Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Nanochromis parilus

No federal permit to keep

Nanochromis parilus

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Care follows the west, central and southern african river cichlids and tilapias guide below.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Easy

📷No free-license photo yet

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 3.1 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.7 in / 4.4 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 72–77°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6–7.
Hardness: 5–8 dGH.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
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

Water: soft, acidic water, 72–77 °F, pH 6–7, 1–8 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful; in a pair.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The aquarium should contain plenty of hiding places.”
Tankmates: “Relatively peaceful with heterospecifics that can cope with the soft and acidic water conditions required by this species.”
Breeding: “Not easy, as this species will not spawn in water with a pH value of above 6.5 and preferably lower.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

West, Central and southern African river cichlids and tilapias

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: African rivers, streams and lakes. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Kribensis and other dwarf West Africans do well in planted 20–30 gallon tanks with caves and neutral water.
Tilapias and Serranochromis grow large and are often kept in ponds or for aquaculture.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous pellets plus frozen foods; tilapias need plant matter.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Several tilapias are invasive and regulated by many states; never release.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

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, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. Found in large numbers in areas with slowly-flowing waters along the banks of the Congo River near Brazzaville and Kinshasa; does not seem to prefer the more rapidly-flowing parts of the river, even though Roberts & Stewart (1976) viewed it as a moderately rheophilic species.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 72–77 °F (22–25 °C), pH 6–7, hardness 5–8 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 72–77 °F.

FishBase species summary: Nanochromis parilus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 88°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 64°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	76–78°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	77–79% on average (driest month about 74%)
Rainfall	about 1466 mm a year

Measured at 10 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

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.

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
Biology	Found in large numbers in areas with slowly-flowing waters along the banks of the Congo River near Brazzaville and Kinshasa; does not seem to prefer the more rapidly-flowing parts of the river, even though Roberts & Stewart (1976) viewed it as a moderately rheophilic species. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources2.4in

FishBase 1641.7

Seriously Fish species profiles 1673.1

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

Average of sources72–77°F

FishBase 16472–77

Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–77

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources6–7

FishBase 1646–7

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–7

Water hardness

Average of sources3–8dGH

FishBase 1645–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1671–8

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding; aquarium reproduction record)

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.