The Venustus Cichlid or Nimbochromis venustus is a fairly aggressive freshwater cichlid with a blue face and yellow marks on its head and dorsal fin. The female Venustus Cichlid has a bit less coloration then the male and is more silver.These fish can grow quite large, almost 10" in maximum length so if you are going to house this fish in an aquarium you should have a tank at least 85 gallons. Like most other Cichlids they like lots of hiding spots as well. An aquarium with a sandy aragonite based substrate is recommended as this helps to maintain the high PH and alkalinity that this cichlids require. Water temperatures of 76-82° F and a PH level of 7.8-8.6 is also recommended for these fish.
As you can tell these fish are not the easiest to take care for, they are sensitive to different water conditions so be sure to change the water regularly if you plan on keeping one of these Venustus Cichlid as a pet. Also known as the Giraffe Cichlid this fish can last for over 10 years so make sure you are ready for that kind of commitment as well.
These fish are Mouth Brooders which means that when they spawn the female will keep the eggs inside her mouth until they are hatched. This process normally takes about 3 weeks time. Watch out males of this species can become very aggressive during the spawning season. Make sure to have more females in a tank then males if keeping multiple Venustus Cichlid together.
This fish should be fed a variety of things including bloodworms, small fish, flake and pellet foods and brine shrimp. This fish is an ambush predator, in the wild it will rest itself on the sandy bottom and wait motionless for its prey to swim by. Then with a burst of speed it attacks and makes a meal for itself.
If you have any tips or questions about how to care for your Venustus Cichlid please leave them below in the comments.
