Neolamprologus leleupi
Encyclopedia
Neolamprologus leleupi, also known as Lemon Ciclid, is one of the cichlids of genus Neolamprologus endemic to Lake Tanganyika
. The color of this fish ranges from bright yellow to deep brown depending on which area of the lake it is from. Adult length is about 10 centimeters. This relatively small cichlid is a substrate spawner (cave spawner). Its natural habitat is in the recesses of the biotope
where it finds shelter from predators and feeds on invertebrates living in the rich biocover of the substrate. This fish is easily confused with the very similar Neolamprologus longior
(Staeck, 1980) a fish also endemic to Lake Tanganyika.
The water mass in Lake Tanganyika is huge and very stable. The low exchange of water and the local geology
makes the water quite alkaline and it contains a lot of dissolved salts. It is recommended to copy the local water chemistry if keeping fishes from the great African lakes. Recommended water values: pH
: 8 - 9, water hardness, (dH), from 10º to 20º and temperature between 23ºC - 26ºC (74–78 ºF). Ammonia
and nitrites have to be kept close to zero. It is possible to wean the fish on to tap water - treated for clorine if it does contain clorine, but this has to be done gradually and with caution.
If given enough hiding space and recesses a pair will easily spawn. A pair is easiest to get from a group of about six juveniles. After a while in the tank a breeding pair will form and defend a territory. At this time they can be very aggressive. The spawning takes place inside a cave where the eggs are laid. The parents provide some parental care.
World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, version (03/2007).
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
. The color of this fish ranges from bright yellow to deep brown depending on which area of the lake it is from. Adult length is about 10 centimeters. This relatively small cichlid is a substrate spawner (cave spawner). Its natural habitat is in the recesses of the biotope
Biotope
Biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.It...
where it finds shelter from predators and feeds on invertebrates living in the rich biocover of the substrate. This fish is easily confused with the very similar Neolamprologus longior
Neolamprologus longior
Neolamprologus longior is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Its natural habitat is rock and sand areas from 3 up to 40 meters deep.-References:...
(Staeck, 1980) a fish also endemic to Lake Tanganyika.
Aquarium keeping
This fish is relatively simple to keep, as long as water values are kept constant and the aquarium is more than 80 cm long and containing over 130 liters of water. It is relatively aggressive towards its own kind, and any other fish that comes into its territory. N. leleupi is dependent on rock formations to feel secure and to be able to make a home in the tank. They are omnivorous and will accept most commercial foods, live foods or home made shrimp mixtures.The water mass in Lake Tanganyika is huge and very stable. The low exchange of water and the local geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
makes the water quite alkaline and it contains a lot of dissolved salts. It is recommended to copy the local water chemistry if keeping fishes from the great African lakes. Recommended water values: pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
: 8 - 9, water hardness, (dH), from 10º to 20º and temperature between 23ºC - 26ºC (74–78 ºF). Ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
and nitrites have to be kept close to zero. It is possible to wean the fish on to tap water - treated for clorine if it does contain clorine, but this has to be done gradually and with caution.
If given enough hiding space and recesses a pair will easily spawn. A pair is easiest to get from a group of about six juveniles. After a while in the tank a breeding pair will form and defend a territory. At this time they can be very aggressive. The spawning takes place inside a cave where the eggs are laid. The parents provide some parental care.
External links
- Neolamprologus lelupi http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=8670&genusname=Neolamprologus&speciesname=leleupi Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2007.FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, version (03/2007).
- Neolamprologus lelupi http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/60612/all Bigirimana, C. 2005. Neolamprologus lelupi. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
. Downloaded on 31 March 2007.