Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Cichlids > Cichlids - Tanganyika Types > White Pearly Calvus

White Pearly Calvus

White Chaitika ~ Congo Blackfin ~ Black Calvus Family: Cichlidae

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Altolamprologus calvus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Frank Schneidewind

  The handsome White Pearly Calvus is a very uniquely shaped and attractive fish!  

   White Pearly Calvus have a compressed body that allows them to squeeze into tight crevices and get to their prey easily, then they simply “suck” them into their large mouth. They also come in a variety of interesting colors. Being of a more peaceful disposition than a lot of cichlids, they are great for a peaceful Lake Tanganyika community environment. They mostly just mind their own business!

   The White Pearly Calvus are easy to care for as long as regular water changes are done.They can be kept in pairs or in groups and are generally peaceful toward those of the same species. If kept in a very large tank however, they will establish a territory and chase conspecifics out. They will tolerate peaceful cichlids of a different genus.

   The White Pearly Calvus is one common names these fish are known by. Other common names or different spellings these fish are known by are the the Pearly Calvus, White Chaitika, White Calvus, Congo Blackfin and Black Calvus. It is closely related to its very similar looking relative, the Compressed Cichlid Altolamprologus compressiceps. However the spots on the White Pearly Calvus are much more distinctive.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The White Pearly Calvus was described by Poll in 1978. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa, and are found in areas that are rocky. They have a compressed body that allows them to squeeze into tight crevices and get to their prey easily, and then they “suck” them into their large mouth. They are a slow growing predatory fish that will feed on eggs, fry, small crustaceans, insect larvae, and smaller fish.

Status:
   This species is listed on the IUCN Red List with the status of 'NT', meaning 'Near Threatened'.

Description:
   The White Pearly Calvus have a laterally compressed body, a high back, and a steep forehead. This unique shape allows them to root out prey from rocks and crevices. They have scales that are very thick and when threatened they will curve their body toward the enemy which exposes the scales. These scales can rip up the lips of a biting rival! Males have longer fins once they mature. They are a slow growing, long-lived fish.
   The body has dark vertical stripes that are most obvious in the front part of the body, with the back part being speckled and the stripes fading in the background. Depending on the variety, the White Pearly Calvus can be black with white and light blue accents or white with dark brown accents. There are reportedly “orange” and “tiger” varieties too, but these are most likely crosses.
   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.
   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense “smells” in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being “sampled” for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to “smell” the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:
   The White Pearly Calvus female grows to a length of between 4 - 6 ” (10 - 15 cm), males are the larger.

Care and feeding:
   The White Pearly Calvus is a carnivore. They are a slow growing predatory fish that in the wild will feed on eggs, fry, small crustaceans, insect larvae, and smaller fish. In the aquarium they will eat live foods such as shrimp, guppies, and earthworms. Another good food source for them is freeze dried marine plankton. They may also eat frozen foods (such as brine shrimp or blood worms) as well as protein flakes or tablets. It is suggested that you do not feed tubifex worms due to possible diseases and pathogens that may be transferred to your fish and to avoid mammalian meat. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day.  A one-day-a-week 'fast' can also be beneficial. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   A minimum of 20 gallons for small juveniles and 40 - 50 gallons for adults is suggested. A larger tank, up to 100 gallons, would be required if mixing with other species. They do fine in either freshwater or brackish freshwater but need good water movement along with very strong and efficient filtration. For freshwater an optional practice is to add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt per 11 gallons of water. This is considered to be a simple and natural remedy for wounds, minor fungal infections and film over the eyes of fish in transit. Using a marine salt (used for salt water fish) will add some trace elements. They need a lot of rocks and cave formations but also need plenty of open swimming areas. Plants are not essential though they do not harm them, nor do they burrow. A sandy bottom is also preferred.
   Do water changes of 15% biweekly or weekly, depending on stocking numbers. The Lake Tanganyika cichlids cannot handle large water changes very well unless the new water chemistry closely matches the water they are in. If a large water change is needed, changing 15% every couple of days should bring water back to normal. This inability to tolerate large water changes is due to Lake Tanganyika being very deep and the water tends to stay stable.
   These fish are susceptible to typical fish ailments, especially if water is stale and of poor quality and oxygenation. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Water changes, not overfeeding or overcrowding, and observation along with feeding your fish the proper foods (thawing frozen food and adding vitamins) will keep them in optimum health.
   One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturers suggestions. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication treatment. A copper test also can be used to keep the proper levels.      

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle and bottom areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 9 - 19 dH
   Ph: 8.0 - 9.0
   Temp: 73 - 77° F (23 - 25° C)

Lake Tanganyika is the second to largest lake in the world, thus contributing to a low fluctuation in Ph and temperature. Several things all Lake Tanganyika cichlids need are:

1. Stable temperatures kept within acceptable limits.
2. Lots of oxygen to survive. Lake Tanganyika is a very oxygen rich lake. Bubblers need to be going day and night, even if there are plants.
3. Avoid overfeeding and overstocking.
4. Do a 10-15% water change weekly.
5. Regularly check nitrates (no more than 25 ppm), Ph (less than 7 is not tolerated), total hardness and carbonate hardness.

Social Behaviors:
   The White Pearly Calvus is a community cichlid that can be kept with other peaceful Tanganyika cichlids of similar size. As they are predators, keep them with other cichlids that have the same dietary needs. They can be kept in pairs or in groups and are generally peaceful toward those of the same species. If kept in a very large tank however, they will establish a territory and chase conspecifics out. Avoid other color variations of White Pearly Calvus to avoid cross breeding and losing pure strains. They will tolerate peaceful cichlids of a different genus.
   Do not keep them with Mbuna, or with species in the Tropheus or Petrochromis genera. Avoid smaller fish that can be consumed. They do best in a species specific tank (20 gallon) if you want to breed them. If breeding them do not house with plecostomos as these fish will eat the eggs and fry at night.

Sexual Differences:
   The males are one third larger than the females and have elongated fins.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The White Pearly Calvus has been bred in captivity. This fish is an egg layer and the males are 1/3 larger than the females. Start with 4 to 5 fry or juveniles and grow them out in a 20 gallon tank. They will pair up in about 2 years and can be then used to breed. The females picks a spot that is too small for the male to enter. The White Pearly Calvus likes to spawn in tight spaces, and seems to especially like tapered ceramic cones called “boester bells”. Shells that the male cannot fit into work well too.
   The eggs are stuck to the side of the cone or other spot. They differ in color and can be yellow, orange or amber. The female will lay about 75 to 200 eggs and the male release sperm at the entrance of the cave. Both parents will fan the milt toward the eggs to fertilize them. After the eggs are fertilized, the female will fan and guard the eggs inside their “home” and the male will patrol outside.
   In a little over a week the fry will hatch and move out on their own. The male will try to eat the fry once they are hatched, so many aquarists will put the “cave” or shell in another tank with the female after the eggs are fertilized. The fry will stick close to the bottom, so water and substrate must be especially clean. Some aquarists remove the fry a week after hatching and put them in a 5 gallon tank with a sponge filter.
   The fry can be fed Hilkari First Start, Cyclopeeze, baby brine shrimp, finely ground earthworms, and brine shrimp flakes. Newly hatched baby brine shrimp seems to contribute to a higher survival rate. Doing 25% water changes 2 to 3 times a week is suggested to keep fry healthy. The larger fry will eat their smaller siblings.
   Within a month some stripes will appear, and in 2 months the larger fry will be 1/2” long and develop the body shape typical of the parents. The fry take 2 years to reach 2.5”.

Buy White Pearly Calvus From LiveAquaria.com

See the description of monogamous cichlids in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The White Pearly Calvus is readily available both online or in fish stores ranging between $16.00 to $24.00 USD for a 2” of fish, 1"' juveniles range between $9.00 to $12.00 USD. Purchase from a reputable dealer, due to hybridization it takes a trained eye to choose the correct color strain that has not been crossed.

Author: Carrie McBirney

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