Altolamprologus Compressiceps Cichlid

Fire Fin Altolamprologus Compressiceps

These are bred in a few color variations; AquariumFish.com generally offers the "orange head" variety and the fire fin. This week's selection is the fire fin alto compressiceps. Altolamprologus compressiceps have a distinctive appearance. These smashed-face little guys look like brutes, and in fact the word "compress" comes from the compressed shape of the face and body that allows the fish to swim between narrow rock crevices in the wild.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Use a sand bottom with rockwork, caves and crevices for spawning sites. Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika cichlids need hard, alkaline water; crushed coral or aragonite sand helps hold the pH up.

Feeding: Feed a quality cichlid pellet or flake once or twice a day. They also enjoy frozen foods like brine shrimp.

Tankmates: Tanganyikan cichlids do best with other Tanganyikans of similar size, such as julidochromis, neolamprologus and synodontis catfish. Give each pair its own territory.

Good to know: Altos are slow growers that hunt fry and small fish in rock crevices. Keep them with fish too big to swallow.