Telmatochromis sp. 'schachbrett' (unknown locality); Telmatochromis sp. 'congo' (unknown locality)

Telmatochromis sp. 'schachbrett' (unknown locality)<br><font color=gray>Telmatochromis sp. 'congo' (unknown locality)</font>

Tribe / Genus:	Lamprologini / Telmatochromis
Biotope:	Rocky habitat, typically shallow rocky areas covered with an algal layer, comparable to the habitats occupied by Telmatochromis vittatus and T. temporalis.
Geographic distribution:	Reported between the area of Moba and the Lunangwa River in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Typical adult size:	Up to about 10 cm total length.
Recommended aquarium size:	100 L.
Aquarium setup:	Use plenty of rocks to create caves and hiding places. Provide a fine sand substrate, with empty snail shells placed on the sand.
Diet:	Omnivorous, feeding mainly on algae and other microorganisms living in the aufwuchs.
Breeding:	A substrate spawner using caves or empty snail shells. The female lays the eggs on the chosen site, which are then fertilized by the male. Clutches usually consist of around 50 eggs, and both parents participate in brood care. Eggs are hidden deep in crevices or shells, and the fry remain secretive during the first week.
Aggression:	A peaceful cichlid that can be kept in relatively small aquaria and is suitable for community tanks, provided it is not housed with very large or aggressive species.
Special notes:	Characterized by a very slender and elongated body with a short, rounded head. The beige basic coloration and faint vertical bars on the upper flank can create a chessboard-like appearance, depending on maintenance conditions such as a light background. The species is very close to Telmatochromis vittatus, and it cannot be excluded that some records attributed to that species may in fact refer to this taxon, or that both may intergrade. Interspecific hybridization is common within the genus. Discovered near Longola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1988, the species appears to have a low population density in the wild, and aquarium stocks are believed to originate from a limited number of collected specimens.