Lamprologus kungweensis
| Common Names: |
| Synonyms: | Lamprologus ocellatus Lamprologus signatus Neolamprologus kungweensis |
| Family: | Cichlids |
| Category: | Cichlids |
| Distribution: | Africa; Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Kungwe Bay |
| Main Ecosystem: | Rift Lake |
| Temperament: | Territorial; Being territorial, the males will aggressively fight with other males to protect their territories. As they are not monogamous, they may defend several areas of shells or holes. Though rarely does this result in a males death directly related to the fighting, the injuries can sometimes be extreme, and thus lead to dangerous infections that could later cause the death of the fish. The females will aggressively defend and compete over their group of shells and/or holes, with other females. With the females, it rarely results in injury or death, given enough area and given enough spawning areas of multiple piles of shells. With non-conspecifics, they are mostly just defensive, and protective of their homes. |
| Diet: | Ominvore; In the wild, they eat most inverts, small crustaceans, and plankton. In the aquarium, they readily accept flakes, frozen, freeze dried, and most any type of prepared foods. Though live foods such as daphnia, brine shrimp, and anything they can fit into their mouths, is lavished by these little fish. |
| Care: | Not a difficult fish to keep. Given the correct parameters and water conditions, and a standard Lake Tanganyika setup, these little fish will usually thrive in most aquariums. A 10 gal tank minimum is recommended for a pair or trio. Given the shell groupings are at each end of the tank, so as to give each female a large enough area not to cross over into the other females area. There should be at least one foot between each grouping of shells, to be giving the females ample room for security. If keeping more than one male, a foot print giving at least one square foot for each individual female in his harem is recommended. In other words, a minimum tank length of 3-4 feet is the recommendation for two trios. Males will fight violently over their areas. Though rarely causing the death of one in the fight, they can and will inflict great damage to each other. Which can result in illness and infections later, which can cause the death of some fish. There are only a few recommendations or requirements, for aquascaping your aquarium for these fish. You will either need a fine sand substrate or a mud type substrate that is packed down for digging holes in it (see breeding section). Shell piles should be spread out in groups for each individual female. The shells need not be too large, as the females prefer them only large enough to get into the first loop. If using shells, it is recommended that you have a substrate of 1-2 inches in depth. If using the mud spawning technique, it is recommended that you have a substrate of 2-4 inches in depth. Loose plants such as Java Moss are recommended as well (see breeding section). As these lovelies come from an area that is not high in current, and they will “build” their territories for spawning purposes, it is recommended that there not be a strong current at the bottom of the aquarium. Sponge filters work great in tanks setup for these fish. If a powerful filter exists on the tank used to house them, it is recommended that you place their spawning areas in the corners of the tank, where the current is at its weakest. These are the basics needed for these fish. Other than that, you can use rockwork, driftwood, and any other décor you find attractive. |
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| Potential Size: | Male: 6cm (2.4") Female: 5cm (2") |
| Water Region: | Bottom; Coastal. Natural habitat ranging from 45-100 feet depth. |
| Activity: | Diurnal |
| Gender: | Males are slightly larger than the females when fully grown. It used to be said, that the females have an oscillated spot(s) on their dorsal, while the males do not. However, it has been learned that many of the males have this spot(s) as well, until they start maturing. Once fully mature, these males’ spot(s) either turn to just a shadowing of what once was, or completely disappear. The best way to sex these fish is by activity, especially prior to them reaching their full size and their full maturity. With several fish in a tank, the females will hover over their claimed shells or holes, guarding them from other females and other fish. While the males will guard a territory surrounding the female(s) and their nesting areas. Two males, and/or two females, will conflict with same sexes. Rarely will you see a strong conflict between a male and female. This territorial guarding, will occur prior to the fishes becoming mature or fertile, as well as after they have become mature and fertile. Once the females become fertile, another way of determine sexes, is that they will develop a yellow hue on their abdomen. Except for this species being larger, they will have a very similar appearance to that of the female L. signatus. |
| Breeding: | Though these fish are considered to be shellies, or shell dwellers, in their natural habitat they are mostly not. They spawn in a similar but different way than most of the other shellies, which is only compared to another “shell dwelling” fish in this family, the L. signatus. These two species are also called mud spawners. They actually dig a cave or a hole down into the substrate. It is usually at about a 45 degree angle, and about as deep and wide as an average man's little finger. One female may have several of these caves dug in her territory, that she will defend from predators as well as other females. Much like other cichlids, that move their new born fry around in different pits they have dug out, she will move her new born fry around into different holes. If using shells, she will move them around to different shells in her group as well. They will readily take up shells and spawn in them in the aquarium setting. The main requirement is that the shells are large enough that the male can get into the first turn, as to be able to fertilize the eggs. Many times, these fish will actually try to bury the shells down into the substrate. If your substrate is deep enough, you will see this happening. They will excavate the substrate around the shell until it is below the normal level, and then backfill it in around the shell. They also like the security of cover over their shells and holes. If you place a loose fine plant of some kind in the tank, such as Java Moss, they will use it for cover. They will pull it over the shell, thus protecting it from view. Once they have spawned, the female will retreat to her shell with the eggs in it. Hatching time varies from 6-9 days depending on the temperature. The female is rarely seen during this time, as she is caring for the eggs. The male will hover over and protect his territory as usual, showing no signs of care towards the clutch. Upon the hatching of the eggs, the fry are wrigglers, and cannot swim at such time. The female will hover over the shell protecting it aggressively. If you can look down into the shell, you can usually see the wrigglers at this time. If the fry are of importance to raise and keep, the male should be separated prior to the hatching of the fry. Though you can move the shell holding the female and eggs into a holding net, or another tank, this is not recommended, as the female may become disturbed by this movement, and stop caring for the clutch. In 2-5 days after hatching, the fry will become free swimming and start exploring. To the unknowing person, they still appear to be wrigglers at this time though. As they are a bottom dwelling fish, they rarely swim up into the water. They mostly are seen “jumping” to different spaces around their area. The female will move them around using her mouth as she deems necessary. At this time, they can take on small foods relatively easily. Some prepared foods for fry will do, but live foods such as microworms, vinegar eels, sifted daphnia (only the smallest will due), and baby brine shrimp are relished. If having problems spawning these fish, it may be due to the fact that either the water parameters are not correct, such as too soft of water, or to low of ph. Or it may be because they don’t feel comfortable in their environmental/aquascaping setup. If they don’t have, or cannot create the environment they want, they may not breed. |
| Variants: | None. Due to their very small endemic region, there is little chance of them having any variants. At one time these fish were thought to be a variant of the L. signatus. As the small and adolescent fishes resemble the signatus. But this fish gets slightly larger, and when mature takes on a different appearance. And when larger, they were thought to be a variant of the L. meleagris. But as a species they have no variants. |
| Comments: | Critically endangered in their nature habitat. Red listed in the IUCN category CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii). Their endemic location is limited to less than a 10 km2 area. Through sedimentation, their habitat is slowing growing smaller. It can be tricky to catch these fish, and other shell dwellers, without using the shells. As they will shoot into the shells in the first sign of extreme danger. Thus, if catching them to move them, and including shells in the move, this makes for an easy transfer. But, if not wanting to take the shells with them, you will have to use another technique. Remove the shells not containing the fish you are wanting to catch. If there is a chance of other fish in them, separate them somehow from the target fish and shell (tank divider, holding net, etc). Take the shell(s) with the target fish in them, and place them on top of a PVC pipe standing upward in the aquarium. Use a size of PVC pipe at least 7-9 inches tall, and small enough in circumference that the shells will sit on top of it and not fall down into it. Be sure the opening of the shell is upwards and not facing the inside of the PVC pipe. Or you can simply use a piece of twine or similar, and tie a loop around it, and hang it from just an inch or so from the top of the aquarium, but be sure not to cover the opening of the shell. Eventually, the fish will come out of the shell, and being the bottom dweller they are, will head straight to the bottom of the tank. Remove the shell the fish came from, out of the tank so that it has no where to run into again. Then net the fish. |
| Main Colours: | Silver, Black, Blue |
| Markings: | No Markings |
| Mouth: | Normal |
| Tail: | Convex |
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| Image Credit: | © FishProfiles.com |
| Submitted By: | ACIDRAIN |
| Contributors: | ACIDRAIN |
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