1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Aggressive and territorial; keep in a very large tank with big, robust tank-mates.
10 species in our list are a good match.
Aggressive and territorial; keep in a very large tank with big, robust tank-mates.
Cichlid pellets, vegetables and frozen foods.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Substrate spawner (biparental guarders) · Hard
Pair-bonding open-substrate spawner; both parents guard the young and defend very large territories, and they may spawn year-round.
Buy 6 juveniles, grow them together and let a pair form; the pair will need a large dedicated tank.
500+ L tank with a sand floor, big stones or caves and wood, strong filtration and no small tank-mates.
Large water changes, varied protein foods and a pair that has settled in; they clean a flat rock or cave for spawning.
200-1000 eggs on a stone or cave roof, hatching in 3-4 days.
Parents guard eggs and fry for several weeks. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp, crushed flake and chopped worms; fry grow quickly.
A large, boldly barred cichlid from rocky coastal rivers of West Africa (Guinea-Bissau to Liberia). It leans towards a plant diet and defends very large territories.
Dutch zoologist Hubrecht described this fish in 1881, honouring Johann Büttikofer. Its bold black-and-white bars make it unmistakable. It grows large and is known for its strong territorial behaviour.
First described by Ambrosius A. W. Hubrecht in 1881. Named for Named after Swiss zoologist Johann Büttikofer, who collected in Liberia.
11 facts checked with sources
Spelling only: FishBase (preferred for taxonomy) uses 'buettikoferi' (the original 'büttikoferi' umlaut rendered as 'ue'); 'buttikoferi' is the common trade spelling. Long sold as Tilapia buttikoferi; now in Heterotilapia. Catalog of Fishes not checked.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summary · Smithsonian NEMESIS (Chesapeake Bay introduced species): Heterotilapia buttikoferiLegacy has no family; value is new.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summarySL. Legacy 35 cm could be a total length; no TL figure found.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryFishBase only; legacy 22-27. Seriously Fish could not be read (fetch error); FishBase is the only husbandry source.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryFishBase only; legacy 6.5-8. Seriously Fish could not be read (fetch error); FishBase is the only husbandry source.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryFishBase gives only a lower bound (dH 15); no full range.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryPair-bonding is sourced, but no keeping recommendation was found.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryFishBase notes very large defended territories; supports legacy 'aggressive' in substance.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryLegacy has no range field (story says West Africa, which agrees; legacy business data's 'Congo/Nigeria wild exports' is outside the range).
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summary · Smithsonian NEMESIS (Chesapeake Bay introduced species): Heterotilapia buttikoferiLegacy 'substrate spawner; pairs guard eggs' agrees; 'in a pit' not checked.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summaryLegacy story verified. NEMESIS: possession is banned in Florida; an aquarium release was caught in Virginia in 2000.
FishBase: Heterotilapia buettikoferi summary · Smithsonian NEMESIS (Chesapeake Bay introduced species): Heterotilapia buttikoferi