Brichardi Cichlid

About

Found exclusively in Lake Tanganyika, this endemic cichlid, Chalinochromis brichardi, makes its home among the rocky rubble zones that line the lake's shores. It picks through the biocover growing on rocks to find the small invertebrates that make up its diet. A foraging lifestyle that shapes much of its personality in the aquarium. Unlike its close relative C. cyanophleps, this species tends to be noticeably bolder and less inclined to hide, which makes it considerably more rewarding to watch in a well-set-up rocky display. In the aquarium it does best with plenty of rockwork that mimics its natural habitat, giving it surfaces to investigate and territory to claim. It breeds on or near the rubble, so pairs that are comfortable in their environment may spawn without much encouragement. Given its modest adult size, a 35-gallon tank is workable for a pair, though a larger footprint gives the inevitable territorial posturing somewhere to go. Care requirements are straightforward enough that this species is accessible to newer keepers who are comfortable with the hard, alkaline water conditions typical of Tanganyika setups. It is a solid entry point into the world of rift lake cichlids.