Duboisi Tropheus
Tropheus duboisi
Cichlidae
About
The Duboisi Tropheus is a robust, rock-dwelling cichlid endemic to the rocky shores of Lake Tanganyika, famous for its jet-black juveniles peppered with brilliant white spots that mature into a black body crossed by a broad yellow or blue band. It is a demanding herbivore that grazes algae from rocks and must be kept in a large, hard-water colony to spread out its intense intraspecific aggression.
Care
Keep a large colony of 15 or more in a spacious 300 L+ tank with abundant rockwork, hard alkaline water and strong filtration. Feed a strict vegetable diet to prevent bloat, and never mix with protein-hungry tankmates.
Diet
Obligate herbivore adapted to scraping algal aufwuchs from rock surfaces. Offer spirulina-based flakes and blanched greens in frequent small meals; any significant protein or overfeeding readily causes deadly bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (66)
Avoid (55)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.