Description

Five-Bar Cichlid (Lamprologus tretocephalus):

Species Fact Sheet:

• • Scientific Name: Lamprologus tretocephalus
  • Common Names: Five-Bar Cichlid, Five-Bar Lamprologus, Tretocephalus
  • Family: Cichlidae 

• • Geographical Range: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, distributed widely across the lake.
  • Natural Environment: Found predominantly in transitional zones where sandy floors meet rocky reefs, typically at depths between 5 and 15 metres.
  • Water Conditions: Inhabits exceptionally stable, hard, and highly alkaline water.

• • Adult Size: Males typically reach a maximum length of 14–15 cm (5.5–6 inches), whilst females remain slightly smaller, usually topping out at 10–12 cm (4–5 inches).
  • Coloration: Features a stark silvery-white to light-blue base body color, contrasted sharply by five thick, vertical black bars running across the flanks. A distinct dark band also runs between the eyes. Mature specimens develop beautiful iridescent blue highlights along the edges of their fins. 
  • Morphology: Possesses a powerful, elongated body with a pointed snout and specialized pharyngeal teeth adapted for crushing hard shells.

• • Water Temperature: 24°C – 27°C
  • Acidity Range: pH 8.0 – 9.0 (Strictly alkaline)
  • Water Hardness: 12–25 dGH
  • Minimum Tank Volume: 300 litres for a single individual or a bonded pair, owing to their high territorial aggression.

• • Substrate: A blend of fine aragonite sand or crushed coral is ideal to help buffer the pH and hardness naturally.
  • Shelter: Construct sturdy, extensive rock piles along the back and sides of the aquarium to create deep caves and caves. Rocks must be secure, as this species likes to dig out the sand beneath its chosen lair.
  • Filtration: High-capacity external filtration with moderate water movement is necessary to maintain pristine water quality, as they are highly sensitive to organic pollutants.

• • Commercial Foods: High-quality sinking pellets, granules, and protein-focused cichlid flakes.
  • Live and Frozen Foods: Mysis shrimp, krill, brine shrimp, chopped prawns, and occasionally small aquatic snails.
  • Dietary Note: Avoid feeding mammalian meats (such as beef heart), which can lead to severe digestive issues.

• • Social Structure: Highly solitary and fiercely territorial. They do not tolerate conspecifics well unless they are a well-matched breeding pair. 
  • Temperament: Aggressive and assertive. They will vigorously defend their chosen cave against any intruders.
  • Suitable Tankmates: Robust, fast-moving Tanganyikan cichlids such as Cyprichromis, larger Julidochromis species, or Altolamprologus (Calvus/Compreciessiceps). 
  • Avoid: Small shell-dwellers (Lamprologus ocellatus etc.), peaceful featherfins, or species from other lakes with vastly different water requirements, such as South American eartheaters.

• • Spawning: They are secretive cave-spawners. The female will deposit anywhere from 200 to 500 eggs inside the deepest recess of a rocky cave.
  • Parental Care: Both parents defend the nesting site with extreme ferocity. The female generally tends directly to the eggs, while the male patrols the wider territory boundary.
  • Rearing Fry: Eggs hatch in roughly 3–4 days. Once the fry are free-swimming, they can be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplii or finely powdered fry foods.

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