Beautiful fish, interesting behaviours and a requirement for hardwater. Jeremy provides a quick guide to Tanganyikan cichlids.
Many people often think that marine tanks are the pinnacle of fishkeeping. However, we risk overlooking some stunning marine-like fish that don't come with the hassle involved with saltwater. Jeremy Gay is on hand to provide a quick guide to one of the groups of wonderful fishes.
The mighty Congo river empties into Lake Tanganyika. This mass of water is almost one mile deep with an estimated three miles of sediment underneath that.
Lake Tanganyika is home to species of crab, jellyfish, sponge, and clouds of zooplankton. Yet, it is totally freshwater, although with hard, alkaline water, and home to nearly 200 species of cichlid. They have all adapted to a unique life within its boundaries.
The cichlids of Lake Tanganyika have also adapted to fill every possible feeding niche. This includes eating algae or shrimp through to fish and even scales and fins of other fish.
They range from the diminutive Neolamprologus multifasciatus at 3cm (1.2”) to a 90cm (35”) giant. Boulengerochromis microlepis is the world’s largest cichlid, and tops our 10 biggest cichlids feature.
Despite variations in size, many species reach less than 20cm (7.8”) in length, making them great aquarium subjects.
Substrate spawning cichlids
The most popular Lake Tanganyika cichlids are the lamprologines. Some of the most commonly encountered are the 'Julies' (Julidochromis spp.), fairy cichlids (Neolamprologus pulcher), pictured above, and lemon cichlids (Neolamprologus leleupi).
Feeding mainly on tiny invertebrates, these fish stay close to rocks for protection, to eat and to breed.
From a group of juveniles a pair will form and stake out a territory. They will defend this vigorously, especially when raising fry. They usually lay eggs on a flat surface, usually in a cave. When the fry hatch the parents defend their young through to adulthood.
In the case of fairy cichlids and Julies, sub-adults may even stay with the parents. They help to raise the next batch of fry and forming a solid family unit that will take on allcomers.
You can observe this fascinating behaviour in the aquarium, as most are hardy and easy to breed. Set up a tank with hard water, of pH 8.2 and above, and decorate with lots of rock work.
With good water quality and regular food, the cichlids will do the rest for you, setting up home and usually breeding.
Many shell-dwelling species are adaptations of these cave spawners and include Neolamprologus ocellatus. Their caves are the empty, calcified shells of Neothauma snails; the hard water preserves these shells well. Shell dwellers are suitable for small tanks and make interesting residents.
Mouthbrooders
Popular with hobbyists, this group includes some fan favourites. The algae grazing Tropheus, the predatory frontosa, and the slender sardine cichlids, make up the bulk of fish sold.
The three are rather different in their requirements, despite coming from the same lake. You should not attempt to keep them together in the same tank.
Tropheus look and behave like Pseudotropheus from Lake Malawi. Their diet is poor, consisting of short algae strands growing from rocks and the odd invertebrate found within the algae. You may know this growth as aufwuch.
Tropheus are aggressive and territorial in the aquarium. In nature they fight to protect their algae and to attract a mate.
The Tropheus aquarium must be large and overcrowded, with ten or more of a single species, rock piles and a low protein diet. Because of their aggression levels and dietary needs, keep them in species only set ups.
Frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa and C. gibberosa) are very distinctive, with broad black and white vertical stripes. The males develop large nuchal humps on their heads and extended fins.
In the lake they live at depth, in low light. Here they predate on the sleeping sardine cichlids, (Cyprichromis spp.) For this reason the two should not share an aquarium. Although, many hobbyists will find that they rarely predate any fish in captivity.
Cyprichromis (above) and Paracyprichromis don’t look like cichlids at all. Instead, they look like the pelagic marine fish that give them their common name of Sardine cichlids. They shoal in thousands in open water, going where the food goes, and larger cichlids and humans predate on them.
In the aquarium these dainty cichlids look great in a shoal in which males develop bright yellow or blue hues and display to females.
They need to be able to get out of the way of breeding lamprologines, so large, tall tanks are better. Identifying females when brooding is easy as they won’t eat and their mouth becomes distended.
Sand dwellers
These are the least common of the Tanganyika cichlids, yet among the most beautiful. Males create bowers — craters in the sand — to where they entice females to breed. They need a large aquarium of their own with much open sand.
As with Tropheus, frontosa and Cyprichromis, these benefit from many females around a single male. Males always look their best surrounded by females. Plus, the male divides his attention amongst the females rather than singling one out.
Keeping them healthy
What's good
- Behaviour
- Variety
- Collectable
- Can be bred
- Biotope tank potential.
Water parameters
- pH 8.2 and above
- Water temperature 25°C (77°F)
- GH 12-20
- KH 10-15
- Ammonia 0.0ppm
- Nitrite 0.0ppm
- Nitrate less than 20ppm.
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