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Tropheus
Recently there has been an influx of wild Tropheus adults from numerous locations ranging from the central to southern section of the lake, the majority being collected from Tanzania, Zambia and the more accessible border areas with the Congo (formerly Zaire). This group of fishes has always been arguably the most popular of the Tanganyikan cichlids because of its vivid and varied colour pattern and its unusual shape. Unfortunately it also has a reputation of being a difficult genus as it can suffer from intestinal problems and is susceptible to poor water quality. It is also not such a good ‘shipper’ being prone to stress problems caused whilst in transit by over crowding and low temperatures. Moreover once settled in it can become extremely aggressive eliminating any competition in a very short time. Yet despite all the problems Tropheus are probably one of the most rewarding fishes to keep and not as difficult as may seem if we make the effort to understand their needs and provide the correct requirements for their well being. The first area to consider is the size of the aquarium. Do not keep these fishes if you cannot house them. Space is required, as is the filtration system to accompany it. Also if you cannot keep up a good water change regime keep something else. Due to their dietary requirements, they are algae grazers in their natural habitat they possess enormous appetites eating constantly if allowed. Consequently the excretion rate is also high causing water quality problems. It is no coincidence that some of the most successful Tropheus breeders change a lot of water. Tropheus by nature are a group fish with the more the merrier as this helps to disperse the aggression factor. It is also a good idea to try to keep multiple trios i.e. 2 males to four females or better still 3 males to six females. The point is do not just keep one male with a lot of females because the females can fight amongst each other and are just as likely to kill as the males. The use of rocks should be restricted and the building of vast underwater cathedrals avoided as this also leads to territorial aggression and any fish not able to find a hole in which to hide will find itself being harassed and eventually killed. Again many of the specialist breeders employ a system of a sand substrate with few or no rocks and quite often a ratio of around 15 males to 35 females. When looking at the genus as individual species the actual number is still subject to conjecture. Current estimates seem to favour eight separate species based on location and co habitation. These are Tropheus moorii (Boulenger 1898), T. duboisi (Marlier 1959), T. sp black, T. brichardi (Nelissen & Thys van den Audenaerde 1975) T. annectens (Boulenger 1900) T. polli (Axelrod 1977) T sp. Red and T. sp. Ikola Observations in the wild have indicated that T. sp. red actually shares a habit with T. moorii and they have been seen living sympatrically. Konings believes also that Tropheus sp. Ikola is a separate species from the Tropheus sp. black group. When keeping them in the aquarium, however, most aquarists do not wish to keep vast numbers but a variety of species/colour variations and this brings into question of what or what not to mix. Hybridisation should be avoided. The best answer is to attempt to keep within the boundaries of what is classified as separate species and do not mix animals that are deemed to be the same. So Tropheus sp. Ikola could be kept with any of the others even more if space permits. I have kept this species together with Tropheus moorii (several colour variants) T. sp. red (Chilanga, Moliro) and T. duboisi Maswa. This was all in same aquarium ranging from 8 to 12 individuals of each group. Whilst there was a lot of movement and some squabbling each species spawned with its own type with no cross breeding at all. What I would not suggest is that two species appearing to be the same are kept together. I do know there has been reference to colour recognition and this undoubtedly plays a huge role in mate selection but I have yet to personally see any hard evidence. One continental breeder actually told me that he bred Tropheus sp. red Chimba and the variant from Moliro in the same aquarium without any hybridisation, the key being the colour of the cheek stripe (as he called it) or more accurately the lower edge of the operculum (gill cover), the variant from Chimba possessing a red marking (stripe) on the lower part and that from Moliro having a blue grey marking in the same area. Looking at the photos of fishes sold as ‘Moliro s’ this marking does not seem to be too obvious. Also when looking at the map of the range of these fishes one sees that Chimba, Chipimbi, and Moliro are all very close together. Also Kachese the location of the golden Moorii as it is sometimes known, is also very close together with other locations that have documented races. Again I have kept and spawned successfully the T. sp. Red Kachese with other variants of Tropheus including T. moorii Mpulungu and T sp. Black Kireza. Again the fishes were totally different and had no trouble in being able to recognise their own mates. Another consideration is that Tropheus must occur in between the stated collection points so what do we call these animals. Moreover when we receive animals labelled as Moliro, Chimba Kachese etc were these fishes caught at exactly that location or was it a few kilometres down the coast. Again looking at the first picture, I have seen other specimens and photographs of T. sp. Red Moliro bearing varying degrees of similarity/dissimilarity (see photo below) so what are these fishes. Should there be another location label or are we just ‘splitting hairs’ so to speak and are they all one species? At the risk of being repetitive I would advise against keeping similar animals together. As a final thought on the keeping of these fishes together the above refers to groups not individuals as this can open up a completely new situation. Given the mandate that the prime function of all living forms on this planet is ‘copy ones self’ i.e. breed or reproduce in order to ensure the future survival of the species, what happens should there be several individuals of differing species