Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Southern mouthbrooder
No federal permit to keepSouthern mouthbrooder
Pseudocrenilabrus philander
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Pseudocrenilabrus philander or the southern mouth-brooder is a small species of haplochromine cichlid found in southern and central Africa.
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 5.1 in / 13 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7–7.5.
- Hardness: 12–14 dGH.
- 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.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
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 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–77 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, 5–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: in a pair.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “The tank should contain plenty of hiding places.”
- Tankmates: “Can be aggressive towards other species inhabiting the lower reaches of the aquarium.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
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.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 75–82°F |
Diet
- Omnivorous pellets plus frozen foods; tilapias need plant matter.
Health watch
- Several tilapias are invasive and regulated by many states; never release.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It was first described by the German-Dutch zoologist Max Carl Wilhelm Weber in 1897.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pseudocrenilabrus philander” (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, in rivers and streams, lakes, mangroves. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found in various habitats, from flowing waters to lakes and isolated sinkholes, e.g., Lake Otjikoto, Namibia (see; usually prefers vegetated zones. It feeds on insects, shrimps and even small fish. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–77 °F (22–25 °C), pH 7, hardness 12 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: external brooders, maternal parental care. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–77 °F.
- Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 45°F (down to 36°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 63–75°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 55–66% on average (driest month about 44%) |
| Rainfall | about 778 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 595 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 | Pseudocrenilabrus philander or the southern mouth-brooder is a small species of haplochromine cichlid found in southern and central Africa. It was first described by the German-Dutch zoologist Max Carl Wilhelm Weber in 1897. — 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 | Female lays batches of eggs on a substratum which the male begins to inseminate. Female collects the eggs almost immediately after laying a batch and incubates eggs in her mouth for 12-14 days at 26°C, releasing the young after which. Parent guards the young for 5-7 days, keeping them into her mouth when approached by predators or divers. — FishBase |
| Biology | Found in various habitats, from flowing waters to lakes and isolated sinkholes, e.g., Lake Otjikoto, Namibia (see ); usually prefers vegetated zones. It feeds on insects, shrimps and even small fish. — FishBase |
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.
Maximum recorded lifespan
Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. 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 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
- 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.
- 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.
More cichlids
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma agassizii
Aquarium hobby
Altolamprologus calvus
Altolamprologus calvus
Aquarium hobby
Altum Angel
Pterophyllum altum
Aquarium hobby
Anomalochromis thomasi
Anomalochromis thomasi
Aquarium hobby
Apistogramma eremnopyge
Apistogramma eremnopyge
Aquarium hobby
Argentine humphead
Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Aquarium hobby