Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Cape kurper
No federal permit to keepCape kurper
Sandelia capensis
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Anabantidae (Climbing perch and bush fish)
The Cape kurper (Sandelia capensis) is a species of fish in the family Anabantidae, the climbing gouramis or climbing perches.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 42 in long and 15 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 7.9 in / 20 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 64–72°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–72 °F, pH 6.5–7.2, 5–15 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A heavily-furnished setup is recommended.”
- Diet: “In nature it feeds on smaller fish, aquatic invertebrates and even crabs.”
- Tankmates: “Keep alone to avoid any possibility of disease transfer or death of these fish due to aggression from tankmates.”
- Breeding: “Certainly possible if the species ever becomes available.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is endemic to South Africa.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Cape kurper” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Hardy, occurs in various habitats. Favors quiet or slow-flowing water and plant or root cover. Feeds on insects and other invertebrates and small fish. Breeds in summer; males defend a breeding territory and guard the eggs which are scattered and sticking to the bottom. Many populations have declined and are threatened by habitat destruction and predation from introduced bass. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 64–72 °F (18–22 °C). |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: clutch tenders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 64–72 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 82°F (up to 87°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 43°F (down to 38°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 59–64°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 59–70% on average (driest month about 59%) |
| Rainfall | about 454 mm a year, spread fairly evenly |
Measured at 71 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The Cape kurper (Sandelia capensis) is a species of fish in the family Anabantidae, the climbing gouramis or climbing perches. It is endemic to South Africa. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Upon hatching, larvae adhered permanently to the substrate at the nesting site where they were guarded by the male. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | The Cape kurper can grow to 25 cm in length and weigh up to 200g. It has a mainly yellow to golden brown colouration with dark markings on the dorsal part of the body which extend onto the dorsal and anal fins. Males are more colourful than females. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Hardy, occurs in various habitats. Favors quiet or slow-flowing water and plant or root cover. Feeds on insects and other invertebrates and small fish. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The Cape kurper is currently considered to be a single species, however, recent genetic studies have revealed that there are no fewer than two, and possibly more lineages. This may mean that there are at least two separate species but further study is required. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | The Cape kurper is threatened by introduced fish especially the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass, which have been introduced into many of the waters where the Cape kurper occurs. Other threats include damming, pollution and climatic changes. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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