Altolamprologus calvus Breeding Guide

How to breed Altolamprologus calvus: sexing, a cave-and-shell setup, the female's narrow spawning cave, egg timing, and fry care.

Overview

Altolamprologus calvus is a laterally compressed cichlid endemic to the southern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika, with males growing to around 13 cm. Its flattened body lets the female slip into narrow rock crevices and shells to spawn where the larger male cannot follow. It is a cave/shell spawner that can be kept as a pair or in a harem.

Sexing

Males grow larger and have longer fins than females. The size difference is pronounced and is the main practical sexing cue once the fish are mature.

Conditioning

Condition breeders on a varied diet of live and frozen foods. Pairs can develop naturally from a group of juveniles over roughly two years, or a single male can be kept with a harem of three or four females.

Breeding Setup

Provide piles of rocks forming caves and crevices, plus flowerpots or shells as alternative spawning sites. Crucially, offer cavities small enough that only the female can enter. Maintain hard, alkaline water at around 25-27 C (about 77-80 F) and pH near 8.0-8.5.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The female selects a cave into which only she can fit and lays the eggs inside. The male deposits sperm at the entrance, and the parents fan it towards the eggs with their fins. Females can lay up to about 200 eggs per spawning.

Egg & Fry Care

Eggs hatch in around 2 days and the young become free-swimming after another 8-10 days. The female tends the eggs within the cave while the male guards the area outside. Once the fry are free-swimming the male should be removed, as he may eat them; the female typically does not harm them.

Common Challenges

This is a slow-growing species and pairs can take a long time to mature, so patience is essential. Without a cave that excludes the male, spawning success is unreliable, and the male may predate free-swimming fry if left in place.