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Kribensis
Pelvicachromis pulcher
Also known as: krib, rainbow krib (colour forms), Krib, Rainbow krib (colour forms)
Fishori provides conservative planning guidance, not guarantees.
Based on multiple reputable aquarium care sources with strong agreement. Use the numbers here as planning defaults — your room, water, and routine still shape real-world outcomes.
A West African dwarf cichlid that breeds readily in community tanks, then claims territory around the nest site. Peaceful until spawning.
Best for
Planted community tanks 100L or more with sand substrate and caves. A pair works with mid-water schoolers above them.
Avoid if
You keep other cichlids, bottom-dwellers in the same zone, small nano fish, or shrimp. A spawning pair aggressively defends a cave area.
Top things that go wrong
- Shrimp & snails. Shrimp: depends on the individual fish. Some leave them alone, others hunt cherry shrimp down within a week of meeting them.
Common mistakeNo cave in a kribensis tank. Without a designated nest site the cichlid claims any corner and bullies every tank mate near the bottom.
What most shops don't tell you
- 1.Spawning or rearranging the layout can flip a calm pair into corner-aggressive fish, especially in short tanks with no line-of-sight breaks.
- 2.A breeding pair in 40L. The female hammers a corner while every other fish freezes at the surface.
- 3.Mixing with shy dither fish that have no exit lane from a defending female.
- 4.More tolerant of neutral tap water than rams. Drop coconut shells or stacked rock for caves before adding a pair. A breeding pair clears a 30 cm radius around the entrance.
About this species
Kribensis are West African dwarf cichlids that cave-spawn. A pair holds quiet in a community tank until they claim a cave, then defend the corner around it.
- Apistogramma Macmasteri100L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Checkerboard cichlid100L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Cockatoo / crested Apistogramma100L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Bolivian Ram110L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Agassiz’s dwarf cichlid80L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Apistogramma Borellii80L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Apistogramma Trifasciata80L min · same group, comparable tank size
- German Blue Ram80L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Swordtailalso beginner semi-aggressive, similar tank size
- Rainbow cichlid tank mateslists this fish as a safe and recommended mate
Plan grid
Key limits are shown above; this section adds planning detail: pH band, swim level, bioload and activity, and the radar.
Swim zones
Planning trait chart
Six indices for comparing species on paper before you spend.
- Beginner ease60
- Peacefulness44
- Community fit39
- Small-tank fit100
- Hardiness76
- Energy54
Numbers are deterministic planning indices from Fishori fields — not a scientific score of your individual fish.
Common setup sketches
Conservative patterns from Fishori fields — still run the pair checker for every species you add; sketches are not a stocking guarantee.
Avoid “one of everything” baskets — Kribensis belongs in a plan built around territory, line-of-sight breaks, and matched water chemistry.
Tank mate intelligence
Keep as the only cichlid alongside dither fish that stay above the substrate: cherry barbs, platies, mollies, larger tetras, bristlenose plecos, corydoras. Pairs claim the floor when breeding. Give 80L+ per pair, plenty of caves, and skip neon-sized fish during spawn.
Pair-level compatibility with this fish as anchor.
Read the blocking rule on each pair page before experimenting.
Do-not-stock combinations on conservative hobby rules.
Compare with
Run a real pair check: Kribensis + Corydoras Catfish
- Try Corydoras Catfish — open the pair check.
- Try Platy — open the pair check.
- Try Molly — open the pair check.
- Try Cherry Barb — open the pair check.
Behaviour, temperament, and what to watch
Prose and lists come from the same record: read temperament first, then glass-level signals so you are not surprised after day three.
Kribensis is semi-aggressive: stable in a calm tank, pushy with weaker fish when stressed or crowded. Holds territory on substrate, in caves, or at the surface film. Break the sight lines with hardscape to keep the resident off the visitor.
Stress / aggression triggers on file
- Crowding and limited territory
- Similar-looking fish in the same tank
- Spawning, for any breeding pair
Fin nipping: Not a habitual fin-nipper, but individuals can still test fins under stress or in a crowded tank.
