LAKE TANGANYIKA CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily ( Pseudocrenilabrinae )
Genus Paracyprichromis.
These toothcarp-like cichlids gather in nature into schools numbering in the thousands, which sometimes consist of individuals of different species. In all species, males are much brighter than females. In many aquariums, they can perfectly complement a community of bottom-dwelling and rock-dwelling cichlids. Due to their schooling lifestyle, you need to buy at least 5-7 specimens. They require regular water changes, as a decrease in water quality causes the fish to sicken quickly. Regular feeding and good food quality are of great importance for these species. If these cichlids are kept in a small school, provided with acceptable water and food quality, and protected from restless neighbors, you can hope for successful breeding.
— Paracyprichromis brieni [Poll, 1981] — Chocolate Cyprichromis, Briene’s Cichlid. Synonym: Cyprichromis brieni. Lake Tanganyika. 15 cm. The body is extremely elongated, spindle-shaped. The straight mouth can protrude forward like a tube. The jaws contain conical teeth. The body and fins are covered with a very fine pattern of glowing iridescent swirls. The gill covers feature bright blue winding stripes.
Males are additionally decorated with a row of pearlescent squares, while females and fry have a neon stripe along the black dorsal fin. The male usually has a yellowish or greenish-yellow dorsal fin, and the tips of his fork-shaped caudal fin are slightly elongated. These characteristics are completely absent in females.
Fry are initially colored like females, so the school as a whole appears as a group of big-eyed, identical creamy-brown individuals with velvety black dorsal fins. It is very difficult to distinguish Paracyprichromis brieni from Paracyprichromis nigripinnis. Although the most prominent differences are in eye diameter and body size. P. brieni has a more elongated and less deep body than P. nigripinnis.
Color morphs: — P. brieni “Chituta” – distinguished by the presence of yellow pigment on the fins (especially the caudal fin) and cheeks; — P. brieni “Kapemba” – distinguished by the presence of 5-6 vertical stripes on the body; — P. brieni “Kasombe” – distinguished by the presence of yellow-orange caudal and anal fins. Body with faint blue stripes; — P. brieni “Kisonso Yellow” – distinguished by yellow fins in juveniles and females; — P. brieni “Velifer” – distinguished by a black rim on the dorsal and anal fins in females.
The aquarium should have large areas of open water and vertical rocks or slabs. They swim actively during the day; at night and at dusk, fish can often be seen standing motionless vertically near rocks or between stones. Fine or medium river sand, not too bright, is well-suited as a substrate. The fish are indifferent to plants. They must be kept in groups of at least 10 fish. It is better to keep a group where females outnumber males. There should be no aggressive tank mates in the aquarium.
Although males of this species are territorial, intraspecific aggression consists more of a display of strength than its application, and the male’s main task is to scare away an intruder and chase them from their territory. Serious fights are rare and almost never lead to injuries of opponents. They are demanding of water quality and do not tolerate fluctuations in its parameters. Constant aeration and filtration are required.
Feeding should consist of live Artemia, mosquito larvae, Cyclops, and flake foods; larger foods cannot be swallowed by the fish. They adapt to frozen foods gradually. They reach maturity at 1 year of age. The female incubates eggs in her mouth. They may eat their own fry. They live up to 5 years. T 24-27°C; pH 7.5-9.0; dH 8-25°.
— Paracyprichromis nigripinnis [Boulenger, 1901] — Dark Cyprichromis. Synonym: Cyprichromis nigripinnis. (Eng.: Blue Neon Cichlid, Herring Cichlid). Lake Tanganyika. Rocky biotopes near the shores of Zambia and Tanzania. Male 10 cm, female 6 cm. The body is extremely elongated, spindle-shaped, the caudal fin is slightly lyre-shaped. The straight mouth can protrude forward like a tube. Eyes are small, like beads.
The male is light brown, slightly beige in color with small bluish dots across the body and gill covers, with a light blue border on the unpaired (anal fin is black) and pelvic fins. The male has 2 horizontal blue or purple neon stripes along the body. Fins are yellowish with blue neon dotted lines. The caudal fin is deeply emarginate (swallow-tail type).
Males are colored significantly brighter than females. The female is smaller, paler, and her anal fin is yellow. In the fry stage, they have a dull, tender cream coloration that fully develops with age. Albinos have been bred. Color variety: — P. nigripinnis “Kigoma” – distinguished by the absence of blue stripes on the body.
The aquarium should have large areas of open water and vertically stacked dark rocks or slabs on a sandy or fine gravel substrate. Stem plants will also help them feel secure. They prefer mid-water levels. Keeping them in groups of 10-12 specimens has proven successful in aquarium conditions, with the number of females twice that of males. The fish glide slowly up and down rock faces headfirst, and swim upside down along overhangs.
Surrounded by stronger and more territorial representatives of the Tanganyikan ichthyofauna, they feel uncomfortable, are frequently stressed, and do not fully display their beauty and behavioral traits. Males defend territory near the ceiling of underwater caves and are aggressive toward other males. Intraspecific aggression consists more of displaying strength than using it.
They need proper lighting to show their best coloration. The blue neon stripes on the body are better visible in dim, subdued light. Occupying the middle water layers, they look good alongside typical bottom dwellers. Good neighbors include Xenotilapia species. Substrate of light-colored fine sand, with vertical dark rocks reaching up to the water surface installed at the rear wall.
Regular water changes in small portions are necessary to keep the water at an optimal level. In the wild, they feed exclusively on plankton using their protrusible mouth. They eat all kinds of live foods, but require a vitamin-rich diet for their coloration to fully manifest.
They mature at 9-12 months of age at a length of 7 cm. The females take care of the offspring. The female incubates eggs in her mouth while hiding in a shelter among rocks, positioned vertically along crevices. The fry are large and grow quickly. Parents and other cyprichromises do not eat the fry. A delicate species, living up to 4 years. pH 8.0-8.5; dH 11-20°; T 23-25°C.
— Paracyprichromis nigripinnis “Blue neon”. Across the male’s head and along his entire ruby-red body run two horizontal bright blue stripe-lines and several lines of neon blue to violet dots. The dorsal and caudal fins, which have filamentous extensions, are edged with glowing blue, along with bright patterns of dots and dashes of the same color. The anal and pelvic fins of the male are dark blue.
When excited, their coloration is intensely red, almost cherry-colored. Females’ coloration is noticeably more modest. Faint stripes run across their reddish body, and their fins feature a thin blue border. Females lack filamentous extensions on their unpaired fins. Juveniles are gray up to 2 months old, then become cream-colored.
Petrochromis famula, fasciolatus, macrognathus.
Genus Pseudosimochromis, Genus Plecodus, Genus Perissodus. 