housed in the same aquarium. Assuming there is both male and female present, the answer is likely to be hybridisation. This actually happened when I ended up with some odd specimens of differing species and in order to save space placed them together in the same aquarium. I do not know who spawned who or when but I saw incubating females and eventually young Tropheus. They resembled a standard Tropheus moorii in basic pattern but each individual showed some variation. As it was a mixed community they never attained maturity due to predation by other species. Several Altolamprologus compressiceps, I suspect being the main culprit. Perhaps the main area concerning the keeping of Tropheus in the aquarium is that of providing them with the correct diet. As previously stated Tropheus are continually feeding on algae and whatever diatoms etc are to found accompanying or inhabiting it. On the video Tauchen am Sudende des Tanganjikasees by Han J Herman there is footage of a Tropheus feeding. What is interesting is not just the fish itself but what it ingests. There appears to be a large amount of detritus disturbed by the action of the feeding and the fish must take some of it in. My own experiences actually witnessed Tropheus feeding off algae covered tufa rock and noticing that there appeared to be tracks left behind actually in the rock itself, which is extremely soft. Also their faeces were of a chalky consistency indicating its passage through the long intestine tract. Fishes in the wild actually ingest sand grains and certainly many algae feeders such as Petrochromis actually consume up to 80% of non digestible compounds in their diet passing faeces which are of a chalky appearance (Rene Kreuter pers comm.) so there must be some evolutionary reason as to why this happens. The exact answer is not available and further research is required but we do know that this intake of non-digestible food is not accidental or so many fishes would not do it so often. It could be that this is a necessity in order to facilitate the passage of food through the intestine similar to the technique in swallowing grit that is used by parrots etc. The problem is duplicating if at all possible, this in the aquarium. Obviously fishes that can remove algae from rocks, especially tufa will already be helping themselves, as will those who are able to forage for food on a
sandy substrate. Even these individuals however do need their diets monitoring. Avoid the use of anything containing mammalian fats, as these are likely to cause major problems. In fact this type of fat is extremely detrimental, even fatal to fishes, as it is solid, where as that of a fish is oil and is stored in the liver. Usage of such a diet causes liver degradation. Always check frozen food that states cichlid, Malawi or Tanganyika diet. If it looks of a meaty consistency do not use it. Frozen Cyclops is a safe food being eaten readily by all sizes of Tropheus, as is a good quality spirulina flake. For adult fishes only, mysis shrimp and occasional feeds of frozen brine shrimp are readily accepted. Fishes fed on excess brine shrimp seem to develop problems regularly as do Tropheus of any age fed on bloodworms. The main problem likely to be encountered is that of appetite loss yet no apparent weight loss and in some cases bloating. The fishes can close their fins and appear to’ wobble’ in the water. Death occurs usually in about 7 days after loss of appetite although the time scale varies with individual specimens. The cause can be down to numerous factors. Bad water quality/management, poor shipping, incorrect diet, stress caused by over aggressive companions and even old age can all lead to this problem. The principal agent(s) appear(s) to be flagellates, small organisms whose actual structure has led to different classifications. Some biologists say they are a parasite others a bacteria others say they fall in between the two categories. The main point as far as aquarists especially Tropheus keepers are concerned is that they lead to the death of the fish. As far as we are able to discern from research the organisms are present always in the fish but the fish is able to hold a balance between them reaching epidemic proportions by using its immune system. Fish tuberculosis is present and is held in check in the same way. However when the fish is subject to stress by any one or combination of the factors previously mentioned it appears not to be able to produce ‘anti-bodies’ or whatever to keep the microorganisms in check. Consequently they reach dangerous levels through rapid reproduction and we have a problem. In the case of Trophies this can infect other occupants of the tank. The cure is as involved and hit and miss as the diagnosis. Because of regulations governing the sale of certain chemical compounds some of the most affective are either not available (Nipurifrinol), or restricted sale through a Vet (Metrinizodole/flagel) and those we are legally left with are not too effective. Recently good results have been obtained using Octozin and Myxazin in combination. Both cures are used at full strength and can be used for a longer than stated time, 4-5 days has been recorded. The manufacturer would accept no responsibility for anything going wrong but then the fishes will die if you don’t do something. Other problems encountered are velvet disease (oodinium), again a quick response being required as this complaint spreads very quickly covering the entire body causing rapid deteriation of all fishes in the aquarium, white spot (icthyothirius multifilis), costia and numerous other protozoan parasites. Fortunately these can be cured without too much trouble, the major problem being diagnosis as they all appear as white spots. The answer is too using a shotgun type of treatment i.e. one, which cures all the problems. Protozin (Waterlife Products) is effective but ensure enough is available as it is a cure that must be administered over several days. For those with large aquariums who find purchasing of cures expensive Malachite green and Formaldehyde is also effective and cheaper. In all cases read the label and ensure the correct dosage is used. Other problems have been encountered but are much less common the only other major concern is that of