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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Julidochromis sp. 'ornatus uvira' Uvira
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Julidochromis
Biotope: Intermediate sand–rock habitat.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Found in the north-western part of the lake between Uvira and Kalungwe. Also recorded at Kashekezi, less than 2 km north of Pemba and less than 5 km south of Makobola, despite the presence of typical Julidochromis transcriptus at both nearby localities.
Typical adult size: Up to approximately 7 cm total length.
Recommended aquarium size: 80 L for a bonded pair
Aquarium setup: Fine sand substrate with rockwork arranged to create multiple caves and crevices. Only one pair should be kept per small aquarium. Can be kept with other Tanganyikan cichlids of similar size occupying different zones.
Diet: Omnivorous. Feeds mainly on invertebrates and microfauna picked from aufwuchs, while also ingesting algae.
Breeding: Cave spawner. Likely breeds year-round, similar to other small Julidochromis species.
Aggression: Moderate to high intraspecific aggression, especially during territorial defense.
Special notes: This species resembles Julidochromis ornatus but remains significantly smaller than true southern populations (approximately 7 cm vs. up to 10 cm). Most authors agree that it is more closely related to Julidochromis transcriptus than to true J. ornatus from the southern part of the lake. On this map, the name used follows African Diving: Julidochromis sp. ‘Ornatus Uvira’. In Ad Konings (2019), this northern form is still treated as Julidochromis ornatus, although he also notes its closer affinity to J. transcriptus. In the aquarium hobby, a form known as J. ornatus ‘Bemba’ exists, but this is certainly not from Bemba, as J. transcriptus and J. sp. ‘Ornatus Uvira’ do not coexist. It is therefore possible that the so-called ‘Bemba’ form originates from Kashekezi.

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Photo: © African Diving Ltd
Photo: © African Diving Ltd
Photo: © Eric Dasmien
Photo: © Eric Dasmien
Photo: © Eric Dasmien
Photo: © Ticule le Sicilien
Photo: © Ticule le Sicilien
Photo: © Ticule le Sicilien
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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