kribensis pelvicachromis pulcher

The Kribensis Pelvicachromis pulcher was introduced to the hobby in the 1950s. One look at this beautiful fish and you can see why it immediately became favored. It is still a popular fish today and makes a great choice for a new hobbyist interested in keeping cichlids.

Beauty is one of their most attractive features and they have interesting behaviors. They are entertaining to watch and being small in size makes them more manageable than many of the other cichlid species. They are easy to keep, easy to feed, and are fairly easy to breed. They can be kept in a smaller aquarium and are relatively undemanding in their water chemistry as long as it is consistent.

Most of the Kribensis available today are are captive bred, with wild caught fish are only occasionally imported. The captive bred specimens are far more adaptable in terms of water chemistry than the wild fish. An albino variety has also been bred for several decades. This is often the first fish bred by newcomers to the hobby as they often breed in the community tank. A pair will often promptly start to spawn within a week of arriving.

Though they vary in appearance depending upon the place of origin, the scientific name for the Kribensis says it best. This is a beautiful cichlid with a colorful belly. Other names for it are the Purple Cichlid, Rainbow Krib, or Pink Kribensis Cichlid. In Germany it is called the ‘King Cichlid’ and the ‘Magnificent Purple Cichlid’.