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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Lepidiolamprologus hecqui<br><font color=gray>Neolamprologus hecqui</font>
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Lepidiolamprologus
Type locality: Kasenge Bay (Albertville / Mtoa), northwestern Lake Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Biotope: Most likely a sandy bottom habitat with scattered empty gastropod shells. Presumed to be a shell-associated species, similar in ecology to Lepidiolamprologus boulengeri and Lepidiolamprologus meeli.
Geographic distribution: Only known with certainty from the type locality at Kasenge Bay. A wider distribution along the northwestern shore of Lake Tanganyika is possible but unconfirmed.
Typical adult size: The single known specimen measures 57 mm total length.
Sexual dimorphism: Unknown. By analogy with closely related species, males may be larger than females, but no differences in coloration are known.
Recommended aquarium size: Unknown. If ever available, a small species tank of around 50–80 L would likely be sufficient for a single pair.
Aquarium setup: Fine sand substrate with one or several empty shells placed openly on the sand. Ceramic caves or inverted flower pots could serve as substitutes. Likely territorial around the shell area.
Diet: Unknown. Probably feeds on small benthic invertebrates collected from sediment and debris, as in other small Lepidiolamprologus species.
Breeding: Unknown. Presumed to be a sand-associated spawner, with the female likely depositing eggs inside an empty shell.
Aggression: Unknown. Probably moderately territorial, defending a small area around the breeding shell.
Special notes: Known only from a single holotype, recovered from the mouth of a catfish together with a specimen of Neolamprologus brevis. Distinguished from L. meeli and L. boulengeri by a higher number of flank scales (53) and by 20 dorsal fin spines versus 18–19 in related species. Pelvic fins are dark, unlike in L. meeli. Often regarded as a “museum species” that has never been relocated with certainty.

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Photo: © Maarten Van Steenberge
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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