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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Tanganyika / Lemon Cichlid
Lemon Cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi | Pictures
Synonyms:
Lamprologus leleupi
Physical description: An elongated cichlid with a characteristic bright yellow color and a set of large lips.
The
caudal fin is fan-shaped.
The lips are a dark yellow, and above the upper lip is a fine green line.
This line extends along the lip to just
below the eye.
Size/Length: To 4" (10 cm)
Similar species: N.
longior
Habitat: Eastern Africa; rocky parts of Lake Tanganyika.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 30" (76 cm) tank with a volume of 20-25 gallons (75-98 L).
Construct rock formations having caves
and tunnels.
Leave open swimming areas and use hardy plants for decorations.
Use a fine gravel or preferably, coral
sand substrate.
Water chemistry: 7.5-9.0 (8.0), 8-20 dH (15), 75-81°F (24-27°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful fish that can be combined with other Lake Tanganyika Cichlids.
Males
may become aggressive during the spawning season towards unreceptive or immature females.
Pairs are formed only during the spawning
season.
Suggested companions: Julidochromis,
Neolamprologus, Cyprichromis,
Synodontis, Lamprologus, Aulonocara, Lamprichthys, Rainbowfish.
FOOD: Live; crustaceans, insect larvae, aquatic insects; large flakes; pellets.
This
fish must be fed a varied diet to bring out its beautiful colors.
Sexual differences: Difficult to distinguish between the sexes; older males often develop a hump on their
forehead.
Breeding techniques: Use a breeding tank with a single pair.
Be sure that the pair is compatible
and provide caves and crevices.
Use water with a pH from 7.5-8.2, 8-14 dH, and a temperature to 86°F (30°C).
As
many as 150 eggs are laid on the ceiling of a previously cleaned cave.
The eggs are carefully guarded by the
female, while the male watches over the territory.
The fry hatch after 3-4 days and feed off their egg sacs for another
three days.
The young are moved to a pit inside the cave.
After five to six more days, the fry are free-swimming
and can be fed on Artemia
nauplii, Cyclops
nauplii, and crushed dry foods.
The fry are very sensitive to the build-up of
toxic compounds, and are susceptible to bacteria diseases.
Breeding potential: 7.
Breeding is difficult.
Remarks: Three sub-species have been described:
N. leleupi leleupi,
N. leleupi longior, and
N. leleupi melas
.
The Lemon Cichlid needs frequent partial water changes in order to prosper.
This
cichlid reaches sexual maturity in about a year and a half.
Difficulty of care: 6.
A delicate, but stunning fish whose diet must include live foods.
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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