CICHLIDS OF LAKE TANGANYIKA.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae
To be continued…
Genus Neolamprologus.
— Neolamprologus splendens [Brichard, 1989] — Radiant Neolamprologus splendens. Lake Tanganyika, Congo. Populations of several variations have been noted in the areas of Kanoni, Kalo, Zongwe. This species received its name due to its beautiful, pronounced metallic sheen of the scales. Under bright artificial light, the body coloration lightens somewhat, and reddish tones appear in its palette. The adult male is significantly larger than the female, has a more massive body, and develops a small fatty hump on the forehead with age. The filamentous extensions of the unpaired fins in females are just as long as the elongated extensions of the male’s unpaired fins.
Morphometric data correspond to the main characteristics of the “brichardi-pulcher” complex. There is a “V”-shaped pattern on the gill cover. The filamentous extensions of the unpaired fins are elongated with a characteristic silvery-bluish sheen. Fry and juveniles have characteristic vertical stripes that gradually disappear. The coloration is yellow-orange, and a “V”-shaped pattern is present on the gill cover. The brightest representatives are the races N. splendens “Fire tips” (“green face”) and N. splendens “Zongwe”.
In nature and in the aquarium, they form inseparable pairs and display behavior characteristic of many other “cave-dwelling” Tanganyika cichlids. The species is characterized by a leisurely, slow behavioral manner. They are very secretive and even timid. Raising a group of 8-10 specimens together guarantees that the aquarist will get one or two harmonious pairs of fish. The relatively small territory defended by the fish, their own small size, and a certain sluggishness — all this allows for a wider combination of aquarium inhabitants. The aquarium setup should be rich in rocky shelters and various types of cavities alternating with open areas of the bottom. Flat flagstones against the background of the aquarium, stacked pieces of rock, and clay pots.
— Neolamprologus splendens “Kiku”. Slightly more miniature than other representatives of the species and, along with the filamentous fin extensions, reaches 8 centimeters in length. The pattern on the gill covers is the color element evaluated by many princess cichlid enthusiasts first and foremost. The bright interweaving of a greenish-turquoise ornate pattern on the gill cover is the brightest, largest, and most beautiful among the fish of the “brichardi” complex. The iris of the eyes and lips of this cichlid are also adorned with a glowing green-turquoise color. The caudal fin is wide and lyre-shaped. Its color is dark, bluish with a white border along the edges. The fin filaments are short, but these filaments and their bases are of a bright orange color, unusual for most representatives of the complex. The body is decorated with neat rows of yellowish dots, and on the very edge of the gill covers, there is a dark pattern resembling the English letter “V”. The colorful attire characteristic of “Kiku green face” appears in juveniles by the age of about half a year.
— Neolamprologus splendens “Zongwe”. They were discovered in the southwestern part of Lake Tanganyika near the settlement of Zongwe (Congo). The adult male is about 8 cm including the length of the filaments, while the female’s size is noticeably more modest at 5-6 cm. Perhaps these are the darkest colored princesses of Tanganyika. In natural lighting, the coloration is dark gray, smoky with a bluish sheen. The body is covered with even rows of brownish dots, and the unpaired fins are decorated with a patterned interweaving of short and long dashes. On the sides of the fish, 6-7 bifurcated transverse stripes can periodically appear and disappear, serving as a kind of “indicator” of its mood. In a calm environment, the body is usually matte, becoming striped in a stressful situation. But the change of “scenery” is especially noticeable during spawning periods.
The pattern on the gill covers represents an unfinished English letter “V”, and there is also a small orange spot here. A thin turquoise stripe is located under the eyes. The elongated extensions of the unpaired fins are not too long (about 2 cm in adult fish), but they have an extremely attractive coloration. In the aquarium, the shimmering blue glow of the filaments immediately draws attention. Their contrast with the darkly colored body is attractive, which is especially striking in dimmed lighting. Under bright artificial light, the filaments look blue-white, the body coloration lightens somewhat, and reddish tones appear in its palette.
