Pyxichromis orthostoma
- Common name: Also called Haplochromis sp. largemouth
- Location and Lake collected from: Lake Kyoga system (Lake Salisury)
- Approximate size: Just over 3.5 inches.
- Food: Eats pellet and flake foods. They should like live foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, or mosquito larvae. They will also eat smaller fish that will fit in their mouth.
- pH: 7.4 – 8.4
- Temperature: 76 – 82 degrees F.
- Breeding behavior: Mouthbrooder. I could only keep 1 male per tank successfully. If I kept more than 1 male, the females would be chased continuously. They like rocks and caves to hide in. They also did better in softer water than my other Victorians. If my hardness went above 10 then my orthostoma would stop eating and lay on the bottom. When I lowered the hardness to around 7 or 8 then they would start acting like they wanted to spawn again.
- Tankmates: I have seen them in with Pundamilia nyererei Ruti Island, Paralabidochromis chromogynos, Neolamprologus leleupi, and several other wild Victorian Cichlid species. I have kept them in with Paralabidochromis chilotes, Astatotilapia latifasciata, Pundamilia nyererei Ruti Island, and Neolamprologus leleupi without problems.
- Tank size: Several adults can easily be kept in a 70-gallon aquarium
- Additional notes: This species is listed as vulnerable in the wild.