Predation: Not a predator toward similarly-sized community fish. The usual community caveats about mouth size still apply for very small fry or shrimp.
Territory: Holds territory on substrate, in caves, or at the surface film. Break the line of sight with hardscape, and avoid placing the tank where the fish can see its own reflection.
Planted tanks: good — easy plant ideas
In the glass: typical and warning signs
- Moderate pacing — not hyperactive, not motionless.
- Clamped fins, gasping at the surface, hiding non-stop, or refusing food after the first week.
- Rapid breathing when parameters swing — fix ammonia/nitrite first, then reassess mates.
- Chasing one individual repeatedly, torn fins on tank mates, or food theft every feed.
- Corner guarding, flaring, or body-blocking — territory is normal until it becomes relentless.
- Separate or rehome if injuries appear, one fish is pinned, or feeding becomes a daily chase.
- If water is stable but behaviour worsens, reduce stocking or remove the highest-impact species first.
Fish behaviour can vary between individuals and tank setups. Always observe new fish closely after introduction.
Care parameters: water, food, inverts, grouping
Chemistry and group rules sit here so you are not re-reading the same line from tank mate or temperament blocks. Swim level is in the plan grid above.
Hardness
variable
Diet
omnivore
Mixed diet: a quality flake or pellet as the staple, with frozen or live foods two or three times a week.
Shrimp & snails
Shrimp: depends on the individual fish. Some leave them alone, others hunt cherry shrimp down within a week of meeting them.
Kept singly or as a paired setup. Check the species profile before doubling up in one tank.
Breeding behaviour depends on the species. Research before you buy a mixed-sex group of this fish.
- Hold 23 to 27 °C steadily on a real thermometer, not the dial on the heater.
- Aim for pH 6 to 8 and a hardness you can re-test in two weeks. A one-time strip in the shop car park is not a water test.
- Footprint: short wide tanks and tall narrow tanks fish differently for the same volume. Match the tank shape to the swim pattern, not just the litre count.
- Tank volume meets or exceeds 100L published minimum for adults.
- Heater can hold 23–27°C without cooking cooler-water tank mates.
Explore and stocking hubs
Same library as the rest of Fishori: tank-mate index for this species, category peers, guides, and litre-based stocking lists where min tank on file is within the hub volume.
Plan with tools
Pair-level rules and multi-fish stocking use the same conservative engine — add this fish in the tank builder only after mates pass pair checks.
Filtration & heating
A 100L minimum tank needs a filter rated for at least 400L/hr turnover and a heater to hold 23–27°C reliably.
Plant suggestions
Kribensis does well in planted tanks. Plants compatible with 23–27°C and pH 6–8:
Profile status: partially verified · Evidence tier: high · 3 linked source(s). Fishori does not fabricate citations.
Fishori uses conservative planning rules based on these sources.
Confidence is explained in the summary at the top of this page (same tier as here), not repeated below.
How Fishori evaluates compatibility (same logic as pair and tank tools).
- Seriously Fish. Pelvicachromis pulcher
Primary: aquarium size, water chemistry, behaviour, and compatibility (URL verified in upgrade script; recheck if site content changes).
- FishBase. Pelvicachromis pulcher
Secondary: taxonomy, distribution, and maximum length in nature; cross-check with aquarium import lines and measured tank parameters.
- Wikipedia. Pelvicachromis pulcher
Secondary: general species context; verify all husbandry numbers against a dedicated aquarium care sheet and your test kit, not a single table row.
Evidence notes
- The Seriously Fish profile for the binomial in this record was successfully reached as the primary aquarium reference.
- FishBase contributes natural-range size and habitat context. Translate those numbers through your heater, your water report, and your tank footprint before stocking.
- Wikipedia is only cited if the article URL returned OK. Use it for orientation, not as the only care sheet for an import.
- All compatibility text reflects typical hobby experience and the Fishori model. Individual fish, shop stress, and the order tank mates are added in can still defy a single-paragraph label.
- Fishori profiles work from typical aquarium trade sizes and hobby care norms. Specialist site checks and literature review for this species are not yet recorded here, so the ranges on this page are planning numbers rather than guarantees.