Christmas fulu
Xystichromis phytophagus
moderatesemi aggressivemiddle swimmerCichlidae
- Adult size
- 10 cm4 in
- Start with
- 1
- Tank length
- 40 cm16 in
- Lifespan
- 6–10 yrs
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C75–82 °F
- pH
- 7.6–9
- Hardness
- 8–30 dGH
- Diet
- herbivore
Keep one male with several females in a rocky tank; it grazes greens and will eat soft plants.Keep one male with several females in a rocky tank; it grazes greens and will eat soft plants.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- 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
- Blue emperor tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue lyretail
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Sources
| temperature | 24–28 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 7.6–9 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| gh | 8–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Lake Victoria basin, East Africa | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Keep one male with several females in a rocky tank; it grazes greens and will ea | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| beginner friendly | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| color palette | #C83020, #E8C040, #3A5A3A | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| swim zone | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| temperament | semi-aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| fin nipper | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| long finned | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| territorial | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling min | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| diet | herbivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| lifespan years | 6–10 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| growth to adult months | 12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| length weight | {"a":0.018,"b":3} | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| planted safe | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| body shape | cichlid | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |