CICHLIDS OF LAKE TANGANYIKA.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae
Continued…
Genus Lamprologus.
— Lamprologus ornatipinnis [Poll, 1949]. Lake Tanganyika. Male about 8 cm, female up to 5 cm. The scientific name originated due to the peculiar spots and lines on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Distinguished by beautiful fins with a bright pattern ranging from black to purple. Distinctive features of this cichlid species are: • elongated, slightly deep-bodied form, compressed laterally; • slightly curved, straight-set mouth; • large round eyes; a bulge in the upper head region; • spatula-shaped caudal fin; • fan-shaped pelvic fins.
Coloration is beige with bluish-green sparkles. Fins feature a pattern of silvery sparkles, milky strokes, and a black margin. The female has an orange belly that becomes more intense and turns red-purple during the spawning period.
Kept in the aquarium as a group of one male and 5 females. Any attempt to introduce another male always ends in its removal to prevent close and imminent death. Only at certain moments do they need shells. Neothauma shells are ideal, but any other shells, even from marine mollusks, will do. In size, they should not be larger than a tennis ball. Such moments include spawning, hatching of larvae, and dangerous situations for fry. At other times, the fish swim freely at some distance from their shelter.
Unlike true shell-dwellers, they are content with any shell of appropriate size. The shells are buried completely in the substrate, leaving only a small entrance hole open, and this hole is in the plane of the bottom (facing upwards). The substrate should consist of fine river sand. A single pair can be kept in an aquarium with a bottom surface area of about 0.25 square meters. Artemia, mosquito larvae, daphnia, or other live and frozen foods are suitable as food. This variety also readily accepts prepared flake or pellet foods. Temperature 25-27°C; pH 7.8-8.5; dH 10-20°.
Identification: Lamprologus ornatipinnis.
— Lamprologus signatus [Poll, 1952]. Synonym: Neolamprologus signatus. (English – Signatus Shelldweller). Southern and southwestern parts of Lake Tanganyika. Areas of silt deposits near the southern tip of the lake belonging to Zambia are marked by the largest number of geographical races of this species. Among them: Chisanza, Chituta, Isanga, Cameron Bay. The Chisanza variation is distinguished from other races by the absence of vertical bars in males. Male 5 cm, female 4 cm. They have a strongly elongated, narrow body that tapers significantly towards the caudal peduncle. Relative to the slender body, the head looks large. Large and expressive eyes shimmer with blue and gold. Pelvic fins are rounded and, when necessary, help this fish rest comfortably on the substrate.
Along the reddish, reddish-brown body run 12-13 numerous vertical thin dark red stripe-lines located all over the body, excluding the fish’s head. The gill covers are steel-colored with a bluish sheen. The dorsal fin has a black edge along the upper margin of the rays. Below, there is a shiny golden border and speckles of the same color, partially extending onto the upper part of the caudal fin. Even lower is an alternation of dark and light reddish strokes. The fins are tall relative to the body, and when the male spreads them, the fish visually increases significantly in size.
Females are smaller than males, lack stripes on the body, and their belly stands out by its convexity and light (sometimes light golden) color with an ornament of small black borders on individual scales. Their body is bronze-brown. The swollen belly is enhanced by a bright, spectacular golden spot. When the fish perform their courtship dances and the female, bending, jumps near the shell, the picture is very effective.
During spawning games and intraspecific competition, males display their stunning attire! The already reddish tones of the patterned body swell with an intense crimson color, and the golden borders of the spread fins shimmer. Many small elegant dots and strokes on the body and fins merge into a mottled pattern. A close in form and very similar species is L. kungweensis. This “tunnel builder” is distinguished by more modest coloration and even smaller sizes.
The species gets along well in a general aquarium with commensal fish. They do not like excessively harsh neighborhood. Naturally, in an aquarium, L. signatus finds it difficult to compete for territory with larger lamprologins. But even with commensal “shell-dwellers” occupying the same “bottom niche” in the aquarium, they are likely to “step aside”. Perhaps these are the most harmless Lamprologini of all existing ones. In natural conditions, it digs “burrows” 10-12 cm deep and about 1.5 cm in diameter. The narrow, graceful body allows the fish to easily move in narrow burrows dug in dense silt deposits. Partners, when necessary, find reliable shelter from enemies in the dug tunnels and begin and end their life cycle.
Male and female inhabit different burrows, spawning takes place in the female’s burrow, and the parents constantly clean the tunnel from particles crumbling from the walls. In aquarium conditions, empty mollusk shells, commonly used in aquariums with shell-dwelling lamprologins, often serve as a substitute for burrows. They enthusiastically occupy these shelters in the aquarium and use their internal space as a spawning substrate. It is desirable that the number of shells in the aquarium is large so that the fish have some choice. Each individual can control several such “burrows” within its territory.
Cleanliness and high optical properties of water should be maintained in the aquarium. Regularly, part of the water is replaced with fresh water. Active aeration and filtration of water. Fry are colored with dark fine speckles and have an elongated graceful form, resembling their parents from the first weeks of life. T 25-27°C; pH 7.5-9; dH 10-20°.
— Lamprologus signatus “Cameron Bay” is especially popular due to the particularly spectacular coloration of the males. On their body, there are 12-13 thin dark crimson vertical stripe-lines located all over the fish’s body, excluding the head. The dorsal fin has a black edge along the upper margin of the rays. Below, there is a shiny golden border and speckles of the same color, partially extending onto the upper part of the caudal fin. Even lower is an alternation of dark and light reddish stripe-lines. Large and expressive eyes shimmer with blue and gold.
Sexual dimorphism is also clearly noticeable in secondary characteristics due to the completely different coloration of the female. Her body lacks stripes, and her belly stands out by its convexity and large light golden spots on the sides. Therefore, it is possible to unmistakably distinguish a female from a male at a fairly early age.
Lamprologus speciosus, Lamprologus stappersi.
Lamprologus kungweensis, Lamprologus ocellatus. 
