There is a huge ancient lake in the east of the African continent, isolated from other sources of water. For many centuries, life in Lake Tanganyika developed in its own special way, creating an amazing variety of fish species.
For many years, bright fish do not cease to please the owners with their beauty and interesting behavior. Fans of cichlids are sure that these fish not only possess ingenuity and intelligence, but can also acquire new habits.
Let's try to figure out what types of Tanganyika cichlids are, how they differ and how difficult it is to keep such pets in a home aquarium.
Tanganyika Lake
This body of water is not just another lake out of thousands existing on our planet. Tanganyika is not only considered the longest lake on Earth, but is second only to Baikal in depth. It has been proven that the maximum depth here reaches 1470 meters, and the average depth is about 570 meters.
Surprisingly, over the 10 million years of its existence, the lake has never dried up and has not frozen. Most natural disasters bypassed him, allowing evolution to create new bizarre species of invertebrates and fish.
Currently, over 250 species of cichlids live in the waters of Tanganyika, and this is not the limit. Scientists studying the biotypes of the lake are sure that about a hundred more species of unusual fish are waiting for their discovery.
The water in Lake Tanganyika is crystal clear and transparent, visible to a depth of thirty meters. The water is very hard and with a high alkali content: all these parameters will have to be taken into account by the aquarist who has decided to have Tanganyiki cichlid.
The main biotypes of the lake
In such a huge lake, the habitats of different types of fish are very different. Fish that occupy a particular niche are just as different. Choosing fish for the aquarium, you will have to take into account the parameters of the original habitat of the Tanganyika cichlid species and create similar conditions in the home tank. Here are just a few conditions:
- In the surf zone, where the oxygen content is increased in water, cichlids of the “goby” (Spathodus marlieri) live. This is the only place in the lake where they can be found.
- On the rocky bottom, covered with algae, many species of cichlids live. Most of all there are fish eating aquatic plants and migratory predators hunting them.
- Bright flocking fish live on the sandy bottom, which in moments of danger can quickly dig into the sand. Species Callochromis and Xenotilapia can often be found in home aquariums, where they also stay in a flock, observing a peculiar hierarchy.
- Depth 50 - 150 meters. In the water column, where there is very little food, Benthochromis tricoti cichlids adapted to live, eating plankton and small crustaceans. On such meager food, they grow to 20 cm.
Most of the species living here are endemic cichlids of Lake Tanganyika and are not found anywhere else.
Species aquarium
The water parameters at which cichlids will feel good in a home aquarium are poorly suited to other types of fish. Therefore, it is better for them to equip a species aquarium by creating an imitation of one of the biotypes of Lake Tanganyika.
Most often it is a soft sandy bottom with randomly arranged stones and structures made of them. It should be borne in mind that the cichlids of Tanganyika are very territorial fish. They will protect their shelter constantly, and not just during spawning. It is ideal for each pair of cichlids to equip a separate shelter at a short distance from the others. Although there is no guarantee that the fish will like the proposed options and they will not begin to dig their own caves.
Plants in a Cichlid Aquarium
The presence of plants in the aquarium is quite important for the comfortable life of many species of Tanganyika cichlids. Growing fry and timid fish will hide in green thickets. Also, the leaves of plants planted around the perimeter of the aquarium will create additional shelters for them.
The choice of plants in the aquarium with cichlids should be approached carefully: these should be strong, fast-growing species with a good root system.
If the bottom of the aquarium is sandy, it is better to plant the plants in ceramic pots. So it will be easier for them to take root, and it is more difficult for cichlids to dig up a bush.
All cichlids, even their small varieties, love to dig in the ground and "transplant" plants, digging them out with the root and breaking leaves. This happens more often during the preparation for spawning, when the couple equips the nest, but large fish can engage in “gardening” just for fun.
In this case, plastic imitations of real plants can become a solution. Of course, it’s not as beautiful as a real garden, but they will not be able to dig and break their cichlids.
Spawning
At the age of eight months, previously friendly flocking fish begin to pair up and look for a place to hide. The largest dominant individuals are the first to occupy comfortable shelters, while the rest are content with what remains.
Fish diligently deepen the shelter, tearing a hole in the soft sand. Spawning itself does not last long. The female lays eggs in the cavity, which the male then fertilizes. And the fun begins.
Due to the fact that in nature, cichlids did not have shelters in which they could hide the laid eggs and where later the fry hid, the fish found another way out. After fertilization, the female carefully collects eggs in her mouth and carries them there until the fry hatch. All this time she is not even distracted by food, so as not to lose future offspring. The Tanganyika cichlid photo shows how tiny fry swim around the female.
And even small fish that were born the first time grow in the mouth of a female, swimming only for feeding. While the fry will be placed in this living shelter, the female will protect them. The grown up small fish begin to eat on their own and hide from their adult relatives. Cichlids are predators, so they eat everything that fits in their mouths.
Aquarium fish behavior
Having decided on the content of Tanganyika cichlids in a home aquarium, you need to know about the peculiarities of the behavior of these unusual fish.
Small species, such as Julidochromis or Lamprologus callipterus, will not cause much trouble to the owner. During spawning, fish can be aggressive, and the rest of the time they are quite peaceful. Of course, usually among cichlids, fights for territory cannot be avoided, but they usually end with shabby fins and several torn scales.
The larger the fish, the more aggressive and intolerant its behavior will be. For example, a pair of beautiful Cyphotilapia frontosa about 30 cm in size are able to keep all other inhabitants of the aquarium at bay. A sufficient number of shelters and a decent size of neighbors who can stand up for themselves will help.
Nutrition
The care and maintenance of the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika depends on the age of the fish, their species and size. Do not be afraid if the fish brought home are hiding and do not want to take food. They tolerate changes very poorly and can adapt to a new aquarium in about a week.
While small fish grow, they need to be fed several times a day. You can use frozen live food (bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia), as predatory fish are well treated. But be sure to add ready-made balanced feeds containing vitamins and plant components to the diet. For some species that naturally feed on algae, this is a must. And large individuals with pleasure will eat previously thawed shrimp or squid cut into pieces.
Adult fish should be fed once a day, preferably in the evening and at about the same time. Fishes quickly get used to it and in a couple of months in the evenings begin to flicker at the front wall of the aquarium, reminding the owner of dinner.