Buffalohead Cichlid

The buffalohead cichlid takes its name from the large fatty hump that grows with age on the males' forehead; casuarius in its scientific name also refers to the cassowary, a bird that wears a helmet on its head. Its body is plain, somewhere between bluish gray and brown; its real appeal lies more in its behavior than its looks. Males reach around 12 cm, while females stay smaller.

Because it has adapted to the fast-flowing parts of the Congo River, its swim bladder is reduced: instead of hovering in midwater, it moves along the bottom in short hops. With its lifelong pair bond and devoted parenting, it is a delightful species to watch.

It lives in the rocky, rapid-filled and very fast-flowing stretches of the Lower Congo River. The gaps between rocks serve as both hiding and nesting places. The water is constantly moving and very rich in oxygen; the temperature stays high all year round.

• Volume: 100 liters and 80–100 cm of length for a pair; floor area matters.
• Caves: Rock caves, groups of split stones or clay pots; a hiding place for every fish.
• Flow and oxygen: A strong filter outlet plus extra flow or aeration; this mimics the current of its natural habitat.
• Water: pH 6.5–7.8, soft to moderately hard water; a 25–30% water change every week.
• Plants: It digs around its cave; plants attached to rocks, such as Anubias, are suitable.

Omnivorous. Use sinking granules and tablets as the staple; vary the diet with frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis and spirulina-based foods. Since it feeds on the bottom, make sure the food reaches the substrate.

Calm outside of breeding, but territorial around its cave toward other bottom-dwelling fish. When it has fry, it determinedly chases away any fish that approaches its territory.

Good companions: Robust fish that live in the middle and upper water: large characins such as Congo tetras, barbs, Synodontis catfish (given a large floor area).

Avoid: Other cichlids that claim territories on the bottom (in a small tank), small bottom fish, shrimp, very slow and delicate fish.

• Kept as a pair; the pair bond is long-lasting, often for life.
• Raise 5–6 juveniles together and choose a pair that forms naturally; remove the others.
• In a tank with a large floor area, two pairs can be kept, each given its own group of caves.

The pair spawns inside a cave and narrows the entrance by digging out sand. The female tends the eggs while the male guards the surroundings. The eggs hatch within a few days; the fry leave the cave after about a week. The parents protect the fry together for a long time; the young are fed newly hatched brine shrimp and powdered food.

• Hardy; problems usually come from stagnant, oxygen-poor water.
• Breathing difficulty: Rapid breathing occurs when flow and aeration are insufficient.
• Fight injuries: Caused by clashes with bottom fish when there are too few caves.

Easy in adults: males are noticeably larger and their forehead humps are much bigger. Females have a small hump or none at all. Juveniles are hard to tell apart.