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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Tanganyika / Zebra Cichlid
Zebra Cichlid
Lobochilotes labiatus | Pictures
Synonyms: Tilapia
labiata
Physical description:
An elongated, laterally compressed cichlid.
The lips of adult fish are large and
well-developed.
The body color is usually greenish-white to greenish-silver-brown.
About 12 transverse stripes run the
length of the body.
These stripes vary in intensity depending on the fish, and are usually dark gray in color.
The
fins are transparent with a smoky gray tint.
Size/Length: To 16" (40 cm) in nature, although not usually larger then 11" (28 cm)
in aquaria.
Similar species: None
Habitat: Eastern Africa; found at depth from 125 to 200 feet (38-61 m) in rocky zones, Lake
Tanganyika
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: Smaller individuals can be kept in a tank measuring 48" (122 cm) with a volume of
55 gallons (209 L).
Adults need a 60" (152 cm) tank with a volume of 90-110 gallons (342-416 L).
The
tank must have large open areas for free-swimming.
Use a back-drop of large rock structures, including caves and tunnels.
The
substrate should be coral sand.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-8.8 (8.0), 8-22 dH (18), 70-75°F (21-24°C) is more natural, although
the Zebra Cichlid will tolerate a temperature from 70-82°F (21-28°C) in aquaria.
Social behavior: A highly aggressive, predatory fish that will eat fish under the size of 3.5"
(9 cm) when full-grown.
The Zebra Cichlid is territorial to others of its own and other species.
Suggested companions: Altolamprologus,
Afromastacembelus, Lamprichthys, Synodontis, Cyphotilapia, and
large Neolamprologus
FOOD: Live; fish, earthworms, aquatic insects, snails,
Tubifex, insect larvae; chopped meat; mollusks;
pellets; tablets; large flakes; vegetables; spinach, peas, lettuce.
Sexual differences: The male's anal fin has egg-spots and may have lighter stripes.
Breeding techniques: Use a large breeding tank with the following water propertieS: a pH from 8.0-8.5, a
water hardness from 8-14 dH, and a temperature from 75-79°F (24-26°C).
Keep one male with several females.
As
many as 400 eggs are laid and taken into the mouth of the female.
They are fertilized via the dummy-egg
method.
The eggs are incubated for a period of
25-30 days.
The fry can be fed on
Artemia, small
Daphnia, and crushed dry foods.
Breeding potential: 9.
Breeding, until recently, had not been accomplished in aquaria.
Remarks: The large lips of
L. labiatus serve an important role in finding
food in the depths of Lake Tanganyika.
The fish are able to sense food with them.
A close relative to the Haplochromines
of Lake Malawi.
Difficulty of care: 6.
A hardy, but highly aggressive cichlid that can only be combined with other large, robust
Lake Tanganyika cichlids.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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