TankMatesTankMates
Sign in
Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Johanna's pike cichlid
★New · no ratings yetPicture coming

Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Johanna's pike cichlid

Lugubria johanna · Crenicichla johanna, Johanna pike, Giant pike cichlid

Aggressive predator; keep alone or with similar-sized fish.

Local price coming soon
· real AED shop prices, never conversions
30 cmBody length, without tail ✓
23–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7pH ✓
648 LSmallest tank ✓
Add to my tankCompare
Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Johanna's pike cichlid eats animals up to about 18 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Johanna's pike cichlid eats animals up to about 18 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Johanna's pike cichlid eats animals up to about 18 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like frontosa need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (6–7 vs 8–9). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

62 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓0–20 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ✓Aggressive
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 6–10 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Aggressive predator; keep alone or with similar-sized fish. Eats small fish.

  • cave
  • wood

Food

Large frozen fish, prawns and earthworms.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

The male is larger and usually more prominently marked; females are more colourful.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Not yet bred in the hobby (Seriously Fish). The legacy 'cave spawner' description is unconfirmed for this species.

Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAmazon basin
Rivers and lakesAmazon tributaries in Brazil, Peru and Colombia
HabitatRivers and flooded forests
Native rangeAbout 1,500 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the johanna's pike cichlid

One of the larger pike cichlids, found across the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the Guianas. It is mainly a fish-eater: wild stomach contents were mostly fish, plus some aquatic invertebrates.

Heckel described this pike cichlid in 1840 from the Amazon. It is one of the bigger pike cichlids, growing to around 40 cm. Juveniles look quite different from adults, which has caused confusion in the trade.

First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1840.

  • It is one of the larger pike cichlids, reaching about 40 cm.
  • Young fish look quite different from adults.
  • It hunts small fish from cover.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources