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Author: Tino Strauss Combined image from: Image:Pelvicachromis pulcher (female).jpg and Image:Pelvicachromis pulcher (male).jpg

Kribensis

Small colourful cichlid from West Africa

Photo: The original uploader was MidgleyDJ at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pelvicachromis pulcher is a small freshwater cichlid native to Nigeria and Cameroon. It lives in warm acidic waters and is popular in home aquariums for its bright colours and breeding behaviour.

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  • Males grow to 12.5 cm and females to 8.1 cm
  • Native to warm acidic waters in Nigeria and Cameroon
  • Both parents care for fry for up to 28 days
  • Diet consists mainly of algae and plant matter
  • Albino trait is incompletely dominant in captivity

What it is

This small cichlid belongs to the family Cichlidae. Males reach about 12.5 centimetres while females stay smaller at 8.1 centimetres. Both sexes display a dark stripe running from mouth to tail. Their bellies turn pink or red during courtship. Fins may show gold-ringed eye spots. Males have pointed fins and a spade-shaped tail. Females have rounder fins. Juveniles look similar until they are six months old.

Where it lives

The fish lives in southern Nigeria and coastal Cameroon. It prefers warm water between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius. The pH level ranges from 5.6 to 6.2. Water hardness is low. Dense vegetation is essential for survival. Populations also exist in Hawaii due to the ornamental trade. These introduced groups live outside their natural range.

How it lives

Wild individuals eat diatoms, green algae and plant matter. Invertebrates are rare in their diet despite common beliefs. They hide in caves dug under plants. Predators include Nile perch and other large fish. Some live in large non-breeding groups. Others defend territories. Red males tend to be more aggressive than yellow ones from the same area.

Breeding and life cycle

They spawn in caves excavated beneath plants. Eggs stick to the cave roof in rows. A clutch contains 40 to 100 eggs. Both parents guard the young for three to four weeks. The female feeds the fry while the male defends the area. Fry sex ratio changes with water pH. Pairs may adopt unrelated young to reduce predation risk.

Kribensis
A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.

Fish and people

Aquarium hobbyists value this species highly. It is sold as kribensis or rainbow krib. Breeders have developed albino forms with incomplete dominance. These albinos keep some red and yellow pigment. Wild names often stem from old scientific errors. The fish remains a staple in the freshwater aquarium trade.

Rainbow krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher (Boulenger, 1901), Natural History Museum University of Pisa
Rainbow krib, Pelvicachromis pulcher (Boulenger, 1901), Natural History Museum University of Pisa. Photo: Mattia Nocciola, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kribensis
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0-2 days old
0-2 days old. Photo: Mike Dudek, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Pelvicachromis Pulcher
Pelvicachromis Pulcher. Photo: Aquakeeper14, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Kribensis

What do kribensis eat in the wild?

Studies show they primarily consume diatoms, green algae, blue-green algae and pieces of higher plants. Invertebrates are not a major part of their natural diet.

How big do kribensis get?

Males reach a maximum length of approximately 12.5 centimetres. Females are smaller and deeper bodied, growing to about 8.1 centimetres in length.

Do kribensis form monogamous pairs?

While often kept in pairs in aquariums, wild populations frequently form polygynous harems. Males may defend territories cooperatively or individually depending on colour morph.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Pelvicachromis pulcher", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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