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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Lugubris pike cichlid
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Lugubris pike cichlid

Lugubria lugubris · Crenicichla lugubris, Lugubris pike, Pike cichlid lugubris

Aggressive ambush predator; keep with fish too large to swallow.

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40 cmBody length, without tail ✓
27–29 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–6.5pH ✓
972 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Lugubris pike cichlid eats animals up to about 15 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • They need different temperatures (27–29 °C vs 21–25 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Lugubris pike cichlid eats animals up to about 15 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Lugubris pike cichlid eats animals up to about 15 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 27–28 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 27 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 27–28 °C.
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.5.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

16 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 ✓0–15 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ✓Aggressive
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ✓Hard
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 6–10 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Aggressive ambush predator; keep with fish too large to swallow.

  • cave
  • wood

Food

Fish pieces, prawns, earthworms.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males have a white stripe on the dorsal fin; females are more colourful.

Health

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

Breeding

Cave spawner (pair) ·

Rarely bred in captivity. Believed to be a cave spawner with excellent parental care, but pairs are hard to form because males grow increasingly aggressive and often kill prospective mates.

Pairing

Raise 6 juveniles together and let a pair form, then remove the rest or provide a very large tank.

Setup

A 450 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, flat stones, clay caves or flowerpots, and a sand bed.

What starts it

Strong conditioning on frozen and live food plus a large water change with slightly warmer water.

Eggs

100-300 eggs

Raising the fry

Both parents guard the brood; feed fry newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed flake.

Common mistakes
  • A tank too small for the pair's territory
  • Tankmates the pair will chase
  • Removing the parents too early
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionNorthern South America – Orinoco & Rio Negro
Rivers and lakesOrinoco, Rio Negro and Guianas
HabitatRivers and flooded forests
Native rangeAbout 1,000 km across
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The story of the lugubris pike cichlid

A large pike cichlid from rivers of Suriname, Guyana and Brazil (Guiana Shield and Amazon). Colourful when small, it grows quickly into a large, aggressive adult.

Heckel described this pike cichlid in 1840. It is one of the largest Crenicichla, reaching around 40 cm, and an active hunter of fish. It is kept mainly by enthusiasts with very large aquariums.

First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1840.

  • It is one of the largest pike cichlids.
  • It is an active hunter of fish.
  • It prefers soft, acidic water.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources