Actually we can offer very pretty Tanganyika Clowns, Eretmodus cyanostictus, from Makombe. Like so many other cichlids from the lake they have developed a lot of different geographical varieties.
Eretmodus are highly specialized fishes. In the wild they live in the very shallow water of the shore. Here, in the surf, they feed on aufwuchs. This means that they have a very long gut that enables them to digest this poor food. In the aquarium it is often a fatal mistake to feed them fat and protein rich food. The Clowns need also relatively high temperatures (around 28°C) and they love a heavy current.
Tanganyika Clowns have a reduced swimming bladder and are therefore unable to float in the water column. As they are somewhat quarrelsome it is best to keep them in pairs. Females usually stay smaller than the males. In the aquarium Tanganyika Clowns often form stable couples. They are biparental mouthbrooders. Male and female change eggs and fry from mouth to mouth. This makes a high degree of synchronizity necessary and that is the reason why Eretmodus are not often in the mood for changing their partners.
Text and photos: Frank Schäfer
| Angaben zum Tier | |
|---|---|
| Herkunft | Tanganjikasee / Lake Tanganyika |
| Verfügbare Größe in cm | 6-8 |
