Cichlids · Altolamprologus

Calvus

Altolamprologus calvus · Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part

Photo: 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Calvus (Altolamprologus calvus) is a freshwater fish from Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part, where it lives in lake habitat. Adults reach about 13.5 cm (5.3 in). Keep it at 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) and pH 7.5–9, with a gentle current. It is territorial and does best in a group of 2 or more. Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.

At a glance

Water temperature

24–27 °C 75–81 °F

7.5–9 hard, alkaline water

Adult size

13.5 cm 5.3 in

Swims ≈

Bottom mostly on the floor and in caves

Keep together

2 or more a shoal feels safe

Current ≈

Gentle a steady gentle flow

Food

Meaty foods

Temperament

Territorial

Calvus

≈

Cichlids · AltolamprologusNT

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Calvus

Altolamprologus calvus

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part · lake

Temperature: 24–27°C
pH: 7.5–9
Adult size: 5 in · 13.5 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Territorial
Diet: Carnivore
Group: 2+
Status in the wild: Near threatened

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

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Photo: 5snake5, CC0

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Sources

We name everyone whose work is on this page. Where sources disagree, we show the best one: a scientific paper first, then aquarium references.

Temperature, ph, adult size, water flow, swim level, habitat, group size, temperament, diet, behaviour, home range Seriously Fish: Altolamprologus calvus profile Website
Conservation status, adult size, diet, home range FishBase: Altolamprologus calvus summary Website
Photo 5snake5, CC0 Wikimedia Commons
Map of rivers and countries Natural Earth public domain map data Map

Know a good source for this fish? Tell us

Tank mates

Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with moderate flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.

Good together

Keep apart

Need a different pH and small enough to be eaten

Cardinal tetra Chili rasbora Ember tetra German blue ram
Small enough to be eaten

Celestial pearl danio Cherry shrimp Endler's livebearer
Aggressive and will eat the calvus

Dovii

In the hobby

Where to find it

No store or breeder we know of has it right now.

Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.

Tanks with this fish

No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.

From keepers

Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.

Questions keepers ask

How big does a Calvus get?

About 13.5 cm (5.3 in) as an adult.

What temperature does a Calvus need?

24–27 °C (75–81 °F).

What pH does a Calvus need?

pH 7.5–9.

Does a Calvus need to be kept in a group?

Yes. Keep at least 2.

Is the Calvus aggressive?

It is territorial. Give it its own cave or space.

What does a Calvus eat?

Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.

Where does the Calvus come from?

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part.

What fish can live with a Calvus?

Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram, Bronze corydoras.

All the numbers

Temperature min (°C)	24	Sourced
Temperature max (°C)	27	Sourced
pH min	7.5	Sourced
pH max	9	Sourced
Adult size (cm)	13.5	Sourced
Flow	Moderate	Estimate
Swim level (top / middle / bottom)	bottom	Estimate
Habitat	lake	Sourced
Smallest happy group	2	Sourced
Temperament	Territorial	Sourced
Diet	Carnivore	Sourced
Behaviour tags	eats_small_fish,hard_water	Sourced

Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.