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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Paracyprichromis sp. 'ammelrooyi' Lubugwe Bay.jpg Petrochromis sp. 'red' Lubugwe Bay.jpg Telmatochromis bifrenatus 'Lubugwe Bay'.jpg Tropheus sp. 'kirschfleck' Lubugwe Bay.jpg Tropheus sp. 'lukuga' Lubugwe Bay.jpg
Previous pageNext pageTelmatochromis bifrenatus 'Lubugwe Bay'
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Telmatochromis
Type locality: Kigoma, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania.
Biotope: Rocky shore habitats in shallow to moderately deep water.
Geographic distribution: Restricted to the northern part of Lake Tanganyika, occurring between Kalemie (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Sibwesa (Tanzania).
Typical adult size: Up to about 6 cm total length (females around 5 cm).
Sexual dimorphism: Not pronounced; males and females are similar in appearance, females being slightly smaller.
Recommended aquarium size: 80 L.
Aquarium setup: An aquarium with abundant rockwork to form caves and crevices; the bottom should consist of fine sand, with some empty snail shells placed on the substrate.
Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on algae and other microorganisms living in aufwuchs. Algae are removed from the substrate using a characteristic body movement in which the fish bends into an “S” shape.
Breeding: Cave-brooder. Spawning takes place in caves or, when available, inside empty snail shells. The female deposits eggs on the chosen site, which are then fertilized by the male. Clutch size is usually around 50 eggs. Both parents take part in guarding and caring for the fry.
Aggression: A peaceful species that can be kept in a relatively small aquarium.
Special notes: In Lake Tanganyika this species is mainly associated with rocky habitats and is very rarely found in areas dominated by shell beds, where Telmatochromis temporalis and Telmatochromis vittatus, especially their dwarf forms, are more common.
It was often confused with Telmatochromis brichardi before the latter was formally described. T. bifrenatus can be reliably distinguished by the presence of an additional longitudinal stripe between the median and dorsal stripes, which is absent in T. brichardi.

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Photo: © Mattia Matarrese
Photo: © Mattia Matarrese
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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