— Neolamprologus tetracanthus [Boulenger, 1899] — Pearl Neolamprologus tetracanthus. Synonym: Lamprologus brevianalis, tetracanthus, marginatus. (English: Four Spine Cichlid, Pearl Linned Lamprologus). Lake Tanganyika. These neolamprologus are among the largest representatives of the genus and reach a length of 19 cm. The sizes of females are more modest, about 15 cm. In the aquarium 10-12 cm. Distinctive features of this cichlid species are: • a relatively elongated and slightly high-bodied body, compressed on the sides; • a strong head with a terminal mouth; • pointed ends of the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins (the latter slightly elongated); • a rounded caudal fin. The slender body smoothly tapers toward the caudal peduncle. Individuals of the opposite sex are colored identically.
Body coloration is yellowish, light brown, or gray-brown with golden-silver and silver-blue dots forming horizontal dot lines on the sides, casting a pearlescent sheen. There are 4-6 longitudinal rows of shiny pearlescent-pearl dots running along the sides, passing onto the gray-brown unpaired fins. Three of them are most clearly visible. The lips and lower jaw are yellowish. The edging of the dorsal fin can be black or red. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins have small white spots with a bluish reflection.
Males are brighter and larger than females. During mating games, 4-5 dark and wide vertical stripes appear on the body, appearing or disappearing depending on the mood of the fish. During the period of caring for eggs, the female becomes a deep dark brown color without stripes, while the male’s stripes acquire a more saturated coloration.
During the spawning period, the partners’ coloration darkens significantly, further intensifying the contrast with the rows of silver-gold sparkles across the body and fins. The golden-yellow coloration of the lips, eyes, and the tips of the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins stands out. Juveniles have the parents’ coloration. On the body of 3 cm fry, rows of small golden sparkle-dots are already clearly distinguishable, and the dorsal and caudal fins have shiny borders. In young males, the pelvic fins are longer than in females. In older fish, the sex is not difficult to distinguish, as the male noticeably surpasses the females in size. With age, a small but noticeable protrusion forms on the head of the male, and a bluish-green tint of the lips also appears.
It has two distinct races — golden and silver. The red stripe bordering the dorsal fin of the fish is characteristic of northern races (they are darker), and the yellow stripe is for southern ones. Otherwise, differences between geographical variants are minor. — N. tetracanthus “Sambia”. The pattern on the body is much yellower than in northern populations, and the size is smaller.
Adult N. tetracanthus are large, strong cichlids capable of keeping a large territory in the aquarium under control. At an age of maturity, armed with rather large teeth, they show predatory tendencies, are very aggressive, and bravely defend their territory, especially during the spawning period. At the same time, aggression is shown by both males and females. These fish can be successfully kept in both general and separate aquariums. A pair of these neolamprologus should preferably be provided with a spacious aquarium of at least 200 liters.
In the case of keeping them in a general aquarium, strictly territorial cichlids should be chosen as neighbors. Fish on the verge of maturation compete fiercely with conspecifics and lay claim to a part of the aquarium territory from neighboring species. And the closer to the first spawning, the more insistent these demands become. A predatory species, in nature it feeds on small fish. Compatible with medium and large-sized fish. Aeration, filtration, and water changes are mandatory.
In an aquarium with a sandy substrate, large rounded stones should be placed on the bottom, and rock formations imitating cliffs should be constructed. Cracks between stones and caves will serve as shelters, which should outnumber the fish. Fish love fresh water. In natural conditions, in addition to insect larvae, crabs, and small fish, it also eats mollusks. Food must be varied and abundant.
Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 12-15 months. Males are monogamous. Spawning is in pairs, in a shelter. The breeders take turns caring for the future offspring, while displaying increased aggressiveness. A female guarding her offspring can kill any fish that invades her domain. Even the male is not allowed into the spawning crevice. However, when the larvae begin to swim freely, both parents care for them. They do not leave their brood until the fry reach a length of 3-4 cm. T 25-27°C; pH 7.8-8.5; dH 10-20°.
Neolamprologus toae, tretocephalus, ventralis, wauthioni.
Neolamprologus savoryi, sexfasciatus, similis. 
