Haplotaxodon microlepis Breeding Guide

How to breed Haplotaxodon microlepis, an open-water planktivorous Lake Tanganyika cichlid that is a biparental mouthbrooder.

Overview

Haplotaxodon microlepis is a planktivorous cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, ranging through Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia. FishBase records a maximum length of about 26 cm TL and lists the species as Least Concern. It is a pelagic species that roams the open waters of the lake solitary or in pairs, occasionally schooling in coastal waters along rocky coasts, and it feeds on zooplankton. Breeding is by biparental mouthbrooding, in which both parents share oral incubation of the developing young.

Conditioning

As a zooplankton feeder, the species is conditioned on small live and frozen planktonic foods supplemented with suitable prepared diets. Stable, hard alkaline Tanganyikan water on a varied diet supports pair formation and spawning.

Breeding Setup

This is a large open-water fish that needs a roomy tank with ample swimming space and some rocky structure reflecting the coastal areas where it occasionally schools. FishBase gives suitable water as roughly 23-28 degrees C, pH 7.0-8.5 and hardness around 10-15 dH. Because adults are often solitary or paired, a settled pair is the natural breeding unit.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Both parents participate in brooding. After spawning, the developing young are mouthbrooded by both the male and female; FishBase notes brooding parents ranging from about 16.6 to 18.3 cm SL. This biparental oral incubation is unusual among the lake's cichlids and distinguishes the species from purely maternal mouthbrooders.

Egg & Fry Care

Both parents mouthbrood the young until they reach a total length of about 2.34 cm, after which the larvae are released. The shared parental load can extend the protection period for the brood. Released young accept small live and prepared foods scaled to their size.

Common Challenges

The species' large adult size and need for open water make it demanding on space, and a cramped tank inhibits natural pairing and spawning. Its planktivorous feeding requires appropriately small foods. Disturbance to a brooding pair can lead to early release of the young.