Sardine Cichlid

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, spread along the entire coast. Inhabits open pelagic waters (high water column), often close to rocky cliffs, forming formidable schools of tens of thousands of individuals.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Slender Cichlid / Sardine Cichlid (Cyprichromis leptosoma). A Cichlid that swims in mid-water behaving like a cyprinid ("Tanganyika sardine"). Torpedo shape, tapered snout and tubular mouth to catch plankton.

Social Behavior: Obligate schooling species. There must be at least 10-15 in the tank. Males create fake three-dimensional territories in mid-water, in the absence of physical supports, displaying without ever injuring each other.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Polychromatic males (yellow tail and blue tail in the same litter), bright golden brownish body and neon back. Females are beige and drab. Swimming in a large school of sparkling males is breathtaking.

Aquarium Setup: Needs almost exclusively SPACE to swim (minimum 120 cm / 48 inches). Basal rocks on the bottom are tolerated, but the upper half of the tank must be completely empty to allow the school to explode in fast swimming.

Diet and Feeding: Pelagic planktivores. They consume food exclusively in the water column, totally ignoring that on the bottom. Fundamental to provide slow-sinking flakes, Cyclops, daphnia and top-quality brine shrimp.

Water Quality: Hard, alkaline (pH above 8) and pristine water. In addition to chemical stability, they demand a very high oxygen level (circulation pumps must heavily ripple the water surface).

Compatibility and Tankmates: The "dither fish" (reassuring fish) par excellence for Tanganyika tanks. Perfect companions for Neolamprologus (shell dwellers) or Julidochromis that inhabit the stones on the bottom. Avoid large Frontosas (which eat them overnight).

Aquarium Reproduction: Very peculiar mouthbrooders: the female releases and instantly collects the egg (fertilized on the fly) while it falls in the open water column, without touching the bottom. Broods a few fry (10-15) by mouth.

Risks and Diseases: Suicide risk: a sudden noise or a light suddenly turned on makes the school dart in all directions (read: lid closed titanically). They die of wasting from loneliness if not in a school.