Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni Care Guide
Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni is a large predatory Lake Tanganyika cichlid of sandy areas that digs crater-shaped nests and preys on fish.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni is a large cichlid of the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it prefers areas with sandy substrates in which it digs crater-shaped nests. Wikipedia reports a maximum total length of about 29.1 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Lepidiolamprologus
- Scientific name: Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni
Habitat
The species is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and prefers sandy bottoms, where it digs crater-shaped nests. Its name honours the British zoologist William Alfred Cunnington, who collected the type specimen during an expedition to the lake.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 700 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
Diet
Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni is a carnivore that takes fish as prey. In the aquarium it accepts meaty foods, and any tankmates must be too large to be eaten.
Compatibility
This large, aggressive predator uses the middle of the tank and requires a very large aquarium. It should only be combined with the largest Tanganyika species, such as Cyphotilapia. Small fish, shell-dwellers and Mbuna are unsuitable.
Breeding
According to Wikipedia, the species digs crater-shaped nests in sandy substrates, which form the focus of its breeding behaviour as a substrate spawner.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is recorded in the aquarium trade.
Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni Breeding Guide
Overview
Lepidiolamprologus cunningtoni is a large predatory cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, reaching about 29.1 cm TL. It is usually solitary, swims close to the sand bottom and preys on fish, including smaller cichlids. It digs large crater-shaped nests in the sand even where rocky shelters are available, indicating a substrate-spawning habit.
Sexing
Sexing is not well documented; as with related Lepidiolamprologus, pairs are most reliably recognised by behaviour once a nesting territory is established.
Conditioning
As a piscivore preying on smaller cichlids, the species is conditioned on meaty foods. Its predatory, solitary nature means pairing must be managed carefully in a very large tank.
Breeding Setup
A very large tank with extensive open sand is required so the fish can excavate its large crater nest. Maintain hard alkaline Tanganyika water around pH 7.5-8.0, hardness 25-30 dH and 24-27 C, as reported for the species.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The species constructs a large crater-shaped nest in the sand, preferring this even when rocks that could serve as shelter are nearby, and spawns within the excavated site as a substrate spawner. Breeding in aquaria is not well documented.
Common Challenges
This is a large, aggressive predator that will hunt smaller cichlids and shellies, so it needs a very large tank, careful tankmate selection and ample open sand. Stable warm, hard, alkaline water is essential.