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Red Banded Tropheus

Tropheus moorii 'Bemba'

The Tropheus Moorii (Bemba) Cichlid originates from the rocky coastal waters of Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They are completely black except for a red vertical band that runs the entire width of the fish in the middle of their body. These fish have the amazing ability to hide this band when stressed. Like other species in the Tropheus genus, they are extremely aggressive towards their own kind, and should be housed in groups of 6 or more.

The Tropheus Moorii Cichlid should be maintained in an aquarium of at least 200 litre, ideally in a large number of the same species, or with other smaller semi-aggressive Tanganyikan or Malawian cichlids. Incorporate plenty of rocks and African driftwood in order to build caves. Provide a sandy bottom of aragonite to maintain the necessary high pH and alkalinity.

The Tropheus Moorii Cichlid is a mouth brooder, and breeding is more difficult than most of the cichlids. This is a very slow growing species which may take a few years to reach sexual maturity. They are one of the more difficult species to determine the sex of. The males typically grow faster than the females and have a deeper body. To increase the chance of spawning, house 5 or 6 females with one male. Provide a number of caves for the pair to choose from, and to reduce aggression. Incubation occurs in about 28 days. Feed the fry finely crushed flake food for the first few months until they gain an interest in seaweed or lettuce.

Their diet should be high in vegetable matter. Offer dried seaweed or romaine lettuce on a feeding clip daily, and supplement their diet with a quality vegetable based flake or pellet food.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small 2cm - 4cm

Due to variations within each species, your aquatic life may not look identical to the image provided.

Red Banded Tropheus (Tropheus moorii 'Bemba')
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Fish Statistics

Minimum Tank Size:
200 litres
Diet:
Herbivore
Origin:
Farm Raised
Temp (C):
22-27 C
Max Size:
15cm
Family:
Cichlidae
Temperament:
Semi-aggressive
pH:
7.5 - 8.5
Care Level:
Moderate
Compatibility:
See Tank Mates Chart below

Buy Red Banded Tropheus

Tank Mates

We recommend pairing your Red Banded Tropheus with these other fish: