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Hop to next section All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name Benitochromis finleyi  (Trewavas, 1974)
Common Name
Type Locality Nyoke River, tributary of Mungo River, southeast of Lake Kotto, Cameroon.
Synonym(s) Chromidotilapia finleyi
Pronunciation ben ee toe krow miss - fin lay eye
Etymology The genus is named after the Benito River in Equatorial Guinea. The species is named in honour of Lee Finley, renowned American aquarist, author and all-round excellent chap.
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 75mm or 3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Small chromidotilapiine cichlids with four openings of the laterosensory system in the lachrymal bone and three additional tubular infra-orbital bones, 16 circumpeduncular scales. All species are mouthbrooders.

Yellow-brownish body, cheeks and opercles iridescent blue, also anterior parts of body in most individuals. Rarely some red dots are visible on the flanks.
Sexing In females, the iridescent parts of the dorsal and caudal fin are rosy to whitish and more prominent then in males. Males with few reddish macula on the caudal fin and posterior parts of anal fin, females without such dots or at least much lesser. Additionally, males grow about 1 cm bigger then females.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Africa: Mungo and Meme Rivers, Fernando Poo and Kribi Rivers.
African Waters, Cameroon waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
African Waters, Cameroon waters, Mungo (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Endangered, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2009.
pH 6.4 - 7.8
Temperature 24.0-27.0°C or 75.2-80.6°F (Show species within this range)
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Omnivorous, but feed just small to very small particles; sand sifter. User data.
Furniture Accepts plants well, needs a good number of possibilities to hide.
Suggested Tankmates Small other cichlids from the region or medium sized Characins, Cyprinids, Killies. If the tank is big enough, it can be kept in groups - and of course it would be preferable not just to keep one pair but a group, so that a compatible pair can form - as cooperation is of highest importance for breeding success.
Breeding Biparental mouthbrooder, both parents are incubating eggs and larvae - exchange of eggs and larvae between the parents can occur several times per day.
Breeding Reports There is but a single breeding report, read it here.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology v. 26 (no. 5), pp 393, Pl. 5; Fig. 16.
Registered Keepers There are 3 registered keepers, view all "my fish" data.
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There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
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Last Update 2020 Oct 28 13:22 (species record created: 2010 Dec 08 08:47)