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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Lionhead cichlid
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Variations

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Lionhead cichlid

Steatocranus casuarius · Lionhead, Blockhead cichlid, Steatocranus casuarius, Congo blockhead

Territorial but less aggressive than many cichlids; keep a pair in a tank with plenty of caves and current.

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10 cmAdult size ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
68 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Lionhead cichlid is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lionhead cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Lionhead cichlid only grows to 10 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lionhead cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (24–28 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lionhead cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like lionhead cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like lionhead cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

70 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 ✓2–15 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–7 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Territorial but less aggressive than many cichlids; keep a pair in a tank with plenty of caves and current.

  • cave
  • current

Food

Frozen foods and cichlid pellets.

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Male or female

The male is larger and develops a bigger forehead (nuchal) hump than the female.

Health

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

Breeding

Cave spawner (pair bond) · Moderate

Monogamous cave spawner; eggs are laid on the wall or roof of a cave and the pair guards the brood for up to 3 months. Needs strong current; feeds mainly on algae in the wild.

Pairing

Buy a group of 6 and let a pair form, or buy a proven pair; keep a pair per tank to avoid fights.

Setup

100-150 L tank with rock piles creating narrow caves and slits, soft to neutral water and strong flow, like the Congo rapids it comes from and strong filtration.

What starts it

Stable pair bond, good conditioning and a cave that fits the female.

Eggs

20-150 eggs laid on the cave wall or roof; they hatch in about 5-7 days and the fry swim freely at 11-14 days.

Raising the fry

Fry hide in the cave and become free swimming after a week. Feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp; parents tolerate and often protect them.

Common mistakes
  • Mixing several pairs in a small tank
  • Giving caves that are too big
  • Using soft water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionCentral Africa – lower Congo River
Rivers and lakesLower Congo River rapids, from Malebo Pool towards Matadi
HabitatFast-flowing rapids among rocks
Native rangeAbout 250 km across
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The story of the lionhead cichlid

A bottom-dwelling cichlid from the rapids of the lower Congo River; males grow a large forehead hump, which gives it trade names like lionhead, humphead and buffalohead.

Max Poll described this rapids cichlid in 1939. It lives in some of the most violent rapids in the world. Adult males develop a large fatty hump on the head.

First described by Max Poll in 1939. Named for Casuarius refers to the cassowary, a bird with a helmet-like head crest.

  • It has a reduced swim bladder and hops along the bottom.
  • Males develop a large forehead hump like a lion's head.
  • Pairs breed in caves and stay together.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources