Tips on Keeping and Feeding Purple Cichlids
The purple cichlid is native to West Africa and is a member of the cichlid family. It is also known as the rainbow krib and is one of the most popular aquarium fish due to its attractive appearance and low demands.
Purple Cichlid Profile
- Scientific name: Pelvicachromis pulcher
- Origin: western Africa
- Size: up to 11 cm (4.3 inches)
- Life span: up to 9 years
- Aquarium minimum size: 100 cm (40 inches) length
- Recommended water temperature: 24 - 28 °C (75.2 – 82.4 °F)
- Diet: omnivorous
Characteristics of the Purple Cichlid
The purple cichlid reaches a length of about 11 centimetres. However, females remain significantly smaller and usually grow to no more than about 8 centimetres (3 inches) long. Apart from that, the two sexes can be easily distinguished by the fact that females have a yellow band on their dorsal fin and males have a dark spot on their gill covers.
The colour of the scales can significantly vary in purple cichlids. In some specimens, a noticeable dark band extends across the body, while in others this is completely absent. There are also purple cichlids whose belly has a different colour such as olive green or pink. Some animals also have partially yellow-coloured tail fins or an intense red colour that extends over the entire lower half of their body.
Life Expectancy of the Purple Cichlid
If kept in good conditions, the life expectancy of the purple cichlid is around nine years.
Origin of the Purple Cichlid
The purple cichlid originally comes from western Africa, where it lives in West Cameroon, East Benin and Nigeria in flowing and standing waters that have soft and acidic water.
Keeping Purple Cichlids
The purple cichlid is an ornamental fish that is relatively easy to keep, but which requires sufficient space. The aquarium should therefore have the length of at least 100 centimetres. If more than one pair is to be kept in it, it must be significantly larger.
Purple cichlids require a water temperature between 24 and 28 ° C and a pH level between 5 and 7.5.
Setting up a Fish Tank for Purple Cichlids
In addition to the aquarium being large enough, it is important for the purple cichlid that there are suitable hiding places available. Roots or flower pots with a hole on the side are ideal for this purpose. The tank should be planted in a way so that there is still sufficient space for swimming. A mixture of some peat and dark gravel is ideal as a substrate.
Socialising Purple Cichlids
Purple cichlids live monogamously. Hence, it is important to keep them in pairs. In contrast to many other fish species, it is not advisable to keep several females together with one male. It would not take long until a steady pair has formed, which then chases the other females and causes considerable stress for them.
Keeping several pairs is usually not a problem. However, in this case it is essential that the aquarium offers the animals plenty of space to avoid territorial disputes.
The purple cichlid is usually peaceful towards other fish. For example, small barbels, platys or African tetras can be considered for socialisation. Small species of catfish, on the other hand, are only suitable to a limited extent, as they are quite often ousted by the purple cichlid.
Breeding Purple Cichlids
The purple cichlid is a so-called cave breeder. This means that the eggs are laid in a protected cave. In the aquarium, for example, an upside-down flower pot with a hole on the side is suitable for this purpose.
The female is particularly active during courtship. It arches its body and prances around in front of the male purple cichlid. It turns its body red-purple. After laying
eggs, the female takes care of them and the male fish guards and defends the common territory.
It takes about three days for the fish larvae to hatch and then another six days for them to swim freely. The young animals are always accompanied and protected by at least one parent for the first three or four weeks. The small purple cichlids are initially fed with infusoria. After a while you can switch to artemia larvae.
Purple Cichlid Diseases
Although purple cichlids are considered frugal and robust compared to many other ornamental fish, diseases can of course never be completely avoided. Poor housing conditions and inadequate feeding in particular can significantly increase the risk of disease.
The purple cichlid can suffer amongst others from fin rot, velvet disease and ascites. In addition, fungal and parasite infections are also potential health problems that aquarists should keep an eye on.
Purple Cichlid Diet
The purple cichlid prefers to stay at the bottom of the aquarium. This is where it usually takes its food. It eats both animal and vegetable food in tablet and
granulated form. Flake food, on the other hand, is often not or only poorly accepted.
For a change in the menu, you can occasionally offer frozen and live food or some vegetables. Purple cichlids sometimes also nibble on aquatic plants and algae.
Aquaris Fish Food for Purple Cichlids
When feeding a high-quality fish food that provides all essential nutrients, you make a decisive contribution to the health and vitality of your purple cichlid. The Aquaris range includes Aquaris Tropical Granulate fish food, which is ideal for the appropriate supply of smaller species of cichlids with all essential nutrients.
Aquaris food impresses with carefully selected raw materials and recipes that are perfectly tailored to the needs of the respective fish. In addition, it is easy to digest, so that the quality of the aquarium water is not unnecessarily impaired by the excretions of your purple cichlid.