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Benthochromis tricoti

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Benthochromis tricoti is a species of fish in the cichlid family.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Benthochromis tricoti — Photo: The original uploader was MidgleyDJ at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: The original uploader was MidgleyDJ at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 6.5 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.5 in / 16.5 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 73–77°F (range recorded for this species).
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 59 × 24 in (roughly 143 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “It swims in open water, mostly in the upper half of the tank, and doesn't use rocks or caves the way many Tanganyikan cichlids do.”
Diet: “In the lake it feeds on zooplankton, mainly small crustaceans (Konings, 1988).”
Tankmates: “Peaceful, and easily stressed by boisterous tankmates such as Tropheus or the Malawian mbuna.”
Breeding: “A maternal mouthbrooder (Takahashi, 2008).”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Tanganyika cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rocky reefs, shell beds and sand of Lake Tanganyika. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Use species-specific alkaline-water parameters and stable, well-oxygenated conditions. For N. multifasciatus, Seriously Fish gives pH 7.5–9.0 and general hardness 8–25 dGH.
Shell-dwellers need beds of empty snail shells; rock-dwellers like Julidochromis need stacked rockwork; Tropheus need large groups and spacious tanks.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Climate & lighting

Water

76–81°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Diet

Tropheus moorii needs a vegetable-based staple with small suitable live/frozen supplements. Other Tanganyikans need their own feeding plan; shell-dweller and predator diets differ.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Social life

Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Health watch

Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa and lives at depths of up to 100 m (330 ft). It feeds on small crustaceans and plankton.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Benthochromis tricoti” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Feeds on small crustaceans as well as plankton.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 73–77 °F (23–25 °C).
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: external brooders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 73–77 °F.

FishBase species summary: Benthochromis tricoti

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 86°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 63°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	66–79°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	57–72% on average (driest month about 57%)
Rainfall	about 1007 mm a year

Measured at 13 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Benthochromis tricoti is a species of fish in the cichlid family. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika in Africa and lives at depths of up to 100 m. It feeds on small crustaceans and plankton. It reaches a maximum length of 16.5 cm. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Biology	Feeds on small crustaceans as well as plankton. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.5in

FishBase 1646.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.5

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources74–79°F

FishBase 16473–77

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–81

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7.5–9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–9

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported59in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16759

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 24 in (about 143 US gallons).

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Neolamprologus multifasciatus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish — Tropheus moorii Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.