To select a good quality Butterikoferi Cichlid, you need to pay attention to these four important things, from their cranial hump to their body health.
Among many kinds of Cichlid, Butterikoferi Cichlid is a famous species to be kept in captivity. This big buddy is known as very aggressive and hardy, making them perfect for aquarium beginners.
They originally come from the river systems of Western Africa and are also popular as Zebra Tilapia and African Talapia. This species has black and white vertical stripes in its body. If you are interested in maintaining one, here are some signs of good quality Butterikoferi Cichlid.
Selecting Good Quality Butterikoferi Cichlid
1. Cranial Hump
Butterikoferi Cichlid has a big figure. An adult can reach up to 10-16 inches or 25-40 centimeters, and its body is bulky. You can notice that the fish is in good shape through its cranial hump. Male Butterikoferi grows a cranial hump on its forehead. Many believe that the bigger the size of it, the stronger the fish is. Cranial hump also shows which fish is more dominant.
2. Coloration
As mentioned above, Butterikoferi Cichlid owns black and white vertical stripes. If you notice that the stripes' colors are less vivid in bigger Butterikoferi Cichlid, it doesn’t mean that they are unhealthy. Younger species have a more radiant color. However, the stripes and colors tend to fade somewhat as the fish grow bigger.
3. Dorsal and Fins
Male Butterikoferi Cichlid is bulkier than the female. Other things that you should notice are their dorsal and anal fins. In male fish, they have extended dorsal and anal fins. Meanwhile, female fish will maintain their round and short-fin shape.
4. Common Disease
The most common disease that attacks Butterikoferi Cichlid is cryptobiosis. These parasites can infect the internal organ of the fish like the gall bladder and liver. The symptoms of this disease are darkened body color, lethargy, and abnormal swimming. Sometimes, your fish have a hard time swallowing foods.
So if you’re looking for good quality Butterikoferi Cichlid, make sure the fish doesn’t show any symptoms.
Tank Care
1. Tank Size
Because Butterikoferi has a big body, make sure that your tank is spacious enough. The minimum tank size for a solo Cichlid is 70 gallons. You can add medium size gravel and rocks as they are very territorial.
2. Tank Mates
As you all already know, this species is exceptionally aggressive. So, never house them with smaller and calmer fish as they may end up being their food. It is better to leave your aquarium as a species tank.
3. Water Condition
The perfect water set-up to maintain Butterikoferi is 22 - 25 °Celcius or 71.6 - 77°Fahrenheit for the temperature and 6.5 - 7.3 for the water pH range. As for the water hardness, keep it intermediate in 4+ dKH.
Those are some tips in picking the good quality Butterikoferi Cichlid, starting from its cranial hump, color, dorsal, and fins condition, as well as making sure any disease does not infect them.