Nyerere Victoria cichlid
A red-and-black rock cichlid from Lake Victoria, where the species flock it belongs to collapsed after the Nile perch introduction and has partly recovered. Many populations exist in aquaria and nowhere else, which gives the usual advice about not mixing colour forms a weight it does not have elsewhere.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Pundamilia nyererei
- Adult size
- 10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in)
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH
- 7.4–8.6
- Hardness
- 8–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 250 L (66 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 120 cm
- Swimming zone
- All levels
- Social
- Harem — at least 4
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Hardy, adaptable and easy to breed. The demanding part is managing the male's persistence and keeping the population unmixed.
Shallow rock around islands, in water that has become far more turbid over the last half-century than it was when these fish evolved.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Nyerere Victoria cichlid
- Scientific name
- Pundamilia nyererei
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Pundamilia nyererei, Haplochromis nyererei, flameback cichlid, Python Island nyererei
- Former or synonymous names
- Haplochromis nyererei
Name ambiguity
Placed in Pundamilia by most of the Lake Victoria literature and filed by GBIF's backbone under Haplochromis, which is a genuine and unsettled disagreement rather than an error in either. The catalogue holds the name the trade and the recent literature use, and both are searchable.
Adult size and growth
10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 5–8 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
Victorian haplochromines chase hard and continuously. The footprint is set by how far a harassed female needs to be able to get, not by the size of the fish.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: Lake Victoria is hard and alkaline but less so than either Rift lake, and the band published here is wider at the soft end for that reason. It is a genuinely more tolerant fish than a Tanganyikan, not merely a less studied one.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lake Victoria — rocky islands of Lake Victoria
A large, shallow, comparatively young rift-valley lake — alkaline, but far softer than either of the deep rift lakes.
Victoria haplochromines are routinely given Malawi water, which is harder than the lake they come from. They tolerate it; it is not what they are.
- Conductivity
- 90–160 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- variable
- Seasonality
- moderate
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.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessThe conventional band, recorded as a convention
- Recorded as a trade convention. Lake Victoria is markedly softer than Lake Malawi — roughly 90–160 uS/cm against Malawi's 200-plus — and this band is nearer Malawi's than Victoria's. Victoria haplochromines are routinely given rift-lake salt mixes formulated for a different lake, and this band appears to follow that practice rather than the water the fish evolved in.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7.4–8.6 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 8–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 8–16 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 250 L (66 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 120 cm long × 40 cm deep | Victorian haplochromines chase hard and continuously. The footprint is set by how far a harassed female needs to be able to get, not by the size of the fish. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Rock piles with through-routes and open swimming space. Sight-line breaks are what keep a harem workable. |
Behaviour
- Males hold a rock and display along its boundary, dropping colour immediately when displaced.
- Females shoal loosely together away from the dominant male and use the rockwork to break his approach.
Telling males from females
Males are red-backed with black barring and yellow flanks; females are a plain silver-brown and remain so. The difference appears well before adult size.
Feeding
Takes both invertebrates and algal material in the lake and a mixed diet in a tank. It is not the strict herbivore several Malawi mbuna are and does not need the same dietary discipline.
- Diet type
- Omnivore
- Staples
- Cichlid pellets, Spirulina flake, Frozen mysis, Frozen brine shrimp
Breeding
- Strategy
- Maternal mouthbrooding after spawning over a cleaned rock
- Difficulty
- incidental
- Parental care
- mouthbrooding
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 | high | 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 | nibbles | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
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.
- Several Victorian populations survive in the hobby with a precarious or absent wild presence. Keeping a single named population unmixed is conservation-relevant here in a way it is not for most aquarium fish.
- Hybridises freely with other Victorian haplochromines and with several Malawi species. A mixed African tank of colourful unidentified fish produces young that should not be passed on.
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
- Lake Victoria — rocky islands, with each island holding its own colour form
- Habitat
- Shallow rock around islands, in water that has become far more turbid over the last half-century than it was when these fish evolved.
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 | Pundamilia nyererei | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Lake Victoria — rocky islands, with each island holding its own colour form | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 10–13 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 5–8 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 24–28 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7.4–8.6 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 8–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 250 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 120 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 8–16 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 4 | 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 gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires, and the source files it under "Haplochromis nyererei" — both names are searchable.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableLimited evidence — treat with caution.
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. No checklist distribution statement is held for this species. The range on the page is editorial until one is.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ'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: size a well-kept specimen reaches — 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.
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.
temperatureAquariumHQ'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.
phAquariumHQ'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.
general hardnessAquariumHQ'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.
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.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ'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.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ'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: group size — 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: 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 fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Scientific and trade namesThis species has been published under more than one accepted name.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- 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
Males pursue females continuously when in colour, and a single female receives all of it. Three or more spreads the attention enough for the group to hold together.