Enantiopus melanogenys
Enantiopus melanogenys “Black Face” male pictured.
- Common Names:
- Locations collected from: wide distribution throughout the lake.
- Approximate Size: Males reach 6 – 7 inches, females reach 5 – 6 inches.
- Food: Will eat flake, brine shrimp, daphnia, and mosquito larvae. I never tried pellet foods with them. They will also sift the sand looking for food. (See picture below.)
- Water Conditions: Needs a pH between 8.6 – 9+ and a temperature between 75 – 78 degrees F. These fish are extremely sensitive to even the slightest amount of ammonia.
- Breeding Behavior: Mouthbrooder. Males need a sandy substrate to dig a pit to spawn in. Multiple males can be housed in the same aquarium. Males will chase the females slightly around spawning time. A covered aquarium is recommended due to their natural tendencies to scatter when scared which can lead to jumping out of the tank.
- Tankmates: These fish are not community tank fish, even the Synodontis petricola I had in with them chased them around.