Kribensis care
Pelvicachromis pulcher · Coastal rivers of Nigeria and Cameroon
Kribensis are hardy, colorful dwarf cichlids for a 29 gallon or larger tank with caves at 75 to 80 °F.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 80 °F (24 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 4 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep kribensis
Kribensis are hardy, colorful dwarf cichlids for a 29 gallon or larger tank with caves at 75 to 80 °F. A pair breeds readily and guards a cloud of fry; outside breeding they get on with fast schooling fish.
Diet: Omnivore: pellets, flakes, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Kribensis tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Upside-down catfish
4 in · 29+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keyhole cichlid
4 in · 30+ gal · 72–80 °F
Golden wonder killifish
4 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Banded gourami
4 in · 30+ gal · 72–82 °F
Pearl gourami
4.5 in · 29+ gal · 77–82 °F
Dwarf gourami
3.5 in · 10+ gal · 77–82 °F
Paradise fish
3.5 in · 20+ gal · 61–79 °F
Five-banded barb
3.5 in · 29+ gal · 74–84 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: kribensis need 75 to 80 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Discus: No shared temperature: kribensis need 75 to 80 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: No shared temperature: kribensis need 75 to 80 °F, fancy goldfish 64 to 74 °F.
Cherry shrimp: Kribensis eat shrimp.
Amano shrimp: Kribensis eat shrimp.
What a kribensis tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon kribensis tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon kribensis tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro 100W
Kribensis need 75 to 80 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding kribensis.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 80 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 29 gallon tank · Heaters for a 29 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common kribensis problems
- A breeding pair chases everything away from the cave; give the tank enough room and line of sight breaks.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Pelvicachromis pulcher. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Kribensis André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Upside-down catfish John P. Friel Ph.D., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Keyhole cichlid D.W., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Golden wonder killifish Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Banded gourami Sandipan Das, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Paradise fish André Karwath; edited by Muhammad, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Five-banded barb NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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