Calvus cichlid
Altolamprologus calvus
- Tank length
- 39 cm15 in
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 24–27 °C75–81 °F
- pH
- 7.6–9
- Adult size
- 13 cm5 in
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
Slow-growing ambush hunter that eats fry and small fish; needs hard alkaline water and rockwork with narrow crevices and shells.Slow-growing ambush hunter that eats fry and small fish; needs hard alkaline water and rockwork with narrow crevices and shells.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
Amano shrimpCalvus cichlid may eat Amano shrimpCalvus cichlid may eat Amano shrimp
Assassin snailCalvus cichlid may eat Assassin snailCalvus cichlid may eat Assassin snail
- Banded gourami
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bandit cory
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Black kuhli loach
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Black neon tetraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Black phantom tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blackline rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bleeding heart tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blind cave tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bloodfin tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue acara
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 24–27 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.6–9 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 10–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Southwestern Lake Tanganyika | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 36 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |