LAKE TANGANYIKA CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily ( Pseudocrenilabrinae )
Genus Trematocara.
Small and medium-sized cichlids ranging from 7 to 15 cm in size. Males are slightly larger than females. Distinctive features include high dorsal fins with a small number of hard rays. Males differ from females by a specific black pattern, with each species having its own unique pattern, which is very important due to the sympatric habitat of some Trematocara species in many areas of the lake. Females incubate eggs in their mouths. Sexual dimorphism is not noted. Of little interest to aquarists due to their plain silver-gray coloration.
— Trematocara variabile [Poll, 1952] — Trematocara variabile. Southwestern part of Lake Tanganyika. 9 cm. During spawning, males have two horizontal stripes on the sides of the body, which are absent in females. When young, they are very similar to T. marginatum. The aquarium for keeping them should have a large open water area and a bottom made of fine or medium dark river sand. Shelters in the form of large stones are not strictly necessary, but will not hurt.
These cichlids are best kept in small groups of 5-10 individuals. Intraspecific aggression is quite moderate compared to other Tanganyikan cichlids. Keeping them with peaceful fishes is possible. A sandy substrate of 5-7 cm thickness is mandatory. The fish do not damage plants, but it is advisable not to place plants in the aquarium since the fish prefer a dimly lit body of water. Using sensors located around the mouth, they search for small crustaceans and invertebrates in the sandy bottom. As soon as they detect something, they hover over the prey, push their head into the sand, and grab the victim. In the aquarium, they can be fed live and frozen food, tablets, and pellets. Males dig spawning pits 10 cm in diameter. T 25-27°C; pH 7.8-8.5; dH 10-20°.
Genus Triglachromis.
— Triglachromis otostigma [Regan, 1920] — Triglachromis otostigma. Synonym: Limnochromis otostigma. Lake Tanganyika — sandy biotopes and rocky underwater ridges. Up to 12 cm, in an aquarium 10-14 cm. Inexpressive and unattractive fish, occasionally kept by aquarists specializing specifically in these species. The body is brown with a silvery iridescence. There is a black spot with a small silver crescent on the gill cover.
The male is slender, bronze-gray with a cherry tint and rows of thin oblique silver stripes. The fins are greenish-blue. The female is angular, the dorsal and anal fins are rounded, and the coloration is less contrasting. Juveniles have a very characteristic coloration — a spot on the upper fin that disappears with age, while a pearly sheen appears all over the body.
Peaceful fish. They move smoothly, spreading out their large greenish-bluish-brown spiny fins. Most of the time, this fish stands on a “tripod” — its pectoral fins and tail. In their natural habitat, they dig large tunnels in soft sediment. Usually, fish dig several burrows less than 50 cm apart from each other. Each “complex” is inhabited by a family consisting of a male, a female, and several juveniles. The entrance to the burrow is quite large, approximately 5 cm in diameter, and is sometimes framed by a ” parapet” of sand in a circle.
Eggs and larvae are incubated by the parents in turns. To keep these fish in an aquarium, it is necessary to provide them with appropriate shelters. You can use PVC pipes with a diameter of about 5 cm and a length of several tens of centimeters, twisting them into bizarre “labyrinths” in the manner of natural burrows. Aeration, filtration, and water changes are mandatory.
They should be fed in small portions, 2-3 times a day. It often happens that bloodworms cause poisoning in these fish, which is accompanied by infectious dropsy. They mature in 10-15 months. Eggs are incubated in the mouth. Juveniles remain in the immediate vicinity of their parents for some time. dH 10-20°; pH 8-9; T 24-26°C. Salinity of 1-3% is desirable.
Tanganicodus irsacae, Lake Tanganyika clown.
Spathodus erythrodon, Spathodus marlieri. 
