Breeding Gombe Cichlid (Julidochromis Transcriptus) In The Aquarium

Gombe Cichlid, Masked Julie, Princess of Burundi, Fairy Cichlid

Occurrence

A freshwater species, endemic to the northwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. It occupies rocky habitats at depths of 6-24 meters.

Appearance

The fish is characterized by a cylindrical body shape with a typical protruding upper lip for this species. In addition to its permanent teeth, it also has additional - pharyngeal teeth and only one pair of nostrils. The body color is gray-beige/white-yellow with black/brown, irregular spots arranged in transverse/horizontal stripes or in a checkerboard pattern. The belly is light. The dorsal, tail and anal fins have blue and black margins and are also spotted with dark and light spots. This fish may have a darker or lighter color, which is closely related to the depth at which it lives - the deeper (less light), the darker the color. This species is often confused with Julidochromis marlieri. They can be distinguished by, among other things, the black stripe under the eye, which only appears in Julidochromis marlieri. In the species described, the dark stripe only goes through the lower half of the eye (there are no additional marks on the cheeks or lower half of the head). The male is usually slightly larger than the female.

Behavior

Julidochromis is naturally solitary, quite shy but also territorial and aggressive, especially when pairs start to form and during spawning. It is best kept in pairs (these fish usually form lasting, monogamous pairs) or in a larger group of several pairs, if we have a sufficiently large aquarium. All fish that hide in the corners of the tank and do not come out even during feeding should be moved to a separate aquarium - they have not been accepted by the group and will most likely be killed sooner or later. The species can be kept with other cichlids from Lake Tanganyika as long as they are of similar size.

Aquarium

The species prefers spacious aquariums with numerous hiding places among dark-colored rocks and stones. The substrate should be soft and fine-grained (sand or gravel), preferably dark, with subdued lighting (the brighter the lighting, the paler the color of the cichlid). Effective filtration with moderate-strong flow and well-oxygenated water is required. Regular partial water changes (about 10% once a week) are necessary. Aquarium conditions should be stable. Any fluctuations in parameters are poorly tolerated by fish.

Reproduction

The species is oviparous and will breed in a general or breeding aquarium. Hiding places among rocks, ceramic shells or caves formed from stones will be necessary. Fish can be stimulated to spawn by feeding them abundantly with live food. The female lays eggs on the territory chosen by the male, most often in a narrow rock crevice. The fish usually form lasting, monogamous pairs, but very often spawning takes place in a group: a female and two males (one larger - dominant, the other smaller). Both parents or the whole trio take care of the laid eggs. Usually, the larger male protects the territory and drives away intruders, while the smaller male or female directly take care of the laid eggs. The fry start to swim freely in search of food after 5-8 days (depending on the temperature of the water).