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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
tanganyika.si
Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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The species can be kept as a pair or as a harem (e.g. one male with two females). A single established pair can be kept in a 150 L aquarium, while a harem requires at least 200 L.
When kept with other Tanganyikan cichlids, an aquarium of at least 300 L is required due to high aggression both within the species and toward other cichlids.
Suitable tankmates are species occupying different zones of the aquarium, such as more robust shell-dwellers (e.g. L. stappersi, L. ocellatus) for the sandy bottom, and some Cyprichromis species for the midwater zone.
Avoid keeping together with similarly shaped rock-dwelling cichlids that occupy the same niche, such as Julidochromis or Chalinochromis species.
Feeds mainly on insect larvae, occasionally on other small invertebrates. In the aquarium, offer a variety of live and frozen foods such as krill, mysis, and cyclops.
A cave spawner. The number of eggs is usually low, rarely more than about 20. Both parents guard the clutch, with the female guarding the eggs inside the cave and the male defending the area in front of the cave.
Aggressive also toward other species. Although a pair can be kept in a relatively small aquarium, the pair bond is not very strong and, if the bond breaks, the male may quickly kill the female.
Diagnosis: A small, elongated lamprologine species with a lunate caudal fin and a whitish body coloration patterned by two more or less fragmented horizontal stripes.
Although compared to Altolamprologus fasciatus in the original description, that species is not closely related. Neolamprologus buescheri is considered closer to the N. leleupi species group and shows similarities to N. bifasciatus and N. longicaudatus, though differences suggest parallel evolution rather than sibling species status.
These related species share behavioral, ecological, and morphological similarities with Julidochromis, except for mouth shape, which is downturned with adipose lips and reflects different feeding strategies. The melanin pattern in N. buescheri can vary from lined to chessboard-like forms depending on background and light conditions.
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