NEOLAMPROLOGUS TRETOCEPHALUS - APPEARANCE - SEXUAL DIMORFHISM

APPEARANCE - SEXUAL DIMORFHISM 

  

Neolamprologus Tretocephalus - species of freshwater fish of the cichlid family. Cichlids these in nature live litoral stones and gravel in the Northern and Eastern parts of lake Tanganyika in Africa, in the area of small transition at a depth of from 5 to 40 meters. The bottom is sandy, covered with large clusters of stones. This beautifully colored fish, have the body laterally flattened, elongate, and their blue-grey-white body passes through five transverse dark garnet pręg, from the cover skrzelowej to tail.

FISH NEOLAMPROLOGUS TRETOCEPHALUS

They also have an additional dark band passing through the eye. The Gill cover and part of the head is shiny blue -dark, and the edges of the fins bright blue. Deserving special attention is a large massive head, large eyes and fleshy lips. These fishes have large hole mouth and sharp teeth in the back mouth throat. Fish living in nature, may more head and strong jaws, because of its natural diet, well-developed jaws serve them for rozgniatania clams and snails.

Their appearance and opinion leads to the fact that some friends tell me that my fish is smutasy , but I don't think so. Their opinion is just blissful tranquility and grandeur, despite the fact that it is a predatory fish from nature. These fish depending on the mood and the incidence angle take on the color of light or dark, to purple - dark blue, or white with clearly dark scars.

This species is often confused with Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, which is similar kolorystcznie, but fish have on the body 6 vertical pręg and slightly larger sizes from Neolamprologus trotecephalus and have shorter fins. Can be confused with young people Cyphotilapia frontosa.



Neolamprologus trotecephalus - male

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM
In this species, sexual dimorphism is difficult to distinguish only the male is slightly larger females, with a slightly larger head, and the females are slightly smaller and slightly lighter.

BEHAVIOR 
Cichlids these are by nature predators, by growing them in an aquarium together with other species, they need to adhere to, rather, with larger fish lpielęgnicowatymi only from lake Tanganyika. Appropriate cast for Szczelinowców pięciopręgich this species: Neolamprologus, Cyprichromis, Lamprologus, Altolamprologus, Lamprichthyslub.

I personally in General 300 liter tank I kept them together with Neolamprologus cylindricus and get along very well.

Young fish swim in large groups, these groups are only connected by a monogamous pair. These fish after reaching full maturity rozrodczej can be aggressive towards other males of the same species, so-called aggression within species. With females they are not very strong connection – after putting eggs - caviar and young fish, adult fish become aggressive to other women. Then it often happens that the female is on the same end of the tank or hiding in the caves of the rocks, and the men in another part until the next spawning. Again, increasing interest in your we. It is therefore important that the aquarium was large, with numerous recesses of the rocks. In my aquarium along with in the amount of 5 pieces, also lived neolamprologus cylibdricus. 

Life together groups of fish in my aquarium is calm, rarely comes to aggression between the fish, if only in minor skirmishes on the border of the district is countryside. Basically it was a show of force in the tense form of the fins, body posture and odchylonych caps, Gill nets, such harmless debate and never had to fish himself chased around the tank or poraniły. In that tank, spawning took place szczelinowców pięciopręgich as szczelinowców cylindrical. So I'm convinced on their own experience with those types that if you provide them with adequate space in the tank, these species can act beside him.