Edit Altolamprologus compressiceps
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Name
Scientific name
Altolamprologus compressiceps
Described by
Authority Boulenger, Year 1898, Bracketed
Family
Cichlidae
Common names
Compressed Cichlid, Nanderbuntbarsch
Photograph credits
19 of 20 credited
Summary
The compressed cichlid, Altolamprologus compressiceps, is a substrate-spawning cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives among roc…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
125mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 45 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 24–28°C, pH 8–9
Hardness
7–25dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
A pair
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Tanzania, Lake Tanganyika
Writing
Etymology
Altolamprologus: from the Latin term altus, meaning 'high', in reference to the deep dorsal profile of genus members, plus Lamprologus, which was their origina…
Distribution
Type locality is the town of Kinyamkolo, now known as Mpulungu, located in Zambia at the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika. The species is endemic to the lake bu…
Habitat
Restricted to areas where the substrate is composed largely of rocky rubble with few open spaces and well-developed cover of biofilm. Adults are mostly found a…
Aquarium size
Minimum base dimensions should be 120 ∗ 45 cm or equivalent.
Maintenance
A sandy substrate with some complex structures of piled rocks arranged to fill much of the available space represents the ideal environment. Place the latter d…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
A specialised carnivore feeding mostly on invertebrates, crustaceans and smaller fishes in nature with its elongate mouthparts adapted for insertion into crack…
Behaviour and compatibility
Best maintained as a single pair but can be maintained in groups in larger aquaria. It's not particularly territorial and can make a good addition to the well-…
Sexual dimorphism
Males grow considerably larger than females and develop slightly extended fins as they mature.
Reproduction
A substrate spawner which naturally lays its brood in crevices or cavities among rocks, typically of a size so small only the female can fit inside. The male d…
Notes
This species varies in colour pattern depending on locality. Some of them are sold under several such names with the variant from Kigoma being known variously …
References
References
4 on this profile