aggressive behaviour. Quite often especially when kept in smaller numbers one fish will be the target for every other one and this can lead to the demise of such an animal. The question is whether or not to remove the bullied fish or just leave well alone. If it is removed it will have to be nursed back to health, not a problem for most aquarists but then comes the re introduction. The same problem usually manifests itself again. In my experience it is better if possible to leave the animal where it is. If it is feeding and can gain respite in a hiding place then it should not suffer too unduly. Deaths occur if the animal has some other problem like an intestinal complaint and cannot defend itself. The fighting seems to speed up the process. The best way out of the situation is like Malawi cichlids …add more .As I have said these are group fishes with what appears to be an organised social structure. The more of them the less chance of problems. Assuming all the previous problems have been dealt with successfully then there is one final thing the Tropheus will do to the unsuspecting keeper. Spawn! This is the main reason that they and all other living organisms are on the planet, the prime directive being ‘ copy yourself ‘. This need is the strongest of all, required to ensure the survival of the species and when any fish does so the aquarist knows everything in the aquarium is optimal. Fish do not spawn if they feel/know their offspring are not going to survive. However which is the best method to breed and raise the offspring? Is there one? Some of the most successful ‘set ups’ are limited to one species per large (approx 50-100 gallons) aquaria with numerous fishes. The décor is limited to sandy substrate with a pile of beach pebbles at one end. The fishes live and breed in here with the females depositing their offspring in the rocky area, the small caves formed by the pebbles providing safe refuge for the fry until they are old enough to join the main group. The problems of finance and of space are often paramount to the majority of aquarists. Large groups, especially if they are wild fishes can be extremely expensive, not to mention the space required accommodating them. This ‘set up’ is however likely to yield the larger numbers of offspring as basically to produce large numbers large numbers are needed in the first place. This is how the fishes live in their natural habitat with the females releasing their offspring in the safety of the shallows. The most popular method of keeping and propagation utilised is that of mixing species (not just Tropheus) and removing the brooding females to smaller aquaria so as to avoid predation by other inhabitants of the aquarium. This works well enough, the only drawback being, the reintroduction of the individual afterwards. Providing that precautions are taken on the reintroduction i.e. rockwork, if used, being rearranged, placing the aquarium in darkness and/or adding more than one fish to divert attention from the individual there should be few problems. I use this method through necessity as the tanks often have numerous species in them, as do most other aquarists set ups, and have a very high rate of success. One factor that has to be taken into account however is the actual size of the aquarium in question. Certainly the higher success rate can be attributed to the larger system as the new arrival has more room to avoid being harassed. When brooding the actual behaviour patterns of the female are extremely interesting as this genus, like others from Lake Tanganyika exhibit a considerable degree of after care, unlike their near relatives from Lake Malawi. Observations reveal the young returning to safety of the mothers mouth several weeks after their first venture into their watery world and I have seen the mother actually feeding with her offspring shepherding them around the aquarium. This fascinating behaviour pattern was well documented when Gerard Tijsseling actually left a video camera running on an aquarium inhabited by Tropheus and opened up a whole new perception of these animals. He recorded the actual sequence of imprinting whereby the young fishes are repeatedly spat out and then retrieved by the mother. This behaviour pattern actually ‘teaches’ the fry to recognise their mother. Moreover by this method they ‘know’ what they are and exactly what they are supposed to do later on when it is there turn to mouth brood. Classic problems have occurred over the years through the lack of not allowing nature to take its own course. Birds of prey that are hand reared cannot be released into the wild due to their lack of ability to hunt. The project on saving the Andean Condor and the overcoming of the problems to ensure that the chicks were ‘raised’ as condors and not imprinted to humans is well known. Feeding young Tropheus is not a problem as far as food size is concerned as they are ready to feed once released at a size 10mm but again the actual diet needs to be carefully considered. Frozen Cyclops and crushed spirulina flake are eagerly accepted and this seems to be the safest diet and is recommended by most breeders of this genus. Juvenile Tropheus seem to be prone to problems caused by the salt content in artemia and find mysis shrimp to difficult to devour, as it is too big. As they grow they can be introduced to other foods but beware of excessive use of artemia. Some aquarists state they find the growth rate is better if the fry are left in with their parents than those fishes that are isolated at an early age. This may be due to the fact that without a doubt these animals do live in a social structure with dominant males and females and it may be that they offer some protection to the younger fishes. In the wild the young fishes are released into the shallows until they’re safe enough to join the main group. Whatever method is used is up to the individual but the one that causes the least stress has got to be the best. Without a doubt Tropheus are one of the most entertaining groups of fishes to keep. With further study and the increased knowledge that will no doubt accompany it our understanding of the fishes will broaden with time as will our enjoyment of these intelligent creatures.
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