Since a long time we received again a Congo import. Beside many other interesting fishes and novelties also the good old acquaintance Nanochromis parilus was among them. These beautiful, assertive dwarf cichlids are very common in the region around the capital Kinshasa. It is astonishing that they were described by science only in 1976. In the hobby they have been known since 1952, however they were initially misidentified as Nanochromis nudiceps (which is a different species).
Nanochromis parilus are river-dwellers, but not rapids cichlids, preferring calmer sections. With a maximum of 8 cm (male) the species remains handy, females even stay smaller. They can be recognized by the broad white band in the dorsal fin. This species is a cavity breeder, with the female caring for the clutch and the newly hatched young, and the male defending the territory. When the young are larger, both parents lead the young.
Care is similar to the closely related Pelvicachromis, but keep in mind that breeding animals can be quite aggressive.
for our customers: the animals have code 554594 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
