Lake Tanganyika

Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika have long been my favorite tropical fish. After a hiatus of many years, I finally got back into them by setting up this 30 gallon tank. The water from my well is hard and alkaline, and is thus ideal for keeping these fish.

I like to keep my tanks lightly stocked. I have two Tropheus moorii Kasabe, three Telmatochromis bifrenatus, and a Synodontis multipunctatus. There are also three feeder minnows that are left over from when I was cycling the tank. They have done well and I am leaving them in there to serve as dither fish.

I feed them well with frozen brine shrimp, Tetramin tropical flakes, and Spirulina flakes. I do a 4 gallon water change at least twice a week. Filtration using a Penguin biowheel. Temperature stays at a constant 80 degrees fahrenheit.

I have kept Tropheus before, but this is my first time with Telmatochromis. They are very similar in form and behavior to Julidochromis but not quite so vicious. The Tropheus and the Telmatochromis ignore each other, concentrating their attentions to their own species.