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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Petrochromis sp. 'texas blue neon' Ninde.jpg Tropheus moorii 'Ninde'.jpg Xenotilapia sp. 'papilio sunflower' Ninde.jpg
Previous pageXenotilapia sp. 'papilio sunflower' Ninde
Tribe / Genus: Ectodini / Xenotilapia
Biotope: Inhabits rocky habitats. Most individuals are found in deeper water at depths around 40 meters, but they can also occur in very shallow water, sometimes as shallow as 3 meters. Unlike sand-dwelling Xenotilapia species that form large groups, this species does not aggregate in schools (except as juveniles) and lives primarily in pairs.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, with a limited distribution between Cap Chaitika (Zambia) and Cape Mpimbwe (Tanzania).
Typical adult size: Reaches a total length of approximately 10 cm.
Recommended aquarium size: 300 L
Aquarium setup: Highly aggressive within the species. Best kept together with other Lake Tanganyika cichlids, as territorial defense against other species strengthens the pair bond. Suitable tankmates include some other Xenotilapia species, Paracyprichromis, and smaller Neolamprologus species.
The aquarium should have a minimum length of 130 cm and contain plenty of rocks, with fine sand on the bottom. Rocks are especially important if more than one individual is kept, as they provide visual barriers. Due to strong intraspecific aggression, keeping a single pair is generally recommended.
This species is sensitive to water quality; stable parameters and regular water changes are essential.
Diet: Omnivorous. Digestive analyses indicate that at least 90% of the diet consists of small ostracods. The remaining portion includes small crustaceans, various invertebrates, and algae. Actively feeds from the sediment layer covering rocks.
Breeding: Biparental mouthbrooder. Spawning usually takes place on sand near rocks. The female initially collects and broods the eggs and larvae for 8–12 days before transferring them to the male. Approximately three weeks after spawning the fry are released, and both parents continue to guard them for another two weeks or longer. Clutch size is small and rarely exceeds 20 fry.
Aggression: Among the more aggressive and strongly territorial members of the genus Xenotilapia.
Special notes: One of the few Xenotilapia species adapted to rocky habitats rather than open sand.
Xenotilapia sp. ‘papilio sunflower’ is distinguished from X. papilio by the absence of black spots on the ventral fins.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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