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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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0.jpg Altolamprologus compressiceps 'Tembwe (Deux)'.jpg Asprotilapia leptura 'Tembwe (Deux)'.jpg Cyphotilapia gibberosa 'Tembwe Deux'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageAltolamprologus compressiceps 'Tembwe (Deux)'
Tribe / Genus: Lamprologini / Altolamprologus
Type locality: Kinyamkolo, Lake Tanganyika.
Biotope: Rocky shoreline habitat. Typically found at depths of about 1–15 m. Occurs in narrow rock crevices and caves; often found sympatrically with Altolamprologus calvus in parts of the lake.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika with a lake-wide distribution. Numerous geographic variants are known around much of the shoreline.
Typical adult size: Males grow to about 12–15 cm total length; females remain noticeably smaller, usually up to ~9 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Apart from the clear size difference, there are no major visual differences between sexes.
Recommended aquarium size: 200 L
Aquarium setup: Provide plenty of rocks arranged to create caves and very narrow crevices. For breeding, ensure caves or cracks with entrances that allow the female to enter but exclude the male.
Suitable tankmates are other sufficiently large Tanganyikan cichlids such as Cyprichromis, Neolamprologus, and Julidochromis. Avoid keeping them with robust, highly competitive species such as Tropheus or Petrochromis.
Best kept as a single pair, or (in a large enough aquarium) a group of at least 7 individuals. A tight-fitting lid is recommended, as they may jump.
Diet: Carnivorous predator. Feeds mainly on crustaceans, other invertebrates, and cichlid fry. In crowded community aquaria it may also steal eggs, including from mouthbrooders. Its extremely laterally compressed body allows it to hunt within very narrow rock crevices.
Breeding: Substrate spawner. Outside the breeding season, the male is often found solitary and forms only a weak pair bond during spawning.
The female selects a tight cave or rock crack that only she can enter and lays roughly 50–200 eggs. The male fertilizes the eggs from outside by releasing milt into the entrance.
Larvae hatch after about 3 days and become free-swimming after 5–7 days, at which point they can be fed newly-hatched Artemia. The female cares for eggs and fry; the male guards the area near the cave but often disappears before the fry are free-swimming.
Aggression: Generally peaceful; males may be aggressive toward each other. As a predator, it will opportunistically eat any fry it can catch.
Special notes: Very similar to Altolamprologus calvus and likewise slow-growing. It differs by having a shorter snout, a deeper body, and scales present on the head.

Compared to A. calvus, A. compressiceps typically shows more distinct vertical bars and less pronounced spotting, while A. calvus usually exhibits the opposite pattern.

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