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No federal permit to keep

Lionhead cichlid

Steatocranus casuarius

Also known as Lionhead, Lumphead

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

The lionhead cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius), also known as African blockhead, buffalohead, humphead cichlid, lionhead or lumphead is a species of rheophilic cichlid native to Pool Malebo and the Congo River.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Easy

Lionhead cichlid — Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Opn~commonswiki assumed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Opn~commonswiki assumed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 4.7 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.9 in / 10 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–82°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6–8.
Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.

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 30 × 12 in (roughly 18 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 75–82 °F, pH 6–7.5, 2–15 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament territorial; in a pair.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “A substrate of sand is best as the fish like to dig, often creating a network of caves and tunnels under the tank decor.”
Diet: “It will accept dried pellets or flakes, but these should be supplemented with regular feedings of live and frozen foods such as bloodworm and brineshrimp.”
Tankmates: “A territorial species that can be combined with other species requiring similar conditions.”

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

Group care guide

West, Central and southern African river cichlids and tilapias

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: African rivers, streams and lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Kribensis and other dwarf West Africans do well in planted 20–30 gallon tanks with caves and neutral water.
Tilapias and Serranochromis grow large and are often kept in ponds or for aquaculture.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous pellets plus frozen foods; tilapias need plant matter.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Several tilapias are invasive and regulated by many states; never release.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It uses caves for spawning. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Lionhead cichlid” (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. Stays near the bottom. Rheophilic; feeds primarily on algae; pair-bonding, cave spawning species.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–82 °F (24–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: nesters.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–82 °F.

FishBase species summary: Steatocranus casuarius

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 64°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	75–77°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	77–77% on average (driest month about 74%)
Rainfall	about 1287 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 9 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	The lionhead cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius), also known as African blockhead, buffalohead, humphead cichlid, lionhead or lumphead is a species of rheophilic cichlid native to Pool Malebo and the Congo River. It uses caves for spawning. This species can reach a length of 10 cm TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade. — 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	Rheophilic; feeds primarily on algae; pair-bonding, cave spawning species. Aquarium keeping: in pairs; minimum aquarium size 80 cm. — 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 sources4.3in

FishBase 1643.9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1674.7

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

Water temperature

Average of sources75–82°F

FishBase 16475–82

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–82

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

pH

Average of sources6–7.8

FishBase 1646–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–7.5

Water hardness

Average of sources3.5–17dGH

FishBase 1645–19

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672–15

Minimum tank footprint

Reported30in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16730

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 30 × 12 in (about 18 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
3 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

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.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.