Yellow Calvus (Altolamprologus calvus) Care Guide
The Yellow Calvus is a golden colour morph of Altolamprologus calvus from the Zambian shore of Lake Tanganyika, a compressed ambush predator.
Overview
The Yellow Calvus is a golden colour morph of Altolamprologus calvus, a cichlid endemic to the southern shoreline of Lake Tanganyika. The species has an extremely laterally compressed body and a high dorsal fin; this morph has a golden-yellow body with white spots. A. calvus was described by Max Poll in 1978, and yellow, white and several black variants are documented.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Altolamprologus
- Scientific name: Altolamprologus calvus "Yellow"
- Described by Poll, 1978 (species A. calvus)
Habitat
A. calvus is endemic to the southern part of Lake Tanganyika, where its deep, compressed body lets it enter narrow cracks and shallow caves. FishBase classes it as a freshwater, benthopelagic species of tropical waters around 23-25 °C.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L (79 gal)
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Rockwork with narrow caves and crevices
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Provide rockwork with narrow caves. FishBase lists wild values near 23-25 °C, pH 8.0-9.0 and dH 9-19; the parameters above follow the verified care record.
Diet
A carnivorous stalker. FishBase reports it feeds mainly on shrimps and other crustaceans, with a trophic level around 3.4, cruising 30-100 cm above the substrate. In the aquarium it accepts meaty frozen and prepared foods fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
Semi-aggressive and an ambush predator of small fish, so keep it with similarly sized or larger Tanganyika cichlids such as larger lamprologines, Julidochromis and open-water Cyprichromis. Avoid mbuna, Tropheus and small fish.
Breeding
A cave spawner. FishBase notes the female guards a clutch of about 200 eggs, typically deposited inside a small shell or narrow crevice that excludes larger intruders.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Near Threatened (assessed 2025 per FishBase; listed Near Threatened by Wikipedia).