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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Neolamprologus christyi 'Molwe'.jpg Neolamprologus christyi 'Mtosi Bay'.jpg Neolamprologus christyi 'Mvuna Island'.jpg Neolamprologus christyi 'Namansi'.jpg Neolamprologus christyi 'Samazi'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageNeolamprologus christyi 'Mvuna Island'
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Neolamprologus
Type locality: Mtosi Bay, great rocks of south coast, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania.
Biotope: Rocky habitats interspersed with sandy patches, usually at depths less than 10 meters.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to the southern part of Lake Tanganyika, occurring between Isanga Bay in Zambia and Kipili in Tanzania. South of Mtosi it shares habitat with Neolamprologus modestus.
Typical adult size: Reaches around 15 cm total length in the lake, while specimens kept in aquaria may grow up to approximately 18 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Sexual dimorphism is weak. Males may be slightly larger than females, but otherwise sexes are externally very similar. Occasional color differences have been observed, with females sometimes appearing paler, though this is not consistent.
Recommended aquarium size: At least 300 liters for a formed pair.
Aquarium setup: The aquarium should contain large rock structures forming caves, with a bottom layer of fine sand. Each member of a pair may defend its own cave, therefore a spacious tank is required. Due to its relatively large size and powerful bite, it can coexist with most Tanganyika cichlids except for some larger lamprologine species.
Diet: Carnivorous. Feeds mainly on invertebrates; gut content analyses have revealed crustaceans, worms, and small snails.
Breeding: The pair excavates a cavity near rocks where a large clutch of more than 250 eggs is deposited, though the number of surviving fry is usually below 100. In aquaria, each partner often maintains its own cave, joining occasionally. Fry are most often guarded by the female, suggesting a possible harem-like system, while field observations have also documented pairs jointly defending fry, indicating that monogamy may also occur.
Aggression: An extremely aggressive species, both towards conspecifics and other fishes. Its strong territorial behavior necessitates a large aquarium.
Special notes: Neolamprologus christyi is closely related to members of the N. petricola and N. mondabu group, sharing similar morphology but differing by a more elongated body, a distinctly crescent-shaped caudal fin, a higher number of body scales, and markedly stronger aggressiveness. Juveniles are beige with blue edging on the dorsal and caudal fins, while adults become matte black to dark chocolate brown. Despite its forked tail and slender shape, it is not related to Neolamprologus furcifer.

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Photo: © African Diving Ltd
Photo: © Pam Chin
Photo: © Benoit Jonas
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