Julidochromis dickfeldi Breeding Guide

Breeding Julidochromis dickfeldi, a biparental cave-spawning Tanganyikan cichlid: pairing, sexing, secretive cave spawning and fry rearing.

Overview

Julidochromis dickfeldi is a slender rock-dwelling cichlid endemic to the south-western portion of Lake Tanganyika, where each fish maintains a territory around a crevice or crack (Wikipedia). It is a bi-parental cave spawner that forms lifelong pairs, and Seriously Fish rates breeding as easy but requiring patience.

Sexing

Sexing is difficult. Seriously Fish notes that females typically grow larger than males and recommends purchasing several young fish to allow natural pairing rather than selecting adults, which often fail to bond.

Conditioning

Bring a forming pair into condition on a varied carnivore diet. Seriously Fish reports breeding at a pH of 8.2-9.0 and a temperature of 77-80 deg F (25-27 deg C). Before spawning, parents show increased activity around the chosen cave for up to a month.

Breeding Setup

Aquascape the breeding tank with rockwork providing defensible caves and crevices. A bonded pair will hold a territory around its chosen cave; pairing itself may take a year or more (Seriously Fish). Avoid large water changes around a settled pair, as these can trigger aggression between mates (Seriously Fish).

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Spawning takes place very secretively inside a cave, with eggs deposited on the walls or roof. Seriously Fish reports the female lays up to 100 eggs, but usually far fewer. Eggs hatch within 2-3 days.

Egg & Fry Care

Care is biparental: the female tends the eggs while the male guards the cave perimeter (Seriously Fish). Free-swimming fry can take brine shrimp nauplii from the start. Parental care continues until the fry reach about 1 inch (2.5 cm), at which point young should be removed to prevent predation by the adults (Seriously Fish).

Common Challenges

The slow, unpredictable pairing process is the principal obstacle, and forcing two adults together often results in aggression. Once a pair settles, it should be left undisturbed to maintain consistent spawning.