Common Name Haplochromis Venustus

Scientific Name Haplochromis venustus

Family Cichlidae

Community African

Class African

Temperature 78ºF

Swimming Range Middle-Bottom

Adult Length 10 inches

Feeding Habits Fresh spinach. peas. lettuce and zucchini. Live blood worms, crickets, brine shrimp, mealworms, glass worms and tubifex worms. Frozen vegetable diet, beef heart, hi-pro, daphnia, glass worms, blood worms, plankton, brine shrimp and glass worms. Freeze dried and tablet foods also accepted.

Compatibility An aggressive territorial species that is very intolerant of their own kind. Mixes well with other similar sized africans, but aggressive with other fish. Synodontis Catfish are great for bottom feeder.

Habitat Lake Malawi Africa: Moderately decorate with rocks, clay pots and driftwood. Live plants are should be in pots. Breeding The males have a bright blue head and face with a yellow and brown coloration to their body pattern. The female has a tan and brown body coloration. They are mouthbrooders that can produce up to 120 eggs during spawning.

Additional Comments Vegetation is extremely important in the diet of this species, without it they will lack body colors, become deformed and die a premature death. Often confused with the Polystigma, but each has their own distinct body pattern.