- Common name
- Annectens tropheus
- Scientific name
- Tropheus annectens
- Category
- Freshwater fish
- Group
- Tanganyika cichlids
- Environment
- Freshwater Lake Tanganyika aquarium
- Origin
- Endemic to Lake Tanganyika; documented from rocky upper-littoral habitat along the west-central coast
- Care level
- Advanced specialist
- Adult size
- Up to 8 cm total length in the documented species account
- Expected lifespan
- Plan for 8–12 years and potentially longer; this is a permanent high-volume colony commitment.
- Minimum housing
- At least 400 L with about 150 cm swimming length for an established group of 12–15 or more; keep a separate removal tank ready
- Temperature
- 24–27 °C
- pH
- 8.0–9.0
- Hardness / minerals
- 10–20 °dGH (approximately 179–357 mg/L as CaCO₃); 10–18 °dKH (approximately 179–321 mg/L as CaCO₃)
- Salinity
- Freshwater; do not use routine salt as a substitute for stable mineral and carbonate chemistry
- Lighting
- Moderate lighting that permits natural rock biofilm, with shaded retreats
- Placement / zone
- Lower and middle water over rock faces and rubble
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the complete adult annectens tropheus group, with guarded intakes and accessible mechanical capture. Keep flow strong, highly oxygenated circulation across rock faces without trapping subordinate fish where the fish lives, and maintain undetectable ammonia and nitrite.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, heavy feeding or any sign of rapid breathing.
- Maintenance
- Perform regular matched-water changes guided by nitrate and waste, remove uneaten food and trapped detritus, clean mechanical media without disrupting the biofilter, and record feeding, body condition, respiration and aggression.
Identity and search names
Single-profile scope for Tropheus annectens. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 1433, slug annectens-tropheus and route /species/annectens-tropheus/; retain former combinations, locality labels, domestic-form names and trade names only as searchable aliases.
Search names: Tropheus polli, Polli tropheus, Annectens cichlid
Environment and housing
Large high-oxygen Tanganyika aquarium with extensive rock faces, broken sight lines, powerful biological filtration and stable hard alkaline chemistry
Social structure: Maintain one established locality group of at least 12–15; do not keep as a pair, trio or casually assembled small group
Feeding and nutrition
Feeding ecology: Aufwuchs-focused herbivorous diet: algae-rich, high-fibre prepared foods in small portions; avoid rich animal-protein feeding
Feeding routine: Provide several small algae-rich, high-fibre meals daily; avoid rich animal-protein feeding and sudden diet changes
Breeding, reproduction or spread
Maternal mouthbrooder; the female collects and carries fertilised eggs and developing fry
Detailed care and app-ready planning
- Identity scope
- Single-profile scope for Tropheus annectens. Preserve permanent AquaNexus ID 1433, slug annectens-tropheus and route /species/annectens-tropheus/; retain former combinations, locality labels, domestic-form names and trade names only as searchable aliases.
- Adult size and space
- Expected adult size: Up to 8 cm total length in the documented species account. Minimum permanent housing: At least 400 L with about 150 cm swimming length for an established group of 12–15 or more; keep a separate removal tank ready. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, social structure, aggression, oxygen demand and waste production rather than sale size.
- Social structure
- Maintain one established locality group of at least 12–15; do not keep as a pair, trio or casually assembled small group
- Swimming zone or placement
- Primary zone: Lower and middle water over rock faces and rubble. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding, refuge and escape.
- Feeding ecology
- Aufwuchs-focused herbivorous diet: algae-rich, high-fibre prepared foods in small portions; avoid rich animal-protein feeding
- Feeding plan
- Provide several small algae-rich, high-fibre meals daily; avoid rich animal-protein feeding and sudden diet changes
- Water stability
- Maintain 24–27 °C; pH 8.0–9.0; hardness or minerals: 10–20 °dGH (approximately 179–357 mg/L as CaCO₃); 10–18 °dKH (approximately 179–321 mg/L as CaCO₃); salinity: Freshwater; do not use routine salt as a substitute for stable mineral and carbonate chemistry. Stability, oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact value.
- Habitat structure
- Large high-oxygen Tanganyika aquarium with extensive rock faces, broken sight lines, powerful biological filtration and stable hard alkaline chemistry
- Compatibility plan
- Best managed as a single established locality group. Only consider robust Tanganyika companions with matching water, diet and territory use, and retain immediate removal capacity.
- Breeding or reproduction plan
- Maternal mouthbrooder; the female collects and carries fertilised eggs and developing fry Parental care: The female mouthbroods through incubation and releases developed fry; the group must not be allowed to harass or starve her.
- Quarantine
- Quarantine new livestock in a separate cycled system for at least 30 days. Observe appetite, respiration, waste, skin, fins and behaviour; use dedicated equipment and never add transport water to the established aquarium.
- Welfare checks
- Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Do not keep as a pair, trio or casual mixed-locality group. Aggression, unstable alkalinity and rich food can cause rapid welfare failure.
- Biosecurity and release
- Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.
- Main risk
- Do not keep as a pair, trio or casual mixed-locality group. Aggression, unstable alkalinity and rich food can cause rapid welfare failure.
- Adult projected load
- Project biological load from the full adult annectens tropheus group, adult body mass, feeding pattern, activity and social requirement rather than juvenile sale size. A colony of 12–15 or more herbivorous cichlids creates a high continuous solids load and a major oxygen demand in warm alkaline water.
- Filtration
- Use mature biological filtration sized for the complete adult annectens tropheus group, with guarded intakes and accessible mechanical capture. Keep flow strong, highly oxygenated circulation across rock faces without trapping subordinate fish where the fish lives, and maintain undetectable ammonia and nitrite.
- Aeration
- Maintain reliable surface agitation and oxygen exchange at all times. Increase aeration during warm weather, medication, transport recovery, heavy feeding or any sign of rapid breathing.
- Maintenance
- Perform regular matched-water changes guided by nitrate and waste, remove uneaten food and trapped detritus, clean mechanical media without disrupting the biofilter, and record feeding, body condition, respiration and aggression.
- Overridable warnings
- Non-overridable: do not accept persistent ammonia or nitrite, oxygen distress, starvation, chronic aggression or inadequate adult space. Different equipment, stocking or maintenance methods may be used only when measured water quality and adult welfare remain equivalent or better. Do not keep pairs, trios or casually mixed locality groups, and do not use rich animal-protein feeding.
Compatibility, welfare and risk
Compatibility: Best managed as a single established locality group. Only consider robust Tanganyika companions with matching water, diet and territory use, and retain immediate removal capacity.
Welfare: Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding, and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Do not keep as a pair, trio or casual mixed-locality group. Aggression, unstable alkalinity and rich food can cause rapid welfare failure.
Main warning: Do not keep as a pair, trio or casual mixed-locality group. Aggression, unstable alkalinity and rich food can cause rapid welfare failure.
Biosecurity and release
Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.