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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Tanganicodus sp. 'kavalla' Bilila (Kavala) Island.jpg Tanganicodus sp. 'kavalla' Katenga.jpg Tanganicodus sp. 'kavalla' Kibige Island.jpg
Next pageTanganicodus sp. 'kavalla' Bilila (Kavala) Island
Tribe / Genus: Eretmodini / Tanganicodus
Biotope: Upper parts of the rocky shoreline close to the coast, in very shallow surf zones with turbulent, wave-washed water. The body shape and long dorsal fin help the fish maintain position in strong surge; it is rarely found outside these shallow, agitated rocky habitats.
Geographic distribution: A distinct Tanganicodus-like taxon occurring south of Ubwari, from Kibanga Bay to the Kavala Islands.
Typical adult size: The smallest of the goby cichlids: up to 7 cm total length (females about 6 cm).
Sexual dimorphism: No clear visual differences between male and female; the female is typically smaller.
Recommended aquarium size: 200 L for a well-bonded pair. If keeping more than a pair, a much larger aquarium is needed due to intraspecific aggression (over 500 L).
Aquarium setup: Fine sand combined with rocks; use rockwork to create several shelters and visual breaks. Provide strong filtration flow to reflect the natural surge conditions.
It can be kept with other goby cichlids only when pairs are firmly established to avoid hybridization, or with small lamprologine cichlids such as Julidochromis and Neolamprologus.
Diet: Omnivorous, but primarily an invertebrate picker feeding on small invertebrates taken from aufwuchs, with some algae also ingested. The pointed mouth allows it to extract prey from very narrow rock crevices.
The intestine is shorter than in other goby cichlids (about 1.5–2× body length).
Breeding: Biparental mouthbrooder; both parents participate in incubation and territory defence. Spawning takes place on a flat or slightly sloped rock. The female lays eggs and immediately collects them into her mouth; the male releases sperm which the female also takes into her mouth, so fertilization occurs inside the female’s mouth.
The female incubates eggs or young for about 10–14 days (until roughly 8–10 mm), then transfers them to the male, who incubates for a further 7–8 days. The brooding parent does not eat, while the other feeds normally. Brood size is usually up to about 20 young.
Aggression: Extremely aggressive within the species; towards other species it is not strongly territorial. If attempting to keep more than a pair, a large tank is required to manage aggression (over 500 L).
Special notes: This taxon was referred to as Tanganicodus sp. 'kavala' by Tawil (2005) and is characterized by the absence of vertical body bars, in contrast to most Tanganicodus irsacae-like populations.
Considerable confusion exists regarding identification of Tanganicodus-like taxa, as Spathodus erythrodon-like species are often misidentified due to the assumption that a black dorsal-fin spot is diagnostic; however, this character is unreliable. Among Eretmodus, Spathodus, and Tanganicodus, tooth morphology is considered the only consistent diagnostic character for generic differentiation.
This species shows abundant blue spots and stripes, especially on the face, more pronounced than in other members of the genus, combined with a plain body and deep red fin edges, making it visually distinctive from true Tanganicodus irsacae.

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Photo: © Enzo Marino
Photo: © Patrick Tawil
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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