Goby Cichlid:
Genera:
- Eretmodus …
- Spathodus …
- Tanganicodus …
Natural Habitat:
Lake Tanganyika
Upper one metre at shoreline
Strong current
Oxygen rich
Due to the shallow water habitat temperature can be higher at 280C
As can pH > 8.5
Herbivore:
Staple diet algae.
Bi-parental mouth brooder:
Usually form a long lasting pair (lifetime?)
The female holds the eggs for the first 10 or 12 days then the male takes over for the next 7 to 10 days.
Clutch size 10 to 30 eggs.
here is a video of male and female transferring eggs:
https://www.youtube....h?v=iy34rDW7PME
Aggression:
Conspecific Aggressive.
Can be territorial when spawning.
Monomorphic:
Size: Max 7cm – 10cm.
Males tend to be a bit larger than females
Deflated swim bladder. Helps them in the turbulent shallows but gives them a hop-a-long attitude on the aquarium bottom.
Snout like head with underslung mouth and eyes placed high – both due to feeding in the shallows.
Spiny dorsal fin (defence in the shallows?). Problematic in nets.
Fry are slow growing.
Species and Localities:
- Any difference to above general comments noted here
- Eretmodus cyanostictus
- Bemba
- Bulu Pt
- Isanga
- Kasanga
- Kavala
- Kiku
- Makombe
- Zambia
- Eretmodus sp. “Cyanostictus North”
- Kigoma
- Spathodus erythrodon
- Kabezi
- Kibige
- Spathodus marlieri
- Maternal mouth brooder
- Max size 10cm
- Nondwa
- Tanganicodus irsacae
- Max size 7cm
- Pointed mouth
- Kagunga
- Kigoma
- Mabilibili
The Aquarium:
- Minimum 150 litres for a pair
- 300 litres for more than one pair
- Temperature: 280C
- Strong current
- Otherwise it is standard Tang conditions – hardness etc; pH (tho can be higher since, apparently, pH is higher in the shallows at the lake)
- In the aquarium can feed a spirulina flake. Maybe with some mysis or cyclops on occasion
Acknowledgements:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/index.php
Cichlid Forum Articles by:
Eric Glab:
“hard to distinguish Spathodus erythrodon from Eretmodus cyanostictus except for the teeth. Both species of Spathodus have long and cylindrical teeth.”
“Eretmodus cyanostictus and Eretmodus "cyanostictus north" are basically the same fish except that the northern type has a more underslung mouth.”
Marc Elieson:
“Eretmodus cyanostictus is a monomorphic species, however, fry show a slight dimorphism for the first couple of days following release - males are a dark brown while females are a light brown. But this minor difference lasts only a few days. Adults are "sand-colored" with nine dark, vertical bars along their sides.”
“The food of choice for E. cyanostictus is a good Spirulina flake. Mysis and Cyclops make good supplementary foods, but avoid Brine Shrimp at all costs. Suitable tankmates include other algae-eating tanganyikans, such as Tropheus and Simochromis species.”
http://www.perthcichlid.com.au/forum/index.php?showtopic=54264&hl=eretmodus
by: Malawi Freak
http://www.aquarium-glaser.de/en/eretmodus-cyanostictus-kigoma-_en_744.html
Aquarium Glaser GmbH
http://www.fishtanksandponds.co.uk/profiles/eretmodus-cyanostictus.html
Fish Tanks and Ponds
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2576
Practical Fishkeeping