Caring for African Butterfly Cichlids

The African butterfly cichlid (Anomalochromis thomasi) is a member of the Cichlid fish family, one of the largest vertebrate families in the world. Like most in its family, the African butterfly cichlid is a tropical fish in its native environment and must have similar feeding and living conditions for survival in captivity. An African butterfly cichlid coexists peacefully with other fish close to its own size.

  1. Feeding

    • When eating in captivity, African butterfly cichlids prefer much of the same foods they receive while in the wild. Feed your pet live insects and crustaceans, including shrimp and crayfish. African butterfly cichlids also dine on insect larvae, pellets and fish flakes. A nutritious diet is important for young African butterfly cichlids, which mature into adults in approximately six months. Give your fish two to three small meals per day, rather than one large meal.

    Breeding

    • Provide your fish with some flat stones for the female to lay her eggs. A female African butterfly cichlid cleans and swims near the aquarium's flat stones when she is ready to breed. If several male African butterfly cichlids are in the aquarium, the female only chooses one of the males to be her breeding partner. Breeding occurs in the flat stone's proximity. Some females lay up to 200 eggs. After breeding, the new fish's parents defend their young from other fish in the aquarium.

    Living Conditions

    • When looking for tank sizes, remember that mature African butterfly cichlids grow up to 3 inches. The size must allow the fish to have room for sleeping, eating and exercise. A sufficient amount of water for an African butterfly cichlid aquarium is 19 to 26 gallons. African butterfly cichlids swim in warm waters in their native habitat and must have similar water conditions in captivity for survival. Keep the water temperatures between 77 to 82 degrees. Fill the tank with plants, stones and objects to serve as hiding places.

    Native Habitat

    • The African butterfly cichlid's native environment is small streams in West African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. In the wild, African butterfly cichlids swim in oxygen-rich waters along with other cichlid fish species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List places African butterfly cichlids as a Least Concern species, meaning it is not in any immediate danger of extinction. However, fish in West African countries fall victim to overfishing, water degradation and urbanization, which could affect African butterfly cichlid populations if left unchecked. Sierra Leone's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is one of several environmental programs in place among West Africa's nations.