breeding, they usually spend time around the lower and middle aquarium, inspecting cover and displaying. When a pair claims a cave, their behaviour changes. They may defend a small territory, chase fish away from the entrance and become especially protective once eggs or fry are present.
Good tank mates are peaceful but active fish that use the middle or upper water, such as robust tetras, rasboras, pencilfish or small barbs that are not slow and long-finned. Avoid tiny fry-sized fish, dwarf shrimp, delicate long-finned fish, aggressive cichlids in cramped tanks and bottom dwellers that will constantly enter the kribensis cave area. If you keep Corydoras or small plecos, use a larger tank with more caves than you think you need.
Pelvicachromis pulcher is famous for pair bonding and cave spawning. FishBase describes pair bonding, cave spawning and substrate brooding, while Fishkeeper notes that kribensis form monogamous pairs and use small caves. A ready female often intensifies her belly colour and displays near the chosen cave. Eggs are usually placed inside the cave, and both parents may guard the area.
This behaviour is one of the best reasons to keep kribensis, but it is also the point where community problems usually begin. A breeding pair can turn a peaceful tank into a defended nursery. If breeding is your aim, give the pair a dedicated or semi-dedicated setup with several caves and calm maintenance. If breeding is not your aim, still plan for cave defence because the fish may spawn without much encouragement.
A healthy kribensis should be alert, balanced and interested in its surroundings. Stress signs include clamped fins, faded colour, heavy breathing, hiding constantly, refusal to feed or being pinned in a corner by tank mates. Most early problems come from transport stress, immature filtration, poor acclimation, unsuitable tank mates or a layout with no secure cover.
On arrival, dim the lights and acclimate patiently. Avoid heavy feeding on the first day. Let the fish find cover and settle before judging colour. The Live Arrival Guarantee applies to eligible livestock orders when the delivery, receiving and acclimation instructions are followed, so make sure someone is available to receive the fish promptly.
Choose Super Red Kribensis if you want a colourful West African dwarf cichlid with more personality than a passive community fish. It suits planted community keepers, beginner cichlid keepers with a mature tank, and anyone who enjoys watching pair behaviour. It is not the right choice for a shrimp-safe nano tank, a bare display with no caves, or a community filled with slow delicate fish.
Before ordering, check that the aquarium is cycled, heated, covered and furnished with at least one proper cave. If you are buying the 4-5 cm variant, remember the fish is still growing and may not show full adult colour immediately. Good food, steady water and a secure territory bring out the best display.
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