Kribensis
A West African cave-spawning dwarf cichlid in which the female is the more brightly coloured sex. Hardy and adaptable, and considerably more aggressive once breeding than its size suggests.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Pelvicachromis pulcher
- Adult size
- 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in)
- Lifespan
- 4–6 years
- Temperature
- 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- pH
- 6–8
- Hardness
- 3–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 110 L (29 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 80 cm
- Swimming zone
- Bottom
- Social
- Pair
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Overall confidence
- high confidence
What keeping this species involves
Tolerant of a very wide range of hardness and pH, including hard tap water.
Shallow, often slightly brackish coastal creeks with dense cover.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Kribensis
- Scientific name
- Pelvicachromis pulcher
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- krib, rainbow krib, purple cichlid
Adult size and growth
8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 4–6 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
A breeding pair claims a substantial area around the cave; the rest of the tank must be big enough to be somewhere else.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lowland floodplain
Seasonally inundated flat country — várzea, chaco, swamp margin — where the water body changes size, depth and chemistry through the year.
The habitat's defining feature is change, so a single band describes it badly. Species from here are generally tolerant of a wide range and intolerant of nothing much — which makes them easy to keep and easy to keep wrongly.
- Conductivity
- 40–300 µS/cm
- Flow
- still
- Dissolved oxygen
- low
- Seasonality
- strong
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — lowland floodplain. Lowland floodplain generally runs 22–32°C, and the advised band of 22–27°C is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
- pHFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — lowland floodplain. Lowland floodplain generally runs 6–7.5, and the advised band of 6–8 is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
- General hardnessFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — lowland floodplain. Lowland floodplain generally runs 2–12 dGH, and the advised band of 3–20 dGH is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
Scale: 20.5 to 33.5 °C.
Scale: 5.7 to 8.3 pH.
Scale: -0.7 to 22.7 dGH.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 6–8 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 3–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Minimum volume | 110 L (29 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 80 cm long | A breeding pair claims a substantial area around the cave; the rest of the tank must be big enough to be somewhere else. |
| Water flow | low | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Caves, sand and planted cover. |
Behaviour
- Digs pits under stones and wood, undermining plants that are not anchored.
Telling males from females
Females are smaller with a bright cherry-red belly; males are larger with extended pointed fins.
Feeding
- Diet type
- Omnivore
- Staples
- Sinking granules, Frozen bloodworm and daphnia, Vegetable matter
Breeding
- Strategy
- Cave spawner; both parents guard the fry closely
- Difficulty
- incidental
- Parental care
- guarding
Fry sex ratio is strongly pH-dependent in this species — acidic water skews towards males, alkaline towards females.
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | low | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | none | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Assessed pairings
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Peaceful until it breeds, at which point a pair can dominate a 100 L tank entirely.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Coastal southern Nigeria and Cameroon
- Habitat
- Shallow, often slightly brackish coastal creeks with dense cover.
What the checklists say
11 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 6 | A checklist states the species arrived here with human help. That is not a statement that it is established, harmful or illegal. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 5 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Pelvicachromis pulcher | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Coastal southern Nigeria and Cameroon | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 8–10 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | high confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 4–6 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | high confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 22–27 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | high confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 6–8 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | high confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 3–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | high confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 110 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 80 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against fishbase on 2026-08-11. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 11 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 6 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeOne sourceBased on a verified authoritative source.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: cloffa.
- 11 cm — FishBase · Maximum recorded · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. One authoritative source, which is what this kind of claim requires. Independent replication would be welcome and is not the standard.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: aquarien-atlas.
- 24–25 °C — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. AquariumHQ advises 22–27 °C; FishBase records 24–25 °C. A one-degree recorded range is not a thermal envelope for a species distributed across the Niger delta; it is one measurement. Comparing a keeping range against it produces an excursion at both ends that says nothing about the fish. Flagged as a mismatch of resolution rather than a disagreement.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
phOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: fishbase.
- 5–8 pH — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. The advised band trims the lower end of the observed range. Extremes of pH in the wild usually accompany other conditions — tannin loading, mineral-poor water, seasonal flooding — that an aquarium does not reproduce, so the ends of an observed range are the least transferable part of it.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
general hardnessOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: fishbase.
- 5–19 °dGH — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. No usable species-specific observation is held for this parameter. The only figure the source publishes is one it repeats across unrelated families, which the lineage detector grades a default rather than a measurement of this fish. The advised band is therefore AquariumHQ's own position from general husbandry practice for this kind of animal, and is presented as that rather than as a sourced range.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes adult dwarf shrimp, which decides what can share the tank.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- The kinds of water aquarium fish come fromThis record's water bands follow lowland floodplain, which is the kind of water this animal is recorded from.
- Why fish size figures disagreeA documented maximum and a typical adult size are both held for this species, and they are different quantities.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Pairs bond strongly. Outside breeding they are peaceful; with fry they clear a large area.