Neolamprologus cylindricus
Neolamprologus cylindricus occurs naturally in Africa's Lake Tanganyika, the second largest lake in the world. The largest concentration of fish is also found along the south-eastern part of the lake, in coastal areas with sandy substrate and rocky shores, at depths of up to 15 m. This fish is not difficult to keep, but it is very aggressive, which makes it impossible to keep many other aquarium fish with them. Recommended only for trained aquarists.
Neolamprologus cylindricus has an elongated body. The body is coloured black with transverse stripes of light grey colour. The dorsal fin starts at the head and extends all the way to the root of the caudal plumage. The pectoral fins are elongated, pointed at the ends. Some individuals have blue-rimmed pectoral fins. The pectoral fins protect the fish from other predatory fish. Also, when fishing with a net out of the aquarium with these fins fish are often entangled in its cells, so use caution. Sexual differences are subtle. Males are slightly larger than females, their size reaches 12 cm.
As stated above Neolamprologus cylindricus are aggressive fish. The males are particularly fierce towards each other, which makes keeping more than one male in the aquarium not permissible. Possible content of fish alone or in a group consisting of 1 male and 2-3 females. Keeping the fish in a group is also only possible if all the fish were bred in the same aquarium from a young age. When placing the fish, which were purchased in different places, the idyll in the aquarium will not be and over time they will beat each other to death. It is possible to keep these fish in a common aquarium with other comparable in size fish inhabiting Lake Tanganyika, preferably occupying the middle and upper layers of water.
Keeping Neolamprologus cylindricus per pair is suitable for an aquarium volume of 150 liters. Use a mixture of sand and gravel as substrate. The walls of the aquarium should be placed large stones, forming caves, grottos, snags and ceramic pots - anything that can serve as shelter for the fish.
The Neolamprologus cylindricus do not harm plants, they are moreover totally indifferent towards them and can do without them in the aquarium.
Water parameters: temperature 23-27° C, hardness dH 9-25°, pH 7.5-9.0. Need filtration, aeration and a weekly change of 1/5 of the aquarium water with fresh. Water parameters should be stable, without sudden changes. Also, do not introduce fish into an aquarium in which biological equilibrium has not yet been established.
Provide light of moderate intensity, lasting about 10 hours per day.
The menus include frozen and live food: artemia, bloodworms, shrimps and mussels. As a supplement, fish are fed with spirulina-containing flake food. Feed the fish twice a day.
Reproduction
Neolamprologus cylindricus reach sexual maturity at 12-14 months of age.
Provided the fish were bred together from a young age, spawning is usually not a problem. A pair between fish is only formed for the spawning period. The male may participate in the spawning of 2-3 females at the same time.
Before the female spawns, the male selects a suitable spawning site and carefully cleans it of debris. The female then swims up to him and hatch eggs.
The eggs and fry are cared for by both parents. Especially aggressive at this time, the male, so at this time should be removed from the aquarium all fish, leaving only the male and female.
The fry are fed with Artemia at least 4 times a day. Fry grow rapidly.
The life span of the Neolamprologus cylindricus in an aquarium is about 7 years.