Tropheus duboisi
Tropheus duboisi
The Tropheus duboisi (Tropheus duboisi) is an aggressive fish that's best left to experienced keepers. Give it a tank of at least 250 litres (66 US gallons), water held at 75-82°F, and a pH of 7.5-9. Always keep a group of at least 12 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Africa / South America (varies)
- Africa
- South America
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Tropheus duboisi Tank Setup
Give them at least 250 litres (66 US gallons). Cichlids are territorial and produce plenty of waste, so strong filtration and some rocks or wood to break up sight lines both help. Aim for 75-82°F and a pH around 7.5-9. Always keep a group of at least 12 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour. They reach about 13 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Tropheus duboisis Eat?
They're grazers, so base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. A spotless tank with nothing to graze on leaves them thin and underfed.
Tropheus duboisi Tank Mates
Best kept in large groups (12+) to spread aggression. Highly susceptible to bloat; strict herbivore diet essential. The Tropheus duboisi is aggressive, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's a known fin-nipper, so avoid bettas, guppies, and other slow, long-finned fish. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 12 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Tropheus duboisis Good for Beginners?
Not a sensible first purchase. Get the tank cycled, keep easier fish stable for a year, then revisit if you still want the extra work this species demands.
Tropheus duboisi - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Tropheus duboisis need?
Tropheus duboisis need a tank of at least 250 litres (66 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Tropheus duboisis should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 12. Tropheus duboisis are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Tropheus duboisis need?
Keep them at 75-82°F with a pH of 7.5-9, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Tropheus duboisis eat?
Tropheus duboisis are grazers. Base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Tropheus duboisis good for beginners?
Tropheus duboisis are not a beginner species. They need precise conditions and consistent maintenance, so build experience with hardier fish before keeping them.
Common mistakes with Tropheus duboisis
- Buying fewer than 12 - Tropheus duboisis need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 250 litres (66 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
- Mixing with long-finned fish - Tropheus duboisis will nip at bettas, angelfish, and other fish with flowing fins, causing stress and infection risk.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Tropheus duboisis
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Common GoldfishGoldfish - prefer cooler, harder water that tropical fish cannot tolerate
- GuppySize risk - Tropheus duboisis will likely eat Guppy at adult size
