How do I keep these little pikes?
I’d like to keep a pair of Crenicichla dwarf pike cichlids. I know they like plenty of flow and soft water. Is there anything else I should know about them, as this is my first ‘proper’ cichlid project. Is it possible to breed them in the home aquarium? What would you suggest for tankmates, if anything, please?
JEREMY ADVISES: The Crenicichla genus was revised in 2023, with the three species of dwarf pike cichlid you are most likely to come across in the UK now belonging to the new genus
Wallaciia, so you might see them labelled with either of these names.
Wallaciia regani, W. notophthalmus,
and W. compressiceps are all riverine and adult at around the 10cm mark, making them suitable to be kept alongside bottom dwellers like
Corydoras and larger, high-bodied tetras, such as bleeding hearts or diamond tetras. I wouldn’t keep them with small tetras like cardinals, as the cichlids will eat them, but anything high-bodied and around the 5cm mark and over will be fine as tankmates— even angelfish would work.
Wallaciia regani and notophthalmus are much more tolerant of each other and can even be kept in groups as young adults, whereas W.
compressiceps becomes more aggressive and territorial. W.
notopthalmus is sometimes mistakenly sold as regani, although I would be happy with either of these—and both of those species are easy to sex too.
A pair will require at least a 90x45cm tank, ideally 120cm, along with external filtration. Sand, wood, and leaves will be fine as décor. They are straightforward to feed and will accept everything from bloodworm to river shrimp, krill, mysis, chopped fish, and if you can, a good cichlid pellet to ensure they get a complete diet.
I’d recommend either W. regani or notopthalmus, obtained as a group as this lets them choose their own mates, and competition always encourages breeding. If you get an established pair and they breed, you’ll have no problem finding homes for the spare adults or the fry. Create a small stack of straight, water-worn pieces of bogwood and the female should breed in there. Keep an eye on the parents once fry appear as the pair bond may break, but they will look after the fry for a long time afterwards.