Salvini cichlid care
Trichromis salvini · Atlantic-slope rivers of southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala
The salvini is a small Central American cichlid with a big temper: bright yellow with two rows of black blotches and a red belly, brightest on the female.
- Tank size
- 40 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 81 °F (22 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 5.9 in
- pH
- 7 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 13 years
- Diet
- Carnivore-leaning omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 40 gallon breeder
36 3/16 × 18¼ × 16 15/16 in outsideHow to keep Salvini cichlids
The salvini is a small Central American cichlid with a big temper: bright yellow with two rows of black blotches and a red belly, brightest on the female. One, or a pair, needs a 40 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 81 °F with rocks and wood to claim and open water to swim, and tankmates big and tough enough to stand up to it. It comes from flowing rivers, so it likes a good current and clean water.
Diet: Carnivore-leaning omnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and mysis. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Salvini cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Every likely tankmate in our list comes with a caution for Salvini cichlids. Smaller fish are bullied or eaten, so these all grow to 4 in or more. They can share a large tank if you watch them closely:
Giant danio: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with giant danios.
Three-spot (blue) gourami: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with three-spot (blue) gouramis.
Firemouth cichlid: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with firemouth cichlids.
Rainbow shark: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with rainbow sharks.
Red-tail shark: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with red-tail sharks.
Jewel cichlid: Salvini cichlids and jewel cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Peacock cichlid: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with peacock cichlids.
Flying fox: Salvini cichlids are aggressive and may fight with flying foxes.
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Salvini cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as neon tetras.
Cardinal tetra: Adult Salvini cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Salvini cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as black neon tetras.
Green neon tetra: Adult Salvini cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult Salvini cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Salvini cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as glowlight tetras.
What a Salvini cichlid tank needs
A tank of 40 US gallons or more (such as the 40 gallon breeder) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Fluval U3
Rated by the maker for up to 40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon Salvini cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Hang-on-back Canister Filter 7W
Rated by the maker for 20–40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon Salvini cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 200W
Salvini cichlids need 72 to 81 °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 Salvini cichlids.
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 72 to 81 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 40 gallon tank · Heaters for a 40 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 Salvini cichlid problems
- It is quite aggressive towards other fish, more than towards its own kind; peaceful community fish are bullied or eaten.
- A breeding pair claims most of the tank; give the others places to hide or move them out.
- Small fish are hunted: it is a fish-eater in the wild.
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, adult size and temperature checked against Wikipedia: Trichromis salvini. 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.
- Salvini cichlid Banteo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Firemouth cichlid H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow shark MerlinSenger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail shark Astellar87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock cichlid Xav84800, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Flying fox Mirko Hartig, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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