Venustus cichlid care
Nimbochromis venustus · Deeper sandy areas of Lake Malawi, 6 to 23 m down
The venustus is a Lake Malawi hunter with a yellow body patched in brown like a giraffe; adult males grow a blue face.
- Tank size
- 125 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 76 to 82 °F (24 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 3 or more
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 9.8 in (in the wild; usually under 9 in)
- pH
- 7.5 to 8.6
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 125 gallon
72½ × 18½ × 23⅛ in outsideHow to keep venustus cichlids
The venustus is a Lake Malawi hunter with a yellow body patched in brown like a giraffe; adult males grow a blue face. In the lake it lies still on the sand, waiting, then strikes at small fish that come too close, and it will do the same in your tank. Keep one male with two or more females in a 125 gallon or larger tank of hard, alkaline water, with peacocks and other haps too big to swallow.
Diet: Carnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen krill, mysis and shrimp. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Venustus 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.
Yellow lab cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–82 °F
Acei cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 74–82 °F
Electric blue hap
4.5 in · 75+ gal · 76–82 °F
Rusty cichlid
4.3 in · 40+ gal · 75–79 °F
Peacock cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 75–82 °F
Saulosi cichlid
3.4 in · 40+ gal · 76–82 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult venustus cichlids eat fish under about 3 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a venustus cichlid tank needs
A tank of 125 US gallons or more (such as the 125 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 400
Rated by the maker for 100–150 US gal, which covers a 125 gallon venustus cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
EHEIM professionel 4+ 600 (2275)
Rated by the maker for 63–158 US gal, which covers a 125 gallon venustus cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
EHEIM thermocontrol 250
Venustus cichlids need 76 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature. Aqueon’s chart gives two 200 W heaters for a 125 gallon tank, and a second heater is worth having here: if one fails, the other keeps the water from going cold. Two Aqueon Pro 200 heaters, each rated by Aqueon for up to 75 gallons, make that pair. Heating a big tank.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding venustus 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 76 to 82 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common venustus cichlid problems
- Small fish, including young mbuna, are eaten.
- Two males in one tank fight; keep one.
- It needs open sand to lie on; a tank packed with rockwork leaves it no room.
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: Nimbochromis venustus. 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.
- Venustus cichlid Mike Peel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue hap The Evil Spartan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rusty cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock cichlid Xav84800, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saulosi cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, 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
- Blue dolphin cichlid Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bumblebee cichlid Nicolas COUTHOUIS, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
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