Lamprologus congoensis

[Sam]

What do y'all know about Lamprologus congoensis? As far as I know, it shares habitat with steatocranus tinanti, casuarius, etc, making it a rheophile. I this species easy to keep? What size tank would be needed? And should the food be predominantly worms or shrimp? Could it share space with Pv. t. Lobe? Thanks, sam

 

[Fogelhund]

It certainly is a riverine, and not particularly demanding at that. The fish is known to get to 13cm, so my suggestion would be at least a 20 Long with a mated pair, but a larger tank to get them to pair up.

Food, you should be able to do well with high quality flakes, brine, mysis, pellet and so on.

I wouldn't keep them with any Pelvicachromis, except in a very large tank, as these fish would likely make short work of a P. in a territory dispute.

 

[Sam]

Alternative tank

So would a forty long with a pair of Steatocranus gibbiceps or Pseudocrenilebius nicholsi and congo tetras be a bit better?

 

[Fogelhund]

What are the dimensions of a 40 long?

 

[Sam]

Sorry, 30 long

Sorry, I meant thirty long, which is 36 x 13 x 18. But I could always put them in my 125 with my pair of F0 Chromidotilapia spp. "Makondo", 8 congo tetras, and my pair of F0 Anomalchromis thomasi "Sierra Leone". Im also thinking of setting up a 75-110 gallon rapids tank with a pair each of Steatocranus tinanti, S. casuarius, Lamprologus congoensis, and possibly S. gibbiceps or Gobiocichla wonderi if the tank is large enough. Do they like acidic or neutral water?

 

[Sam]

T. brichardi?

Or maybe a 75 with a pair of Teleogramma brichardi?

 

[Fogelhund]

Hmm wow, so many ideas, so little tank space.

Teleogramma brichardi. One of the most aggressive fish there is going. I think a tank absolutely stacked with rocks would look great. I think if you tried hard, provided plenty of hiding spaces this might work with the congoensis.

Regarding some of the ideas, I would be cautious in most instance of keeping mouthbrooders with substrate spawners. They tend to get in quite a few conflicts in the aquaria, due to different needs.

 

[Sam]

T. brichardi

I've done a lot of research on T. brichardi (Mary Bailey's article on the cichlid room companion was most helpful) and I am quite intrigued by this cichlid. Mostly they interest me because they are so different in brood care, aggression, and pair bonding from any rheophile that I have seen (except maybe Teleocichla spp.). However, they are almost nonexistant in my area and would be a pricey special order. :cry: But maybe......

Anyway, the aquascape for all of my rheophile tanks is granite boulders (5-25 pounds) stacked to form caves and perches. Having some java moss tucked between the rocks harbors microorganisms great for the first food of Steatocranus babies.

 

[Fogelhund]

Good Luck, a very special fish indeed.

 

[Sam]

Got Em!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, here it is... I've got them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There was a lone male at my lfs that came in accidentally with some steatocranus, but the manager noticed the interest that the fish was getting (mostly from me), so he bought another pair and a female. The first male didn't take to kindly to other cichlids in his twenty gallon tank, so when I arrived this morning I saw a very battered pair near the surface, while the male and a female were perched together on the sponge filter. I promptly bought them (fairly inexpensive at $17.99 each), and they are now in my 125g west african community (soon to be transformed into a Malebo pool biotope with rheophilic cichlids and a huge school of congo or longipinnis tetras)!!!!

 

[Fogelhund]

Got some pictures to show us? Please

 

[Sam]

Pictures

Well, I don't really know how to post pictures, and all I have is a crappy digital camera. But there is a picture of a male on this site in the W. African gallery (labeled as Lamprologus werneri) that is just like mine except mine has longer fins, larger nauchal hump, more silver spots and a bluish tint. I'll try to take some half-decent pictures, Sam

 

[Sam]

Update

Okay, here's an update. My 125 is now filled with granite boulders and large anubius. It houses: 8 Congo tetras, Pr Steatocranus tinanti, Pr S. casuarius, Pr Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi, Pr Lamprologus congoensis and a juvenile Paratilapia bleekeri. The Male Lamp has quit chasing the female , and the pair are now completely ignoring each other. This is sure better than the male always chasing the female. I hope for them to spawn.

 

[Fogelhund]

Sounds great. Watch the bleekeri if they spawn, but otherwise things look pretty good.

Got any pics to share?

 

[Sam]

Pictures

I'm not real worried about the bleekeri, seeing as there's only a lone female in the tank (and she's about 3" long LOL). I'll try to take some good pics, but don't hold your breath.