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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Tanganyika / Five-bar Cichlid
Five-bar Cichlid, Tretocephalus
Neolamprologus tretocephalus | Pictures
Synonyms:
Lamprologus tretocephalus
Physical description: An elongated cichlid with
fan-shaped caudal fin.
The background coloring is white to
off-white and the body is marked with five distinct transverse bars.
The bars are black in color and broad.
The
first one runs through over the gill cover.
The second, third, and forth run from the belly to the lower part of
the dorsal fin.
The final bar is located right at the end of the caudal penuncle.
A partial bar runs from the lower part
of the eye, through the eye, and to the forehead.
The pelvic and anal fins are violet-white while the caudal and dorsal
are violet white tips.
The caudal and dorsal fins are black in color.
Size/Length: To 6" (15 cm)
Similar species: Resembles young
Cyphotilapia frontosa, which differs by its one
additional stripe. STYLE="mso-bidi-font-style : normal ; mso-spacerun : yes">
P. straeleni
and STYLE="mso-bidi-font-style : normal ; mso-spacerun : yes">
N. sexfasciatus
have shorter fins and one additional stripe.
Habitat: Eastern Africa; rocky shore areas of Lake Tanganyika.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A 36" (91 cm) tank with a capacity of 35 gallons (132 L) is sufficient for small
fish under 4" (10 cm) in length.
Adult fish need a 48 (122 cm) tank with a volume of 55 gallons (209
L). The
tank should be arranged with a number of rock structures including caves, tunnels, and over-hangs.
Use
a coral sand substrate and leave plenty of open swimming areas.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-8.2 (7.9), 8-18 dH (12), 75-81°F (24-27°C)
Social behavior: A territorial fish that will establish large territories.
Combine with other robust Tanganyika
cichlids and catfish.
Pairs form monogamous bonds and nuclear families during the spawning season.
Suggested companions: Julidochromis,
Neolamprologus, Cyprichromis,
Synodontis, Lamprologus, Aulonocara, Lamprichthys, Rainbowfish.
FOOD: Live; insect larvae, aquatic insects, crustaceans; pellets; flakes; vegetables; peas,
spinach.
Sexual differences: The males are slightly larger with pointed anal and dorsal fins.
The markings may or may not be darker.
Breeding techniques: Keep a pair in their own breeding tank measuring at least 36" (91 cm) with a capacity
of 40 gallons (151 L).
The water chemistry should be as followS: pH from 7.6-8.0, a water hardness from 10-14
dH, and a water temperature from 79-82°F (26-28°C).
Up to 400 eggs are laid in a cave.
The
female guards the eggs, while the male guards the territory.
The fry hatch after 48 hours are free-swimming
about 9-11 days after the spawning.
They emerge from the caves and can be fed with
Artemia nauplii,
Cyclops nauplii and crushed dry foods.
The
fry are slow-growing and difficult to raise as they are sensitive to water pollutants and changes in water chemistry.
Breeding potential: 8.
A challenging fish to breed.
Remarks: This fish is sensitive to toxic compounds and should be kept under the regime of very
frequent, but small water changes (about 5-10% biweekly).
Difficulty of care: 6.
A sensitive fish whose diet should 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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