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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Greenwoodochromis bellcrossi.jpg Greenwoodochromis bellcrossi 'Chituta'.jpg Greenwoodochromis bellcrossi 'Kansombo Banks'.jpg
Previous pageGreenwoodochromis bellcrossi 'Kansombo Banks'
Tribe / Genus: Limnochromini / Greenwoodochromis
Type locality: Off Mutondwe Island, Lake Tanganyika, Zambia.
Biotope: Deep-water muddy habitats. Collected with gill-nets over muddy bottom at about 80–100 m; likely occurs deeper as well.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Historically collected only in the extreme southeastern part of the lake, but recent imports from Burundi suggest a lake-wide distribution in suitable deep habitats.
Typical adult size: Up to about 18 cm (males); females around 15 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Weak. Males grow larger and may have a higher-bodied appearance; sexually mature females have a rounded belly. Large dominant males may show intensified coloration.
Recommended aquarium size: Minimum 400 L.
Aquarium setup: Use a thick layer of fine sand and provide caves/tunnels (e.g., rock structures or PVC tubes) that can be dug out. Keep lighting subdued to reflect deep-water origin. Best maintained as a pair; if kept with other fish, a substantially larger aquarium is required. Provide at least one refuge the male cannot enter, as males may become extremely aggressive if a brood cycle is interrupted.
Diet: Carnivorous predator. Wild diet is uncertain (collected specimens had empty stomachs), but conical teeth indicate predation. In aquaria it accepts mysis, small krill, artemia, chopped whitefish, shrimps and mussels. It often feeds most efficiently on or just above the substrate and may forage actively in low light or at night. Do not keep with small cichlids or small fishes.
Breeding: Biparental mouthbrooder. Spawning occurs in a dug-out tunnel/cave: the male releases milt in the tunnel, then the female enters to lay and immediately pick up batches of eggs; this is repeated until she is empty. Parents exchange eggs/larvae for about two weeks; fry later become free-swimming but may still be guarded and taken in at night. Female typically incubates the first 8–11 days, then the male carries the brood for about the next 10 days. Clutch size may reach at least ~200 eggs.
Aggression: Very aggressive and predatory—highly aggressive towards conspecifics and also towards other tankmates. Suitable only with robust, larger Tanganyikan cichlids (e.g., larger Neolamprologus, Cyphotilapia). Not compatible with smaller species, which may be eaten.
Special notes: Distinguished from other limnochromines by a very high scale count, six vertical bars, and an extremely inclined mouth. Similar to G. christyi but differs by smaller scales (51–58 vs. 44–50), a more laterally compressed body, larger eyes, and a much more steeply inclined mouth; live fish are often described as yellowish bronze, whereas G. christyi is typically grey to brownish.

Very little is known from direct field observations; the species has not been observed alive in the wild. Aquarium observations suggest feeding is often clumsy in open water but efficient on/near the substrate; at night it may forage actively with the head angled downward along rocks and over the substrate. One hypothesis is predation on juvenile fishes resting on the substrate at night, or feeding on abundant mysid-like shrimps hovering above muddy bottoms.

Juveniles around 3 cm may dig and aggressively defend small pits in sand—possibly an anti-predator strategy relevant to open muddy habitats.

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Photo: © African Diving Ltd
Photo: © African Diving Ltd
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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