Haplochromis Venustus – Nimbochromis Venustus

Common name: Haplochromis Venustus, Giraffe Cichlid

Scientific name: Nimbochromis Venustus

Average Adult Fish Size: 20cm / 8 Inches

Place of Origin: Lake Malawi

Typical Tank setup: Rocky Malawi tank with plenty of open swimming space

Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 240 Litres

Compatibility: Combine with other malawi hap species

Temperature: 23-28 Deg C / 73-82 Deg F

Water chemistry:  pH 7.6-8.6

Feeding: Insects, flake food, pellets, frsh vegetables such as peas, romaine lettuce and spinach.

Sexing: The males are larger and have a blue head.

Breeding: Venustus are maternal mouth-brooders. Males become very competitve at sexual maturity and will kill other males of their species. A ratio of 1 male to 4 females is ideal.

Additional Information: A large, oval-shaped fish. The coloring of the male is much more intense than the female. The head is pale blue, while the body is light golden-yellow. The cheeks and the lower jaw is dark blue. Several irregular dark blue splotches can be found cover the body. The upper part of the dorsal fin is bright yellow while the lower half is dark blue. The caudal fin is also yellow and blue. The other fins are dark blue.